my maid’s view

Negat and her family live out by the Pyramids. I’ve never had a maid in my life until now, but with sandy dust coating your apartment every few days, and lots of poor Egyptians in need of work, everyone I know here has a maid.

In any case, I called her with a question about something that happened in the flat while I was gone, but it turned into a political discussion. At first she cautiously tried to test the waters and figure out my opinion, and when I candidly told her, she exploded with enthusiasm and said that “everyone” is happy.

I last spoke with her on February 3, right after Tahrir Thug Day, and she was audibly upset at the time. So was a secretary I know on campus, whose husband happens to be in the army. As of February 2/3 she was sure there would be a Civil War.