Ostrich
INTANGIBLE
®
www.intangible.org
Leila Aboulela
The Ostrich
Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela was born in Cairo in 1964. She lived in Khartoum and graduated from the University of Khartoum in 1985. She travelled to
London to study statistics at the LSE, and in 1990 moved with her family to Aberdeen. Her work has been published in Mica, Chapman, Special
Reserve (Scottish Cultural Press), Left to Write, and Scottish Short Stories
1996 (HarperCollins).
Copyright © 1997 Leila Aboulela. All rights reserved.
Illustration: “The University of Khartoum, Sudan,” copyright © 1997 Griselda El Tayeb. All rights reserved.
Design by Mike Lee.
You are invited to print and enjoy this document for your personal use.
For other publication and presentation permissions, please contact the author at the address below.
Intangible Publications is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation devoted to the best in literature and art. Your tax-deductible donations are always welcome. Intangible Publications, Inc.
1430 Willamette #200
Eugene, Oregon 97401 USA
E-mail office@intangible.org Web www.intangible.org
The Ostrich
2
‘
Y
OU LOOK LIKE SOMETHING fresh out of the Third World’, he said and I let myself feel hurt, glancing downwards so that he would not see the look in my eyes. I didn’t answer his taunting smile flippantly like he expected me to, didn’t say,
‘And where do you come from, or have you forgotten?’ I let him put his arm around me by way of greeting and gave him the trolley with my suitcases to push.
He must have seen me first, I thought, while I was scanning the faces of the people who were waiting at the terminal, he must have been watching me all the time. And I suddenly felt ashamed not only for myself but for everyone else who arrived with me on that aeroplane. Our shabby luggage, our stammering in front of the immigration officer, our clothes that seemed natural a few hours back, now crumpled and out of place.
So I didn’t tell him about the baby though I imagined I would
tell
®
www.intangible.org
Leila Aboulela
The Ostrich
Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela was born in Cairo in 1964. She lived in Khartoum and graduated from the University of Khartoum in 1985. She travelled to
London to study statistics at the LSE, and in 1990 moved with her family to Aberdeen. Her work has been published in Mica, Chapman, Special
Reserve (Scottish Cultural Press), Left to Write, and Scottish Short Stories
1996 (HarperCollins).
Copyright © 1997 Leila Aboulela. All rights reserved.
Illustration: “The University of Khartoum, Sudan,” copyright © 1997 Griselda El Tayeb. All rights reserved.
Design by Mike Lee.
You are invited to print and enjoy this document for your personal use.
For other publication and presentation permissions, please contact the author at the address below.
Intangible Publications is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation devoted to the best in literature and art. Your tax-deductible donations are always welcome. Intangible Publications, Inc.
1430 Willamette #200
Eugene, Oregon 97401 USA
E-mail office@intangible.org Web www.intangible.org
The Ostrich
2
‘
Y
OU LOOK LIKE SOMETHING fresh out of the Third World’, he said and I let myself feel hurt, glancing downwards so that he would not see the look in my eyes. I didn’t answer his taunting smile flippantly like he expected me to, didn’t say,
‘And where do you come from, or have you forgotten?’ I let him put his arm around me by way of greeting and gave him the trolley with my suitcases to push.
He must have seen me first, I thought, while I was scanning the faces of the people who were waiting at the terminal, he must have been watching me all the time. And I suddenly felt ashamed not only for myself but for everyone else who arrived with me on that aeroplane. Our shabby luggage, our stammering in front of the immigration officer, our clothes that seemed natural a few hours back, now crumpled and out of place.
So I didn’t tell him about the baby though I imagined I would
tell