Down the lane from my house in the Marrakech medina, four brown cows’ hooves dangle just above eye level. They’re a specialty item at the micro-butchery, where the owner wears a long face and a stern expression. Less than two miles away, I find myself dangling from the ceiling of a room in the new […]
Archive | January, 2019
How a Pair of Missing Underwear Cracked Open a Door in My Arabic Neighborhood
The scene: Marrakech medina. Sunday afternoon. A return trip to the neighborhood laundry. Me to the laundry guy (via Google Translate and expecting the worst): “I’m sorry, it’s a little awkward, but I’m missing something. [beat] A pair of ladies’ things.” Laundry guy (via sign language, concerned but not embarrassed): “I’ll have a […]