Raïhanyat,

Moroccan Writer Mohamed Saïd Raïhani’s Website

THE SEASON OF MIGRATION TO ANYWHERE

(A Collection of Short Stories)

AL-HAJJAJ BEN YOUSSEF AL-THAQAFI CITY

"Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City Welcomes You."

This is the first road board welcoming you at the edge of your car a few miles away from Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City. Afterwards, slogans succeed on both sides of the main road:

"For an Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City without slums by 2999"
"For an Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City without corruption by 2999"
"For an Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City without unemployment by ..."
"For an Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City without prisons ..."
"For an Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi City without..."
"For ..."

I, finally, got to town centre after having read all the slogans planted all along the way. I stopped the car and went out for a walk until time comes to attend the conference for which I was invited. I walked along Boulevard Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi towards Cinema Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi. I stopped to examine all the posters announcing the films scheduled for the following week: Historical films cherishing the efforts and contributions of Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi in enlarging the territory of Islam.

With my hands in my pockets, I walked away undisturbed in the streets of a city which I was discovering for the first time in my life. I strolled between Insurance Agencies Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Hairdressers’ Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Cafés Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Studios Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Creameries Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Bakeries Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Groceries Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Laundries Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Bars Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Pensions Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Hotels Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Motels Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Garages Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Mosques Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi...

I found myself in the great central square of the city named after Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi. In the middle of the square stood a very beautiful ivory fountain, architecturally sublime: Fountain Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi. Something, however, has attracted my curiosity: The deserted place and the absence of any living action except for the posters plastered on the walls fluttering from their corners in the air. I got closer to read:

"The Association Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi for Development, Justice, Culture, Education, Information, Communication, Sports, Human Rights, Chidren’s Rignts, Women’s Rights and the Rights for Minorities is organizing a conference on "The Bright Image of Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, Man of Justice and Despotism".

At last, I reached the space of the conference but only to hear the last word in the last intervention of the last guest:

-"May God bless Defunct Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi, He was such an Ideal Judge!"

A storm of cheers and applause filled the space flared up by a supercharged audience clapping their hands red, wiping away their watery eyes, showing truthfully their inner minds that have never read, nor seen nor even heard anything else but Al-Hajjaj Ben Youssef Al-Thaqafi.

CONTENTS

SPRINGTIME BIRD

FOR EVERYBODY HIS OWN SKY

THE THREE KEYS

DANCING PARTY

Al-HAJJAJ CITY

HIS EXCELLENCY MR. THE PRESIDENT

DEVELOPMENT

A FUTILE MISE-EN-ECENE

OLD AGE

JEAN GENET

RABBIT MAN