Cairo Street Scene

'So, what has the revolution achieved?', I ask a bookshop owner who I have got to know over the years. 'Look, there are three points here,' he starts his analysis. 'Why do you have a revolution? You need change. And the first revolution got that, got rid of Mubarak who was part good, part not so good.' He pauses to sell someone a stamp. 'And then you get another one like Mubarak, only with this...' He motions a beard on the end of his chin to conjure up the figure of former President Mursi. '..and he's no good either. The Muslim Brotherhood are all over the region...in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Saudi...like a cancer, so we needed a second revolution to remove it.' The second interruption is to top up someone's mobile phone and he also jots down an order for something in a well thumbed, green notebook on his counter when someone calls his own phone. 'Where was I?'
'Getting to the benefits...under this latest army president...'
'Well, it's too soon to say. The new system is not perfect and it will need time to work.'
'Can you see any economic improvement yet, anything for the man in the street?' He looks at me, before answering. 'Give it a year...this is not a perfect system we have,' he repeats.

I come across another less than perfect system when I eat a Greek yoghurt and banana concoction purchased from a trendy new 'In Season' take away food outlet, and find myself chewing on a curled up, elastic band half way through. So I take it back, along with the other things we'd bought but not yet touched.

The manager hands me my money back without question. 'And when did you say you bought it?' he asks.
'Two days ago...in the evening.'
'What time?'
'Oh, about nine o'clock...I came in with my wife'
'I think I remember you...she's short and fat, isn't she?' he asks, making his own body look dumpy as he bends his knees and pushes out his elbows. I twist my lips round in front of my teeth to stop laughing out loud as I reply, 'No, not at all...it was your colleague who was here.'
He suddenly realises he hasn't actually met me before and straightens up again. 'Well, do try something else another time.’ I think you all know the answer I gave to that suggestion!