I’d silence myself

I met an Egyptian for the first time today How I have gone this long without speaking to an Egyptian, I do not know But when I heard him say that was where he was from, I was immediately curious I wondered, what’s Egyptian culture like? But I was standing in the sauna And he was speaking to someone else And so often in these sorts of situations I’d silence myself

Oh well, I thought, it’s not important anyway Ask him! This little voice nagged me I can’t be bothered… Ask him! But he’s speaking to someone else Ask him! It’s been quiet for too long now, it would be weird to say something Ask him!

Normally at this point I’d squash that little voice down like a tin can and throw it into the worryingly high waste pit of things I’ve wanted to say or do but suppressed But I’ve been practicing speaking my truth Even if I think it’s stupid So I said to him hey, did you say you’re Egyptian? Si! He said, with the biggest, most endearing grin What’s Egyptian culture like? Woah, that’s a big question he said And he pondered for a while…

You’re everyone’s friend You can be speaking to the grocer and before you know it you’ve heard his life story On my way to work I’d say hello to 60 people And 60 more on the way back There’s 22 million of us in Cairo so we’re all over one other My mother has a rule: if someone can smell your cooking, you offer it to them We’ll hear what the couple down the street is arguing about And we’ll argue about it too Everyones family He was brimming with life as he spoke to me

I said, that’s funny I lived in London for 7 years and I never knew my neighbours I’d be on the tube and the last I wanted was to speak to someone A voice in the sauna chipped in: Yeah, it’s a total rat race You’re masking at work Small talking And by the end of a day you’re worn out You don’t want to speak to another soul

Interesting, said the Egyptian So how would you describe British culture? Drinking! Said someone Stiff upper lip, is what came to me I learnt that politeness was priority And along the way I avoided conflict, I avoided life I avoided saying what I truly wanted And only now am I stepping back into the arena Engaging, conflicting And more alive than ever