father seriously enough, perhaps, because to do so would have been unthinkable and maybe he hoped that his father would eventually realise how important his studies were to his son. When Abdul failed to make the grade yet again his father was furious and delivered his ultimatum: join the army or leave the house for ever. His father also made it clear that if Abdul chose the latter course he risked losing all claim to his inheritance.
The threat, particularly its disinheritance component, proved to be more painful to Abdul than his hatred for the military and he finally accepted the inevitable. The day he left the university he registered himself as eligible for conscription and within a week he had received his marching orders. He was sent to a training outpost in the western desert not far from his tribal home of Al Anbar, which was not a coincidence. He arrived at the camp along with four hundred other recruits at six a.m. Within a couple of hours they had received an induction speech, followed by a severe haircut, and were then lined up outside the barracks where their training team introduced themselves. The recruits were invited to lie down on their stomachs, whereupon the instructors went around kicking and hitting them with a level of enthusiasm that went far beyond even Abdul’s expectations. The beatings were immediately followed by a gruelling run without water in the midday sun where they continued to receive kicks and blows for no apparent reason. After a brief rest and a paltry meal the abuse was resumed. By four p.m. the recruits were ordered to return to their barracks and, expecting more of the same the following day, two dozen of Abdul’s fellow conscripts conspired to desert.Abdul needed little encouragement to take part in the mutiny and as soon as darkness fell he joined the others at a hole in the perimeter wall through which they filed. Then they dispersed.
Abdul arrived home late that evening, walked into the house and went directly to his father who was horrified to see him. Abdul attempted to relate his terrible experiences but before he could begin his story his father demanded that he return to the camp immediately.Abdul found the strength to refuse abjectly to obey, pleading to be heard and swearing that no matter what punishment his father inflicted he would not go back. His father responded promptly by ordering him out of the house, never to return.Abdul continued to make his pleas but his father shouted violently for him to leave, even picking up a cane at one point to beat him. In a storm of shouts and screams Abdul ran out of the room, bundled some of his things into a bag and left the house.
But Tasneen was waiting for him in the street, having already made a plan to help her little brother. She led him to a friend’s house nearby and arranged for him to stay in a small room there. She personally ensured that he was well fed while she embarked on a subtle crusade to change their father’s mind. Abdul’s world had turned utterly on its head and he believed that Tasneen’s task was an impossible one. He was convinced this was the end of the family for him and so he concentrated on how he was going to manage life on the run from the army while making a living. But he could not come up with anything: he slipped into a deep depression and became absorbed in self-pity.
Four days later Tasneen woke him up with the announcement that she had come to take him home. Abdul could not believe it at first, then quickly wanted to know how and why their father had changed his mind. Tasneen gave her brother no explanation, appearing neither pleased nor disturbed by whatever had happened, and simply told him to come back home with her.
When they walked into the house she stayed by the front door and told him to go into the living room alone. Abdul became nervous, not knowing what to expect. The only encouragement Tasneen gave him was an assurance that it would be all right. Abdul believed her but as
The threat, particularly its disinheritance component, proved to be more painful to Abdul than his hatred for the military and he finally accepted the inevitable. The day he left the university he registered himself as eligible for conscription and within a week he had received his marching orders. He was sent to a training outpost in the western desert not far from his tribal home of Al Anbar, which was not a coincidence. He arrived at the camp along with four hundred other recruits at six a.m. Within a couple of hours they had received an induction speech, followed by a severe haircut, and were then lined up outside the barracks where their training team introduced themselves. The recruits were invited to lie down on their stomachs, whereupon the instructors went around kicking and hitting them with a level of enthusiasm that went far beyond even Abdul’s expectations. The beatings were immediately followed by a gruelling run without water in the midday sun where they continued to receive kicks and blows for no apparent reason. After a brief rest and a paltry meal the abuse was resumed. By four p.m. the recruits were ordered to return to their barracks and, expecting more of the same the following day, two dozen of Abdul’s fellow conscripts conspired to desert.Abdul needed little encouragement to take part in the mutiny and as soon as darkness fell he joined the others at a hole in the perimeter wall through which they filed. Then they dispersed.
Abdul arrived home late that evening, walked into the house and went directly to his father who was horrified to see him. Abdul attempted to relate his terrible experiences but before he could begin his story his father demanded that he return to the camp immediately.Abdul found the strength to refuse abjectly to obey, pleading to be heard and swearing that no matter what punishment his father inflicted he would not go back. His father responded promptly by ordering him out of the house, never to return.Abdul continued to make his pleas but his father shouted violently for him to leave, even picking up a cane at one point to beat him. In a storm of shouts and screams Abdul ran out of the room, bundled some of his things into a bag and left the house.
But Tasneen was waiting for him in the street, having already made a plan to help her little brother. She led him to a friend’s house nearby and arranged for him to stay in a small room there. She personally ensured that he was well fed while she embarked on a subtle crusade to change their father’s mind. Abdul’s world had turned utterly on its head and he believed that Tasneen’s task was an impossible one. He was convinced this was the end of the family for him and so he concentrated on how he was going to manage life on the run from the army while making a living. But he could not come up with anything: he slipped into a deep depression and became absorbed in self-pity.
Four days later Tasneen woke him up with the announcement that she had come to take him home. Abdul could not believe it at first, then quickly wanted to know how and why their father had changed his mind. Tasneen gave her brother no explanation, appearing neither pleased nor disturbed by whatever had happened, and simply told him to come back home with her.
When they walked into the house she stayed by the front door and told him to go into the living room alone. Abdul became nervous, not knowing what to expect. The only encouragement Tasneen gave him was an assurance that it would be all right. Abdul believed her but as
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