It was mid-afternoon when Mr. Moncieuf, clutching his briefcase, stepped out into the well of heat outside the Opera Plaza. The security guard gave him a cold stare before turning to exchange banter with a group of American ladies waiting to board their coach. The light bounced off the polished dome of Theatre Royal across the road, momentarily blinding him. He felt light-headed. He had not eaten since morning. In the air-conditioned lounge of the Plaza that smelt nauseatingly of roses, he had not noticed his hunger. How long had he been waiting? Six hours? And the meeting with Mr. Al Masouri had lasted barely ten minutes. The man had been civil enough, asking about old acquaintances, the primary school where they had both studied, but in different decades. He had offered him mint tea with a hint of jasmine. But when it came to Mr. Moncieuf's proposition, it was clear he was not interested. Amina had warned him it was a futile enterprise. But as he had said to his wife, he could at least try.
He sat down dejectedly on the concrete steps of the Plaza, now hot to the touch. An old woman seized the opportunity to drop a couple of packets of tissues on his lap. Counting the loose change in his pocket, he dropped two dirhams into her outstretched palm. The woman frowned at the money and pulled the sleeve of his suit. It was made of silk, cut in the Humphrey Bogart style, which had once made him look dapper. But now it was fraying and the elbows patched were with coarser material. Two dirhams would have been a fortune once, he thought wistfully. He tried to walk away, but his feet, crushed into shoes shrunk from disuse, would not permit it. The woman was beginning to look around at sympathetic passersby as if to appeal. Before she could make a scene, he dropped a couple more into her palm and she let go with a few curses under her breath.
Ignoring the taxis that slowed down, he made for the alleys behind Theatre Royale, where girls in hijabs were emptying out of a school bus. He had a faint recollection that the route would take him through Abdesalam park right up to the brick tower of the Koutubia. To his right, he could see the palm-fringed road making straight for the distant outline of the Atlas mountains. He felt a momentary longing. If he could hop a ride in one of the returning Berber vans, he could be at Setti Fatma by evening. From there he could climb the rest of the way by those goat tracks to Tagadirt, with the stars to orient him, just like in the old days.
The alleys leading to the Koutoubia looked different. Perfume and luxury clothes shops had sprung up everywhere. So had Merc-lined five-star hotels with international flags fluttering at their doorsteps and swimming pools sparkling in the sun. Only the beggars outside the mosques remained hunched against its terracotta walls, cowls over their faces. Sunk in private miseries, they hardly looked up at the occasional passersby who dropped a few coins onto the blankets stretched out in front of them.
Mr. Moncieuf wanted to stop at a hammam, but the couple he saw were were closed, with hand-scrawled signs announcing water shortage. In Abdesalam park, however, the sprinklers were still running amidst the bougainvillea bushes, they unlocked a fresh smell from the red earth. As he splashed the cool water on his face, he noticed a middle-aged couple in shorts and sun hats on one of the benches under the shade of an orange tree. He approached them with a courteous smile.
"Salam-Aleikum! Can I interest you in handmade Argan oil?"
The woman looked uncertain. The man said curtly, "we are not interested, thank you!"
"India? My wife adores Shah Rukh Khan, Madam."
A cautious smile lit up the woman's face. Not a particularly pretty, but her eyes were round and expressive. Streaks of gray radiated from her forehead.
"Originally, yes. Now settled in the UK."
“Don’t fall for his sales talk,” cautioned the man. Portly, shaven-head, he was checking football scores on his mobile.
“You support Liverpool, Sir?” asked Mr. Moncieuf, “I was there a long time ago. Welcome to Morocco," he continued, without waiting for an answer, settling down a little distance away from them on the bench. "I am not selling anything, I assure you. I was just passing and I thought you are the sort of folk that might appreciate a sample of the Argan oil we make in our village.”
He placed his briefcase on his lap and clicked it open to reveal neatly arranged rows of labeled bottles - oils of various grades that he had brought to show Mr. Al Masouri.
"Argan oil is very versatile, just like olive oil. These ones, with the slightly smoky aroma are from roasted kernels - you could sprinkle it over salads or meat dishes. And these, from cold pressed kernels, are good for the skin. No additives or preservatives. Show me the back of your palm."
The woman hesitantly extended her hand. Mr. Moncieuf let a few drops oil fall on it.
"Now, rub it in, Madam...see, it does not feel greasy does it? That’s how real Argan Oil should be. And now, try the ones you get in the shops...see the difference?"
The man, whose initial hostility had been replaced by feigned indifference, was now looking over her shoulder.
"And I have something for you, too, Sir....here's the perfect aftershave..."
A little later, as he was walking past the city wall, approaching the Koutubia, Mr. Moncieuf felt his spirits rising. The muezzin’s call from the tower was being echoed from the various mosques that dotted the city. The Indian couple had picked three bottles of oil and an aftershave. Two hundred and fifty dirhams. Twice the amount the agents would have paid. His little twinge of conscience was assuaged by the thought that this was small change for the couple. The man had handed over the money without as much as a wince. If it felt over the top, it was because the agents ripped them off. But more than the money, it was the satisfaction, in the age of McDonalds and rap music, of finding people who appreciated the finer things in life. This had not been his original intention. These were samples he had brought to show Al Masouri in the hope that he would place a bulk order. But Mr. Al Masouri was not interested in the two hundred bottles a month Amina and the Berber ladies of Tagadirt could mill by hand.
"You need modern methods, Mr. Moncieuf," he had said, dismissing him with a wave. "We produce a hundred thousand bottles of skin cream a day. Get some machines, employ some workmen to operate a bottling plant, and then we can talk."
Mr. Al Masouri might blithely dismiss the days of effort needed to hand pick the finest Argan nuts and press them by hand. But charlatans like him wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between vegetable oil and Argan Oil.
*
The Jemaa El-Fna was not that busy at this time of the day. It was late afternoon and the heat was radiating from the paving stones. The tents were still being raised and horses unhitched from carriages and lined up to be watered. The snake charmers were unloading their wicker baskets whilst their reptilian occupants still dozed in their straw beds. The souks, on the other hand were a different matter. Here, tourists thronged the narrow alleys, which, hemmed in as they were by the brick walls and the awnings of shops gave a little respite from the heat.
He entered through wicker basket lane, where the walls bore the scars of the earthquake, like the lines on the faces of old men. Proceeding to the very end where it met the spice market, he found a small space between two adjacent shops, where he put down his briefcase on the paving stones. The man in the adjacent shop, sitting behind piles of turmeric, cinnamon and rose petals and, gave him an irritated glance, but when he saw the contents of Mr. Moncieuf’s small briefcase, he smirked. This small-time trader of Argan oil was no threat to his business.
“Fresh from the mountains, ladies and gentlemen,” cried Mr. Moncieuf, his musical voice ringing down the alley, “try the difference.”
It made a couple of French ladies pause.
“Don’t buy from these touts, Madam,” said the man in the shop, “step this way and see how we make it right here!”
A musky smell emanated from the interior of the shop. Behind him, his assistant sat milling Argan nuts on a grindstone. A dark, viscous liquid was dripping from its nozzle through a plastic funnel into a container. It wasn’t the clear golden brown that Amina and the other women in his village managed to extract. Mr. Moncieuf became very angry.
“Even from this distance I can tell your oil has gone rancid. I bet you have rats running all over your storeroom.”
The ladies debated amongst themselves for a moment and then, ignoring both, walked on. The man in the shop stepped out menacingly.
“You have no right to sell in front of my shop!”
“These souks are not exclusive to you as far as I know,” retorted Mr. Moncieuf.
A waste carrier pushing a metal handcart brushed past him. Mr. Moncieuf cursed him and stepping back to avoid its rusty edge, tripped and fell, cracking his shin against the metal pole propping up the awning of the shop. For a few moments, he sat stunned amidst a sea of legs, unable to move. Then, clutching the pole, he raised himself. Deciding that he should try his luck elsewhere, he dusted his coat and turned back to pick up his briefcase. It was gone.
“Have you seen my briefcase?” he cried in panic. These words were addressed to no one in particular; there was no one in particular that he could address, only a mass of congealed humanity churning through a maze of souks. He might as well have shouted through soundproof glass. Only the man in the shop looked on in malicious amusement. For a few moments, Mr. Moncieuf stood around dazed and helpless. Sunk in the shadows of the shop next door, he noticed a beggar. Hoping he had seen something, he approached him. On the contrary, the beggar was eyeing him eagerly, expecting alms. There was nothing to be done. His precious cargo had gone. Worse, that briefcase was a gift from his father-in-law back in the day when he had aspired for a government job in Casablanca. What would he tell Amina?
He considered lodging a complaint with the blue-uniformed policemen whom he had seen chatting around the jeep at the entrance, but surely they had better things to do than chase a few bottles of oil. Worse, they might mistake him for a small-time street seller rather than the businessman he was. He hadn’t considered that possibility! Suddenly, he felt disgusted with these stifling souks, the noxious smells and petty criminals. The midday air seemed to wrap around him like a foul blanket. Again, he longed for the fresh mountain air of his village. Then he heard someone calling out.
“Mr. Moncieuf, are you alright?”
It was the Indian couple. Or rather, one half of the couple, for he couldn’t see her husband.
“How are you, Madam? Unfortunately, someone took off with my briefcase.”
Moncieuf felt ashamed that he couldn’t recall her name.
“How dreadful... why, you are bleeding. What happened to your leg?”
It was then that Mr. Moncieuf noticed that where his shin had caught the pole, his trousers were ripped and there was a scratch running across his leg.
“It is nothing, probably looks worse than it is,” said Mr. Moncieuf, taking a handkerchief to wipe away the blood.
“Nonsense, you must get it dressed, it is highly likely that the wound will get infected.” Mr. Moncieuf was horrified. Anything to do with doctors and medicines frightened him. “I know what you are going to say,” continued the lady, “all you need to do is apply some Argan Oil to it you will be ok by tomorrow!”
Mr. Moncieuf grinned sheepishly.
A little later, seated at the back of a pharmacy, she propped up Mr. Moncieuf’s leg on a stool and washed the wound with bottled water. Dipping a piece of cotton wool in tincture, she applied it to the wound. The sharp sting brought tears to Mr. Moncieuf’s tightly shut eyes. He caught a momentary glimpse of the young pharmacist looking on in awe at this lady who had not hesitated to barge in and commandeer the back of her shop. As she was applying the bandage, a portly man in a t-shirt and shorts appeared at the front of the store.
“We are in here, Suresh,” the lady called out. “Mr. Argan Oil had a little adventure in the souks earlier. It’s over, Mr. Moncieuf, you can relax. Now, I am hungry…is there anything in this place for us poor vegetarians?”
“Tagine, Madam”, Mr. Moncieuf assured them, “You should try it with couscous.”
Huffing and puffing past polished brass shishas placed in alcoves underneath old black-and-white photos of Berber drummers performing at town squares, they reached the rooftop of a converted riad.
“Why don’t you sit here?” asked Mr. Moncieuf, pointing to one of the tables lined up underneath a parasol. He solicitously pulled out two chairs for the lady and her husband. A uniformed waiter courteously placed three menus at their table, accompanied by a jug of water and three glasses. Three menus. Mr. Moncieuf was at a loss. Perhaps the waiter had taken him for their guide. He should have just pointed the couple to the restaurant downstairs and left. Instead, in his eagerness to explain how they made tagine in their village, he had accompanied them all the way up. Now there was no polite way of excusing himself. He strolled to the end of the terrace as if admiring the view.
They had an eagle’s eye-view of the Marrakesh skyline, the souks, he old city walls, the minarets, the date palms dotted across the city and then emptiness, framed by the hazy outlines of the Atlas mountains. The sight of the mountains made him ill at ease. What would he tell Amina? That he had not only failed to secure the deal, but had been robbed too? He hadn’t told her that he had raided the little wooden box she kept for emergencies on the wall shelf of their bedroom. It contained the odd dirhams she saved up at the weekly market selling kubus or Argan nuts, a practice she had started after Covid. He had been so confident about the deal that he had assured himself he could replace it without her even noticing. Now he had to find some way of paying his way back. And make at least some money on the way. From a corner of his eye, he noticed the swift look that passed between husband and wife.
“What will you have, Mr. Moncieuf?” asked the husband, friendly enough.
“I have eaten,” lied Mr. Moncieuf, surreptitiously glancing at the prices.
“Aha, so you recommend tagine to us, but do not find it to your mountain village standards?” asked the lady with a twinkle in her eye.
The gnawing void in his stomach forced him to concede defeat. He sat at the adjacent table.
“I assume you are a Doctor, Madam?”
She nodded.
“With the NHS…I volunteered with the Red Cross for a week.”
Her name was Anita Menon. She specialised in acute medicine. After a week in Gaza, she had flown to Marrakesh where her husband had joined her. Mr. Moncieuf was curious about her experiences in Gaza, but just then the tagine arrived in conical earthen pots lifted straight from the stove. Anita dipped her fork curiously into the pot and mixing the couscous with the steaming vegetables, held a bite to her tongue. She grimaced.
“I would have preferred a little more spice.”
Suresh chuckled.
“She needs a couple of chilies with every meal.”
His awkwardness made Mr. Moncieuf wolf down his tagine with a rapidity that he was unable to control and drew amused looks from the Indian couple. Thankfully, their attention moved on to their plans for the next day. Anita wanted to spend another day in the souks, Suresh wanted to take the train to Essouria. Whilst the argument unwound, he wiped his face with the napkin. Brushing off the crumbs from his coat, he stood up.
“You have both been very kind to me and how do I return the favour?” declared Mr. Moncieuf, “By intruding on your privacy! If you will excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to.”
Conscious of their eyes on his back, he retreated, not stopping until he reached the street below before breathing a sigh of relief. He was angry with himself, angry with the circumstances that forced him to accept the kindness of strangers, angry with the way he had eaten like an uncouth sheep farmer and the way he had abruptly deserted them – his social graces had deserted him. There was a time when he would have played the cordial host, inviting them home to show what Moroccan hospitality was really like. But since then Covid and then the earthquake reshaped both the landscape and their place in the world.
He made his way back to the Jema Al-Fna, where the tourist buses would line up, now bustling with lottery sellers and touts promoting local cafes. He stopped at a kiosk advertising all sorts of tours: Agsafay desert sunsets (with three-course dinner included) to tours of the Berber villages and the Atlas Mountains. The man in the kiosk looked up briefly, but lost interest as soon as he noticed Mr. Moncieuf was not a tourist.
“I see you have a tour to the Ourika valley. Would you like a guide?”
The man hardly looked up.
“We have enough guides, go away,” he said irritably.
“I grew up in those mountains,” Mr. Moncieuf persisted, “I know my way around them like the back of my hand.”
The man laughed sardonically.
“All we do is lug wealthy, overweight Americans up to the lowest point of the waterfall, serve refreshments and let them take a few pictures for Instagram so they can satisfy themselves have burned enough calories whilst having an adventure of a lifetime. Our lads can do it for the price of a lunch.”
Mr. Moncieuf hung around checking out other operators, but no one wanted his services. Dejected, he went back to the souks. He had to find a place to sleep. A wholesale spice seller who was closing the shop for the night let him have a couple of gunny sacks. He spread these on the verandah of an abandoned riad, where he rolled up one, covered himself with another and went to sleep.
He was jostled awake by a policeman prodding his stick on his side, who must have taken him for a beggar. Mr. Moncieuf stood up, brushed the dust off his coat and muttering about how the country treated law-abiding gentlemen, walked back towards Jema Al-Fna. It was early morning and only the sweepers were there, annoying the pigeons gathering in droves to peck at the paving stones. Examining his appearance in the broken mirror at the public convenience, he brushed back his lush silvery hair and combed his white moustache. There was nothing to be done about his day-old stubble, unfortunately. His razor had been in the briefcase. But when he remembered how Humphrey Bogart had looked the day after his terrible night in Casablanca, he felt reassured. The circumstances were not in his favour, but like Bogart, he had to grit his teeth and trudge on. As he came out, he noticed someone waving at him. It was the tour operator he had spoken to the previous day.
“Hey you, didn’t you say you know the mountain around the Ourika valley?”
The lad who was supposed to accompany them had broken his leg and it would be against regulations for the driver to double up as a guide too. There were some things the authorities could crack down harshly on, especially when it concerned tourist safety. Could he step in?
Mr. Moncieuf eyed the man haughtily.
“Five hundred dirhams, breakfast and lunch included.”
The man started to protest, but Mr. Moncieuf would not budge. He knew when to drive a hard bargain.
*
The coach was ready, but the driver was nowhere to be seen. The irritated passengers were beginning to hassle Mr. Moncieuf.
“We were promised an eight thirty start and it is ten minutes past nine!” said a red-faced American woman. She prodded her husband, a small perplexed-looking man in his ribs. “Go on, Freddy, ask for a discount!”
“It is alright, dear,” said Freddy, timidly putting away the previous day’s copy of the New York Times. He let his wife drop sanitiser on his hands for about the fifth time since Mr. Moncieuf had been watching them. “They will probably make it up on the road.”
“I hope they don’t skip the stop where the women make Argan Oil!”
Mr. Moncieuf smiled.
“Do you know how we harvest the best seeds for Argan Oil, Madam?”
“How?” asked the woman belligerently.
“Our goats suck the flesh of the Argan fruits dry and they swallow the nuts. When their droppings have dried, our women pick them by hand.” Mr. Moncieuf watched with amusement the horror on the woman’s face, and declared solemnly, “that’s what gives Moroccan dishes their special flavor.”
A mini-van was pulling up outside and the driver got out.
“Sorry about the mix-up, Madam,” he said to the Indian couple who alighted. Mr. Moncieuf waved.
“Mr. Moncieuf!” said Anita Menon, as she climbed in, followed by Suresh. They found a seat right in front. “We seem to be orbiting around each other. Going home?”
*
As the coach ascended, Mr. Moncieuf felt the familiar thrill of the cool mountain air ruffling his face. Far below, river Ourika trailed back towards the foothills like a white ribbon. It was early March and the wildflowers were beginning to blossom. Turning into Ourika valley, the bus stopped at a rope bridge that hung high above the river. The debris from the earthquake could still be seen along its banks for as far as the eye could see: remains of damaged houses, plastic roofing, bits of broken fencing, tents ripped apart, tangled ropes and shreds of deflated rubber dinghies. And everywhere one looked, the skeletal Argan trees leaning against jagged rocks. Mr. Moncieuf felt that he too was seeing the devastation through the fresh and unfamiliar eyes, like a tourist.
The original path having been buried under a landslip, they clambered over boulders and front yards with open gutters where the smells of cooking mingled with the stench of wastewater and little children chased each other dangerously close to cliff edges. The American tourists were not too impressed, but they had no choice but to keep pace. Mr. Moncieuf was relieved when at last they rejoined the original path with proper concrete steps winding through a makeshift souk selling everything from coloured geodes, hand-woven cloaks and traditional pottery.
After a stiff climb, they had reached the Ourika waterfall. The path was littered with loose pebbles and small rocks. Many of the tourists were ill prepared, wearing just sandals. Mr. Moncieuf had to be on the alert all the time. It was then a relief when they reached the thatched roof café at the base of the waterfall. The snowy peaks of the high Atlas could be seen in the distance.
Mr. Moncieuf sat down on one of the wooden benches where rugs and mattresses were spread out. Some of the men were smoking Shishas. Suresh doubtfully accepted, took one pull and started coughing.
“One little puff at a time, Sir,” said Mr. Moncieuf, laughing, or you’ll choke. “Here, let me show you.”
“So where is your village, Mr. Moncieuf?” asked Anita, holding up her palm to shield her eyes from the sun.
“Ah, Tagadirt!” Mr. Monccieuf smiled, “you see that next mountain there, just across the valley?”
It wasn’t far if he took the mountain path. But the road had been partially destroyed in the earthquake and they were still removing the debris.
“I can’t see anything,” said Suresh, peering through his glasses.
Mr. Moncieuf was not surprised. The buildings of Tagadirt were so well camouflaged by the terrain that it was difficult to make them out, particularly when the sun was shining directly on the mountainside. It was time for them to move on. They climbed further and the path began to wind around the mountain. Mr. Moncieuf knew it well and began to worry.
“Are you sure you want to lead them this way?” he asked the driver, a young man, not much more than thirty.
“Of course, just look at the view. Our brochure promises photos of a lifetime.”
As they emerged from the shadow of the mountain, they could see right down the valley into Setti Fatma, the village full of what looked like doll’s houses. The occasional dot moving about, he guessed must be a coach or a van, it was hard to say. There was a commotion in front of them. Mr. Moncieuf nudged past the tourists to see what the matter was. Anita was sitting down on the path, her back to the mountain, hands clutching the rocks behind her, her whole body shaking. Suresh stood by her helplessly.
“The view has triggered her fear of heights, “he said, “she is refusing to move.”
“It is dangerous to crowd round the ledge,” said Mr. Moncieuf suggested to the driver. He quickly assessed the risk. “Why don’t to lead the rest of them down? I will stay with Madam and bring her down.”
The driver agreed. As the rest of the party moved forward, Mr. Moncieuf sat next to Anita.
“Look straight ahead, at those snowy peaks. If you looked long enough, they seem to get bigger, come unhitched and float towards you, like giant balloons. My grandmother used to tell me giants roamed about there and I wouldn’t sleep, terrified of one of them straying into our village. When they quarreled with each other, she said, they got into terrible battles, throwing around boulders at each other and making the earth shake.”
Anita gave him a weak smile.
“Do you think you can take a few steps, Madam?”
The look of terror flitted across Anita’s face again. A shadow fell on them. Mr. Moncieuf looked up to see the American lady, who had complained that morning.
“Freddy, dear, why don’t you take my bag and follow the driver?” she said. “Hold on to Mr. Moncieuf’s hand, girl, and look straight ahead. I will be right in front, blocking your view with my ample backside.”
Mr. Moncieuf, who pulled her up. They began to traverse the ledge, the little motley group with the American lady in front, looming over Anita like a watchful giant, Mr. Moncieuf walking by Anita’s side. Her hands were shaking, her nails were digging into his wrist. Suresh brought up the rear. Beyond the ledge, the path plunged downward,. It was as though you were walking at the very rim of the world. It was slow going, but eventually, the path widened, with straggly trees and boulders lining the verges.
“Forget how far down you have to go,” said Mr. Moncieuf, “think only of the next step.”
Anita was relaxing a little.
“Sorry about earlier,” she said, “but when I sat down on that ledge and closed my eyes, I felt I was back there in Gaza, in that makeshift hospital - a fenced in area in the middle of bombed out buildings. We were giving first aid to civilians, some as young as five. Many were screaming in pain and all we had was some morphine, bandages and a few oxygen tanks. And the artillery pounding in our ears all night….”
It sounded very much like the days after the earthquake. But all he could remember was a blur of doctors and ambulances, the army clearing debris and pulling out people, the choppers circling the mountains all night. But was it his memory or the memory of having seen it on television as he lay in hospital?
Eventually, they were back down. The American lady and then Dr. Anita hugged him. Freddy and Suresh shook his hand. Mr. Moncieuf coloured with embarrassment. It was getting late, and the driver was happy to let Mr. Moncieuf make his way home. As he climbed back, the sun was turning a golden red. It would be dark soon, but he wasn’t worried. He had the stars to guide him.
*
“Will you put away that phone for once?” asked Dr. Anita irritably. She was at the balcony of their hotel, watching the sunset.
“It doesn’t make sense,” said Suresh, not looking up. Anita walked round to him, looking over his shoulder. “I was puzzled when Mr. Moncieuf pointed out his village back there…all I could see was debris on the mountainside.”
Anita watched in disbelief as Suresh read out the news report. “The village of Tagadirt was completely wiped out by the earthquake. There were very few survivors, who have since been rehabilitated.”
“But he talked about his wife, the village women making Argan Oil…what does it all mean?”
Suresh looked at her with a strange smile.
“I guess by telling those stories, he is keeping his memories alive,” he said, “for what are we without memories?”
Rama Varma is an IT professional by day and a writer the rest of the time.
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