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Alexandria a car-bomb went off last night blasted the entrance to an entrenched Coptic church we won’t tell my sister young as she is but we won’t tell my mother either – neither of them read the news or listen to it my sister too sullen my mother too distracted by newness abroad we don’t say why the army is in the streets today why the corniche is emptier but livelier than yesterday • at one end there is an imposing old citadel built in the 15th century I can’t focus on the history because I need to shit dangerously close to disaster I find a man retailing squares of toilet paper one square for five pounds and I only have ten pounds I sprint and find my dad he gives me all his money this only gets me five squares I pinch and ration myself in the WC •
