‘Out last night, SWO?’
‘A couple of wogs came through the wire, sir, and broke into the pharmacy. We still don’t know all that they got away with. What can I do for you, Mr Bassett? Come to volunteer again? Almost nobody does, you know.’
‘I’ve a couple of days’ leave coming; I’ll give you a night after that, if you like. No, I came to see if you could think of a solution to a little problem I have. I’ve got a pile of personal documents I don’t want to fall into anyone else’s hands when I’m away. I need to leave them safe and secure. I’m afraid they’d be nicked from my tent or my locker.’
‘What about your CO?’
‘I’ve thought about that. People are going in and out of his safe all of the time. I wouldn’t rest happy . . .’
‘Would they fit in a large dispatch envelope?’
‘Yes, they would.’
‘Put them inside a sealed envelope, inside a sealed dispatch envelope, and mail them to yourself “addressee only”. They’ll be kept at Base PO until you collect them.’
Now why didn’t I think of that?
I sifted through the shots, and took out a few. Then I did as he’d said.
I trundled north on the RAF bus. The Regiment corporal was on the gate again, and recognized me through the window. He started what began as a salute, so I quickly grinned and waved back, and his salute turned into a waved hand. No hard feelings then.
I got off in the square at Ismailia and hoofed it to the Kettle. It was closed again, so I would have to use the back way in. A hurdy-gurdy man was grinding out Arabic tunes on a wind-up box in the street outside, and an ice-cream seller stood alongside him. I ate an ice cream, and listened to the monotonous musical howls before I nipped down the side alley. They watched me go with expressionless faces.
Yassine was seated at one of the round tables. One of the small bands was practising, and one of the girls danced sinuously around them for fun. The laughter was infectious – nothing like when they were doing it for clients. The noise was overwhelming, so David and I had to shout over it. The dust the dancer raised sparkled in the shafts of light pouring in from small high windows.
I slid into the seat opposite him. ‘They are tremendous.’
‘When they perform for themselves, yes. They used to be the old King’s favourites.’
‘Can you put me up for a couple of days?’
‘Of course, but we’ll have to be careful: the British authorities won’t like it if they find out. Times are tense again, and I am closed down. Maybe for good this time.’
‘I’m sorry about that. I didn’t check the alert before I left. That’s going to kill me one day.’
‘You should have noticed all the brave British soldiers carrying their wooden clubs . . . but, God willing, you will have a long life, Charlie Bassett.’
One of his boys had brought us beers. I lifted mine and said, ‘. . . and you, David. Long life.’ We toasted each other. The music, singing and dance built in a noisy crescendo, then stopped abruptly. The girl collapsed in front of the band, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. ‘Will my things be safe here?’
‘Of course not, but they will be safer than on any of your British bases.’ It was the third time in minutes he had used the word British with a curled lip.
‘You’re not all that keen on the Brits at the moment?’
‘You keep closing me down. Soon it will be impossible to trade.’
‘I am sorry about that.’
He shrugged and muttered, ‘Inshallah.’ He was becoming an Arab again. Arabs were becoming Arabs again all over the Middle East, and that was going to be a problem for us one day. I know I’ve said it before, but Lawrence of sodding Arabia has a lot to answer for.
Yassine gave me an airy room along the top corridor. The door looked a hundred years old, and closed with a sliding wooden bar on the inside. There was an old, upright fretted cupboard and a bed large enough for six, covered by carpets. A creaky fan revolved overhead. It would do.
The music filtered up, a slower number with a lot of hand clapping. I asked him, ‘What’s that called?’
‘ “Mnishebak” – it means The view from my window; it’s very romantic. You like it?’
A male tenor voice suddenly weaved through it, sounding like the muezzin calling his people to prayer.
‘Very much. If we listened to each other’s music more often, we wouldn’t fight as much, would we?’
He put his arm around my shoulders. It was like being hugged by a gorilla.
‘Maybe we make a good Arab of you yet, Charlie Bassett.’ Why did so many people want to turn me into something else?
‘No fear, my foreskin’s staying exactly where it’s supposed to be.’
We could both laugh at that. Next he called me a cab to get me out to the compound at El Kirsh, but warned me not to get into any cab not arranged by him.
‘But this guy’s safe?’
‘Anything happens to you, I cut his throat. He understands.’
‘Thank you, David. I owe you a lot.’
‘You will pay me back a lot as well, never fear.’
Haye with an e was on duty, so I said I’d see her later, and walked up to see if Mrs Holroyd was in. She
