Superhero of Cairo

While Cairo is not the setting for too many Marvel Comics, there is a superhero who guards the streets, protects the innocent, and helps clueless americans cross streets. A few weeks ago, I went with my roommate to find some new pillows. We heard that "Carpet City" was the number one place for pillows, and we hoped to find replacements for the cement blocks which we were currently using. The only problem was that when we asked people where Carpet City was, everyone had a different opinion. Imagine the scarecrow in the wizard of oz crossing his arms, pointing in opposite directions, and then nodding adamently. After the wrong guesses of a taxi driver, shop keeper, and friendly pedestrian, we ended up in an open market which we hoped was "Carpet City". After a game of charades with one of the workers--we didn't know the word for pillow--we began to realize that this store was not the famed Carpet City, nor did the owners know, or want us to know, the location of their competition. We were lost, without pillows, and very close to dispair when a figure clothed in black swooped in to save the day. But this isn't Gotham city, its Cairo, and the hero wasn't Batman, it was a Munaqaba. The term "Munaqaba" simply means "the one who wears the niqab", which is the head scarf which fully covers the face except for the eyes, and is made of lose black fabric. Our hero, was just such a woman, and was in fact, the first fully covered woman who I had ever been rescued by. "Do you guys need some help?" she asked in perfect English, her eyes smiling for her hidden mouth. "Carpet City? Oh yes I know exactly where it is! Here, come with me and I will show you." We learn her name is Rowiya, that she grew up in Houston (hence the perfect accent) and that she speaks French, German and English in addition to her native Arabic. She walks quickly, gracefully, and seems completely uninhibited by what looks to me as yards of black cloth. Her hands are covered in black gloves, a fact emphasized when she extends her hand protectively in front of the 10 lanes of traffic which stand before us. "Let me stand on this side"-placing herself in between us, her cubs, and the uncoming traffic. Without blinking, she strides in front of flying cars, as if she and the beat up peugots are rehearsing for a dance recital, and their steps are choreagraphed and seamless. On the otherhand, Sammy and I are doing a lot of blinking, in fact I think my eyes remained closed most of the time as we clung close to her side. We tried to ignore our instincts and the adrenaline which was building in our veins, and just held our our breath till we reached the median. The second 5 lanes were just as harrowing for us, and just as carefree for our savior. With her cubs safe on the otherside of the street, Rowiya shakes our hands, smiles (I assume) and tells us to be safe and to enjoy Cairo. We are flabbergasted to have survived, and mumble astonished words of gratitude, I believe I may have offered her my first born child at one point. The memory of my words are a blur, as was the traffic, but what is still crystal clear for me are her eyes. Warm, young, bright, and a tinge heroic. She was a masked superhero who went in and out of my life like a ghost, and whose acts of goodwill I will always remember even if I never saw her face.