105 292
105
Tales of the Orontes River
Translated by Alice Guthrie
blood brothers
S
o where did your dad
take you today? Round
to Dr Mukhtar’s?
–Yeah . . . but I’m not sure
about that doctor, he seemed
a bit weird to me!
–Why?
–He told Dad there was
nothing wrong with me – he
was like ‘He’s just malingering.
Get him married, that’ll cure
him.’
–Oh sweetie, he was only
joking! Dr Mukhtar’s probably
thecleverestblokeinthewhole
city – and the funniest. He’s a
total joker, he’s been cracking
people up all his life. Back
in the day I remember your
cousin had really bad piles,
and eventually someone or
other must’ve recommended
to your auntie that she treat
them with coffee. Well, she
really went for it: she was
constantly stuffing coffee
up that boy’s back passage,
honestly – practically every
five minutes! But it certainly
didn’t work, I mean he was
really afflicted, poor lad, he
was in a miserable state. So
eventually I went with her to
take him over to Dr Mukhtar’s
place.
–So what did he say? I bet
he just told them to get him
married!
–Well, no – he got your
cousin to lie on his front, and