Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-outle" d="M20 24L12.5 19.7804L5 24V3H20V24ZM12.5 18.6028L19 22.2336V3.98131H6V22.2336L12.5 18.6028Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" d="M11.5541 13.7033L9 11.2033L9.66216 10.5552L11.5541 12.407L15.3378 8.70331L16 9.35146L11.5541 13.7033Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc loYW alert-msage"><p>To revis this article, select My Acunt, then<!-- --> <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a></p></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div><a href="/th/iate?redirectURL=%2Fmagaze%2F2019%2F04%2F01%2Fegyptian-refugee&source=VERSO_NAVIGATION" rel="nofollow" data-ttid="signIn" class="StandardNavigatnAcuntLabel-pyqL jVPHWr">Sign In</a></div><div class="StackedNavigatnConsumerMarketgUnWrapper-epSkjf eqsNVO"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-rollover" role="prentatn"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-rollover"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-dialog" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-dialog"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><a href="/search" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv gVJotL button button--utily StackedNavigatnSearch-lFFwq ckLQNp" data-event-click="{"element":"Button","outgogURL":"/search"}" data-ttid="Button" type=""><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Search</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-search" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns=" data-ttid="inSearch"><tle>Search</tle><path d="M14.5 10a4.5 4.5 0 1 0 0 9 4.5 4.5 0 0 0 0-9zm5.249 8.335l4.458 4.458-1.414 1.414-4.458-4.458a6.5 6.5 0 1 1 1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></a></div></div><div data-ttid="StackedNavigatnSectnPrimaryLks" class="StackedNavigatnSectnPrimaryLks-foRfJu jOZVNi"><nav aria-label="Primary" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK StackedNavigatnNavigatnPrimaryLk-hGPvKW junrbk" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dnLcIy navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/news" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">News</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/culture" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Books & Culture</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/fictn-and-poetry" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Fictn & Poetry</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/humor" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Humor & Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/magaze" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Magaze</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/crossword-puzzl-and-gam" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Puzzl & Gam</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Vio</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/podsts" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Podsts</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/gogs-on" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Gogs On</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Ftival</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="external-lk NavigatnExternalLk-hktPkS jLQUSr navigatn__lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shop</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span></div><div class="StackedNavigatnBottom-dpkX bIeNbx"><div class="StackedNavigatnDrawer-jtJcEj edsvEF"><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily StackedNavigatnDrawerToggle-cycUFN eZCXFW" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Open Navigatn Menu</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-menu" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Menu</tle><path d="M8 10h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk ePjLtR" data-ttid="BookmarkAlertMobile" role="tooltip"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye dJBuXq alert-arrow"></div><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertInWrapper-iHNVmf iGkvlr"><svg class="in in-bookmark in-bookmark--activated" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-outle" d="M20 24L12.5 19.7804L5 24V3H20V24ZM12.5 18.6028L19 22.2336V3.98131H6V22.2336L12.5 18.6028Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" d="M11.5541 13.7033L9 11.2033L9.66216 10.5552L11.5541 12.407L15.3378 8.70331L16 9.35146L11.5541 13.7033Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc loYW alert-msage"><p>To revis this article, vis My Profile, then<!-- --> <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a></p></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div></div><div class="StackedNavigatnSectnLogo-gMsxSu kUeORh"><a href="/" class="StackedNavigatnLogoLk-byNqXP dmvHfj"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa rponsive-image"><img alt="The New Yorker" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></a></div><div class="StackedNavigatnSectnMobileOptn-iaaAJG bHHPuB"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--mob-nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--mob-nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div></div></div></hear><div class="modal-ntaer"></div></div><div class="PersistentBottomWrapper-eddooY bIieWF persistent-bottom" data-journey-hook="persistent-bottom"><asi class="PaywallBarWrapper-hbEokK kqItQt paywall-bar"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut paywall-bar__nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="SplScreenContentHearWrapper-bFxPWy eCzzyl ntent-hear article__ntent-hear" data-ttid="SplScreenContentHearWrapper"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK dfqcEG grid grid-ems-2 grid-full-bleed grid-no-gap SplScreenContentHearMa-fNigKG daohZh"><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"><div class="SplScreenContentHearTleBlock-sCMXE jActCi"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX dZhWBL bric SplScreenContentHearRubric-cLHEJQ ildzkT"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/magaze/letter-om-iro"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Cairo</span></a></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SplScreenContentHearHed-lcUSuI iUEiRd NbxED dfelga">The Refugee and the Thief</h1><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SplScreenContentHearDek-emptdL iUEiRd wOnsu dJrDEb">A gay Egyptian leav his homeland.</div><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl SplScreenContentHearByle-kvEhqE ejWxsm"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/peter-hsler">Peter Hsler</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2019-03-25T05:00:00-04:00" class="SplScreenContentHearPublishDate-bMGEVk gvRvVr">March 25, 2019</time><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard SplScreenContentHearSocialShare-gSVclr kUKgnn"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" width="7.2" height="16" viewBox="0 0 7.2 16" xmlns="><tle>Facebook</tle><path d="M1.548 3.099v2.203H0v2.693h1.548V16h3.179V7.995H6.86s.2-1.291.297-2.703H4.739V3.45c0-.275.346-.646.689-.646H7.16V0H4.805C1.47 0 1.548 2.696 1.548 3.099z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-twter" focable="false" width="15.3" height="13" viewBox="0 0 15.3 13" xmlns="><tle>Twter</tle><path d="M15.275 1.539a6.04 6.04 0 0 1-1.8.517A3.268 3.268 0 0 0 14.854.24a6.127 6.127 0 0 1-1.99.797A3.067 3.067 0 0 0 10.575 0c-1.73 0-3.134 1.47-3.134 3.281 0 .257.028.508.081.748C4.918 3.892 2.61 2.585 1.063.6A3.382 3.382 0 0 0 .64 2.25c0 1.14.552 2.144 1.393 2.732a3.001 3.001 0 0 1-1.418-.41v.042c0 1.59 1.08 2.916 2.513 3.218a3.011 3.011 0 0 1-1.415.056c.399 1.304 1.556 2.253 2.926 2.28A6.111 6.111 0 0 1 0 11.525 8.59 8.59 0 0 0 4.805 13c5.764 0 8.916-5 8.916-9.338a8.96 8.96 0 0 0-.01-.425 6.522 6.522 0 0 0 1.564-1.698z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--email social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share via Email" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--email" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"mailto:?subject=The%20Refugee%20and%20the%20Thief&" href="mailto:?subject=The%20Refugee%20and%20the%20Thief& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" width="17.3" height="13" viewBox="0 0 17.3 13" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M0 .776V13h17.333V.776L8.67 8.931 0 .776z M.756 0L8.67 7.443 16.578 0H.756z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR ilDrTe social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--prt social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Prt" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--prt" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"#"}" href="#" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-prt" width="17" height="16" viewBox="0 0 17 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Prt</tle><rect class="background" x="4.5" y="0.5" width="8" height="5" fill="black" stroke="whe"></rect><rect y="4" width="17" height="9" fill="whe"></rect><rect class="background" x="4.5" y="10.5" width="8" height="5" fill="black" stroke="whe"></rect></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR kZrSyF social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--bookmark social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Save story" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU vjrme social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--bookmark" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"#"}" href="#" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save Story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-stroke" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"><div class="SplScreenContentHearLeadWrapper-jYfGAC kBeEbL"><div data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset" class="SplScreenContentHearLeBlock-nUOA cwQiEB"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SplScreenContentHearLe-bGywFh gyNssY"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SplScreenContentHearLe-bGywFh gyNssY rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="An out of foc portra" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SplScreenContentHearGrid-kFpOdh fLkIyA"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn SplScreenContentHearCaptn-iOfEOv ckLUKG"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">Manu had learned to be reful about his appearance and his mannerisms. His plans for parture were also meticulo.</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph by Robbie Lawrence for The New Yorker</span></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div class="ActnBarWrapperComponent-cjwxLS bEeSLb"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kNjTbQ viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU hQrwCF bookmark large-screen"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kAEsuD viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU cjjxgx bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG Uozmo"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure data-ttid="IameEmbed" class="IameEmbedWrapper-sc-dRedg cjyRVU iame-embed"><div data-ttid="IameEmbedContaer" class="IameEmbedContaer-hptgUZ fXVBaX"><div class="IameEmbedAspectRatWrapper-hFVJps BKpgQ"><iame class="IameEmbedContent-cMdiev csnuAY IameEmbedContent lazyload" height="90" width="100%" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-orig allow-popups" tle="Embedd Frame" data-src=" allowfullscreen="" allow="toplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-wre; toplay; fullscreen; picture--picture"></iame></div></div></figure><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Manu fled Egypt a ltle b at a time. First, he flew to Cyps, bee he knew a travel agent who helped him get a visa. Manu spent a few days Larna, and he got a tattoo Nisia, and then he returned to Cairo. The next stop was Sdi Arabia. Visas were easy to get for Egyptians performg the <em>‘umrah</em> pilgrimage, and Manu had a relative the untry. It may have been the first time history that a gay man was gog to <a href=">Mec</a> as part of a plan to pe a Mlim untry, but Manu wanted his passport stamped.</p><p class="paywall">At the Great Mosque of Mec, he sat alone the urtyard om midnight until dawn, bee he liked the way looked at night. His given name was Mohamed, and he had been raised Mlim, although he had abandoned the fah long before. Still, he figured that he might as well have the experience of performg the tradnal <em>tawaf</em> pilgrimage walk, so he circled the Kaaba unterclockwise seven tim, as was ctomary, and then, for good measure, he ma another seven circus. That was typil: Manu never did anythg halfway.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall">He was one of the first people I met after I moved to Cairo wh my fay, the fall of 2011. Earlier that year, durg the <a href=">Arab Sprg</a>, Print <a href=">Hosni Mubarak</a> had been overthrown, and Manu translated for me when I reported on protts at Tahrir Square. Later, he took a job as a rearcher for the <em>Guardian’s</em> Cairo bure; though we rarely worked together, we beme close iends. He was thirty years old, a handsome man wh a shaved head and hood ey. I didn’t know that he was gay until he told me, not long after we met. He remarked that om an early age he had learned to be reful about his appearance and his mannerisms.</p><p class="paywall">His plans for parture were also meticulo. He rearched untri that grant asylum to gay people, and Germany seemed the most promisg. But was hard to get a German tourist visa, bee of the ongog refugee crisis. So Manu tend to tablish himself as a regular traveller, hopg to reassure the German thori that he wasn’t a risk to overstay his visa. In 2016, durg my last year Egypt, he was tryg to nvert his savgs to U.S. dollars, so I changed money wh him whenever I need lol currency. After five years of polil stabily, the black-market price for dollars was twice the ernment-set bank rate. Manu wasn’t the only Egyptian I knew who was tryg to get out.</p><p class="paywall">That June, on the eveng before my fay returned to our home Colorado, Manu stopped by around midnight to say goodbye. He lghed when he saw our belonggs: fourteen bags, two children’s r seats, one double stroller. Some luggage was still only half packed, and my wife, Llie, and I had hardly slept durg the past week. That year, Ramadan fell June, so bs hours were irregular, and even simple tasks took forever. It occurred to me that anybody who saw the ms the apartment would assume that we were the on fleeg the untry.</p><p class="paywall">A uple of months earlier, Manu had travelled to Istanbul. Cape Town was next. I wished him good luck, and he offered to help the next day, but I waved him off. It didn’t need to be said: for people like , leavg Cairo was easy.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">A van was wag at dawn. We had arranged through our ual service, but the driver was new; he seemed uniendly. He gmbled about the luggage, and, when I tried to stall the children’s seats, I realized that the back seat belts were broken.</p><p class="paywall">A few iends had e to see off, cludg Hany, a driver who had picked up our tw six-year-old dghters, Ariel and Natasha, om school every afternoon that year. His Toyota had workg seat belts, and now he offered to take me and the tws to the airport while Llie acpanied the luggage the van. On the way, Hany and the girls sang children’s songs Arabic.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“<em>Mama zamanha gaya</em> . . .”</p><p class="paywall">He was softhearted wh the tws—a uple of days earlier, all three of them had been weepg when they returned om school, bee of the impendg parture. I realized that the airport drive would be one of our last memori of Egypt, so I filmed them sgg on my phone.</p><p class="paywall">“<em>Mama is about to arrive</em> . . .”</p><p class="paywall">The termal wasn’t too by. At the check- unter, I looked over our pile of posssns: one double stroller, two children’s r seats, twelve bags.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">Count aga.</p><p class="paywall">Then the panic—lls to Hany, to the van driver. The two missg bags were rry-ons, and both drivers said that we hadn’t left them their vehicl. I texted Manu and asked him to check wh them and wh the head of the r service, se I was missg some tail Arabic. I telephoned Sayyid, a iend who was the neighborhood garbageman, bee he had been at the apartment. Sayyid remembered takg the two rry-on bags out to the curb.</p><p class="paywall">One bag ntaed my puter, along wh two meras and about eight hundred dollars foreign currency. My work fil were backed up on Dropbox, but I had never been able to synch my photos and vios, bee of some problem wh our Inter. So I had pied everythg twice onto portable hard driv. Llie had recently ma two long rearch trips, fillg a set of notebooks wh material for the book about Egypt that she planned to wre. Usually, she would have transcribed her not immediately, but thgs had been too hectic. I had packed the backup driv and the notebooks the send rry-on, so that they would be separate om the puter.</p><p class="paywall">First rry-on, send rry-on— ma no difference now. Manu told me that the boss of the r service seemed nervo about the driver. “He said, ‘I hired this guy for the first time, and I don’t know him,’ ” Manu reported.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">At the airport, a sleepy-eyed police officer sprawled a chair bi the luggage X-ray mache. “You have to ntact your embassy,” he told Llie and me. After the U.S. Embassy issued a report, he explaed, the police uld review secury-mera footage.</p><p class="paywall">“But the Embassy isn’t open now!” I said.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“Wa until ’s open.”</p><p class="paywall">We plead that our flight was about to part, but the officer offered no solutn; he never even stood up om his chair. This was perhaps the worst time to get robbed—most fastg Mlims were reverg om the heavy <em>suhoor</em> meal.</p><p class="paywall">After the plane took off, Llie opened her laptop and started wrg down anythg she uld remember om the rearch trips. Ariel and Natasha read quietly their seats, obliv. I realized that we had jt lost almost all fay photos and vios om the past year, and I scrolled through the few pictur that remaed on my phone. The only vio was the one om that morng.</p><p class="paywall">“<em>She’s brgg a goose and a duck sayg, ‘Wak wak wak!’</em> ”</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Hollywood executiv have a meetg about makg ‘The Godfather to a super hero movie." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE gdZTpI ptn RponsiveCartoonCaptn-dokfdF hJgaLQ rponsive-rtoon__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo bsWloa ptn__text">“We’re rebootg ‘The Godfather’ as a Marvel property.”</span></div><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">In Colorado, a iend advised to check Fd My Mac on iCloud, which would track any registered vice that nnected to the Inter. When I logged to the iCloud Web se, led me to a Google Earth image of a slum Giza, on the wtern si of the Nile. From the perspective of an Orn satelle, the neighborhood looked like a stg circu board: ty alleyways thread around endls square rooftops, gray and brown and virtually distguishable. But one rooftop was marked on the screen wh a blue dot.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="6lme5"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="los1m"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Somewhere beneath that dot, while our plane was still the air, somebody had turned on an old iPod Touch om one of the stolen bags.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">We tried everybody wh Cairo nnectns: iends at the U.S. Embassy, iends at European embassi, iends who worked wh the ernment. Amerin Embassy staff explaed that they didn’t issue theft reports. In their opn, the officer had misrmed bee he didn’t want to al wh the hassle. One U.S. diplomat wrote:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>Whout a police report, the Egyptian thori will not pursue any actn. Even wh a police report I wouldn’t expect this to rult the revery of your missg posssns. Unpleasant to hear, but the police are unlikely to put much effort to a search for your ems.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">After our first day Colorado, the blue dot vanished om the satelle imag. I was sure that the thiev had tossed the outdated iPod; for years, s only purpose had been to play the sound of ocean wav the girls’ bedroom at night, orr to drown out prayer lls and other Cairo nois. I asked Manu if somebody should go to the neighborhood and spread the msage that we would pay for the hard driv and Llie’s not, no qutns asked. “They’ll thk ’s a trap,” he said. “They’ll jt get rid of everythg.”</p><p class="paywall">Manu believed that there was no optn other than gettg the ps to search the buildg, and he offered to help. Of everybody I ntacted—the diplomats, the well nnected—the only person who believed he uld motivate the Egyptian police was a gay guy the procs of fleeg the untry.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">When I first met Manu, he rented a n-down apartment wh some foreigners the district of Dokki. It’s unual for an unmarried Egyptian to live apart om fay, and Manu’s five olr siblgs perdilly tried to set him up wh a wife, but he found easy to make exc. On weekends, he drank heavily the furtive bars that are sttered around downtown Cairo. He often went to gay pickup spots, like the Qasr al-Nil Bridge, which cross the Nile to Tahrir. Many of his iends me om predictable groups: liberals, activists, foreigners, other gay men.</p><p class="paywall">But he also associated wh people who surprised me. A uple of tim, I stopped by his apartment and found him hangg out wh a group of police-amy stunts whom he had met his neighborhood. They were typil macho, nservative ps, but they enjoyed Manu’s pany. There was also a young <a href=">Mlim Brother</a>, a man I’ll ll Tariq, who me to parti hosted by Manu and his roommat. Everythg at the gathergs—the drkg, the prence of homosexuals, the sual mixg of unmarried men and women—should have been anathema to an Islamist. But Tariq was always there, enjoyg himself.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Somethg about Manu’s separatn om normal society seemed appealg to his peers. Egypt is hard on young people, part bee there are so many of them—more than sixty per cent of the populatn is unr the age of thirty. Jobs have always been short supply, and there’s tense fay prsure to marry early. Wh genrs segregated most muni, sexual reprsn is a nstant weight on people’s psych. Young men particular often nvey an unsettled, slightly volatile air.</p><p class="paywall">Manu, though, had e to terms wh some of the prsur earlier life. He grew up Port Said, a provcial cy at the northern end of the Suez Canal. His father ran a succsful ffee shop, but he treated his staff harshly, and at night he tried to relax by smokg hashish. He often beat Manu. The boy had a gift for languag, and he begged to be enrolled a private English school, but his father refed. So Manu eventually learned English on his own, along wh Italian.</p><p class="paywall">In Egypt, most public middle and high schools are separated by genr. As Manu and his male classmat entered their teen-age years, their socializg and roughhog often had a sexual element. Sometim a boy would act like a girl, a jokg way, and the others would touch and grab him. It wasn’t unual for boys to proceed to more timate activi private. Manu beme terted a good-lookg classmate, and soon they were havg sex. After a uple of years, the relatnship end, and Manu paired off wh another boy.</p><p class="paywall">He had no words for what he was dog. In Port Said durg the neteen-neti, there wasn’t a proper Arabic term for a gay person, other than the slur <em>khawwal</em>—“faggot.” <em>Shez gseyan</em>, the more formal term for homosexualy, lerally means “sexually abnormal.” As far as Manu was ncerned, “abnormal” hardly scribed an activy that, his timatn, was enjoyed by most of his classmat.</p><p class="paywall">Wh Manu’s send partner, sex was tense but silent, and they never discsed directly. Their private word was “football.” <em>Let’s play football,</em> one would say, if he was the mood. The other boy seemed tortured by his sire, and perdilly he cut off the relatnship. But variably, over a perd of four years, he returned to the : <em>Let’s play football.</em></p><p class="paywall">Years later, Manu moved to Cairo hop of a more open life, and like most homosexuals the pal he rporated the English words “gay” and “straight” to his Arabic. But he diststed the labels. His experience Port Said had nvced him that sexualy is more fluid, an ia that has a long history Egypt. Even that morn slur, <em>khawwal</em>, riv om an old term for cross-drsg male dancers. More than a century ago, the figur were popular entertaers at weddgs and other events, where they were often seen as sexually available to men. This tradn is long gone, but Manu regnized certa echo. He believed that if men are surround by men, and if there’s a tac acceptance of ntact, then the men are likely to have sex. Later, bee society mands tradnal marriage, most of the same men will settle to heterosexual liv.</p><p class="paywall">On viss back to Port Said, Manu sometim ran to his old high-school partners. Neher of them said a word about what they had shared, although Manu found easy to talk wh the first iend. Now he was married, wh small children, and Manu believed that he saw their past relatnship as a harmls youthful flg.</p><p class="paywall">The send partner, though, never married or had a girliend. To Manu’s knowledge, he no longer engaged sex wh men, and he had migrated to work one of the Gulf stat, which are even more nservative than Egypt. A uple of tim, Manu ran to him Port Said, and the teractns were awkward. Afterward, Manu felt prsed. He sensed that his iend’s sir, which had once been silent but powerful, were now also numbed: no words, no feelgs.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Manu e-mailed updat about his search for the stolen bags:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>Yterday I went to the airport twice and the police statn Boulak once and the report hasn’t been filed yet . . .</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">I sent the Orn satelle imag, along wh a list of ems the bags: some cloth, a pair of sandals, tw pairs of children’s sho, a py of “The Alexandria Quartet.” The airport police stcted Manu to vis ps Giza; Giza, they sent him back to the airport. There was no nsens on what was need to file a theft report. After more than a week, somebody at the airport fally rmed Manu that the thori scbbed all secury footage on a seven-day cycle. Manu’s police-amy iends were of ltle help:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>I lled Bahgat who gave me some ntradictg advice, lled Magdy who was not at all eful but is tryg to look like he is . . .</p></div></blockquote></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="3zb0z"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">I checked the iCloud Web se for a uple of weeks, but nothg appeared. It seemed time to give up, but one morng I logged for a fal look and saw the blue dot. The iPod was beneath that same Giza rooftop.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Some lawyers told Manu that might help if Llie and I received documentatn om an overseas ernment reprentative, so we started llg the Egyptian Consulate Hoton. Meanwhile, Manu kept phg the ps. He had been targeted by police the past, and I told him to ll the search off if he felt unsafe. But he sisted this was different: now he was the one reportg a crime.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Late one eveng early 2012, Manu was headg back to his apartment when a young man on the street approached him. He troduced himself as Kareem, and said that he was an Army nscript who uldn’t return to his base, bee of an argument wh his mandg officer. He offered Manu a Marlboro om a newly opened pack.</p><p class="paywall">The brand should have been a tipoff— was too expensive for a nscript. But Manu was near home, and he wasn’t alert to the possibily of trouble. When Kareem plaed about the ld, Manu ved him for a cup of tea.</p><p class="paywall">Insi the apartment, Kareem’s meanor changed. He said that he knew Manu was a <em>khawwal</em>, and he threatened to expose him. Manu asked one of his roommat, a large Atrian, for help, and he forcibly removed Kareem om the apartment. Manu spected was a setup, and he ran outsi, hopg to flee the area. But the police were already there, along wh Kareem—he was an unrver officer.</p><p class="paywall">The ps marched Manu back to his apartment. They nfisted the notebooks om his work wh foreign journalists, and then they transported him to a holdg cell the neart police statn. There, two officers prepared a crime report, readg Kareem’s acunt of the supposed events aloud to Manu:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>He asked me to sleep wh him. I told him, “No, I nnot do this.” But he had two iends and they grabbed me.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">The report claimed that the foreign roommat had participated an attempted rape, but one officer worried that embassi might get volved, so he eded out the foreigners. Other tails were fabrited on the spot. After the report was fished, the mandg officer said, “Take him to the hospal and do an anal exam.”</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In 2010, Alexandria, police beat to ath a twenty-eight-year-old named Khaled Saeed, who had been stg a cyberfé. Saeed was ted and he had no crimal history; wasn’t clear why he was targeted. When photos of his rpse appeared onle, there was a public outcry. The event beme a talyst for the first prott of the Egyptian Arab Sprg, which was held on January 25, 2011—Natnal Police Day.</p><p class="paywall">After Mubarak’s fall, two officers were sentenced to short prison terms for their rol Saeed’s ath. But the larger qutn of police reform remaed unrolved, part bee Egyptian thorarianism wasn’t really a system. It was more an atmosphere that enveloped the untry, and reprsn had the unpredictable qualy of a weather event: police generally seemed lazy, but their btaly uld strike at any time, often whout any sense of protol. This ma reform difficult— wasn’t enough to simply remove a lear or a group of lears.</p><p class="paywall">There was no law agast homosexualy, for stance, but gay men were often prosecuted unr a charge of “bchery.” When ps bted pickup spots, they routely forced spects to subm to anal examatns. After Manu’s arrt, he was handcuffed to a sergeant and taken down the street to a hospal. The staff said that they weren’t equipped to nduct the exam; at a send clic, the doctor refed. The ps were en route to a third hospal when they were lled to an appotment at the prosecutor’s office.</p><p class="paywall">The prosecutor terrogated Manu as to why he hadn’t been tryg to pick up girls on the street. “Why would you approach guys?” he said. “You fuckg <em>khawwal!</em> ” He kept hissg the word—<em>khawwal</em>, <em>khawwal</em>, <em>khawwal</em>—and he rmed Manu that he stood acced of attempted rape. But the proceedgs uldn’t be pleted whout a wns statement, and Kareem was nowhere to be found.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-5 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">While they waed, Manu was kept a holdg area, and a junr officer appeared wh Manu’s phone. “Your father lled,” he said, lghg. “I told him that we found you wh a man. Sleepg wh a man!”</p><p class="paywall">But then the officer hand Manu the phone. “Fd someone to help you,” he said. Manu lled Tariq, his Mlim Brother iend, who immediately me to the statn wh a lawyer. Fally, after Manu had been held for nearly twenty-four hours, the ps released him on bail. They had never anized the anal exam, and Kareem still hadn’t shown up.</p><p class="paywall">Outsi the statn, Tariq and a few iends were wag, along wh a distant relative who lived Cairo and had been alerted by Manu’s father. When Manu saw his relative, he realized that the junr officer had told the tth about outg him on the phone, and he knew that he uld never show his face Port Said aga.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Durg the next few weeks, the lawyer asked Manu for the equivalent of three thoand dollars, orr to bribe officials. After that, he said that the se was no longer beg actively pursued, but hadn’t been dropped. For safety, Manu moved out of the Dokki neighborhood.</p><p class="paywall">He never learned what had prompted the bt. Perhaps a neighbor had spected that Manu was gay, or maybe the ps wanted to force Manu to rm on the journalists he worked wh. But why didn’t the ps follow up? And, after Kareem went to all the trouble to entrap Manu, why didn’t he appear at the prosecutor’s office? Why did the junr officer expose Manu to his father and then allow the phone ll? Such qutns were unanswerable a untry whout any clear system, and where the police had always been fed by petence as much as by btaly.</p><p class="paywall">That sprg, 2012, a Mlim Brother named <a href=">Mohamed Morsi</a> was nng to bee the first post-revolutn Print. Tariq was by wh the mpaign, but he often checked on Manu. He never said a word about his iend’s beg gay. For a Mlim Brother, the issue should have been unequivol: the anizatn’s lears had clared homosexualy to be a vlatn of Islam.</p><p class="paywall">I equently met wh Tariq durg this perd, and he believed that Manu had been targeted bee of his journalism. “He’s too tstg,” Tariq said. “But he’s a good person.”</p><p class="paywall">I uldn’t tell if Tariq accepted Manu’s sexualy or if he jt feigned ignorance. People Egypt often avoid mentng certa thgs that seemed obv, and their behavr uld seem ntradictory to an outsir. I thought that probably rulted om the var social prsur: rigid tradns of fah, fay stctur that uld be clstrophobic, and s of polil and enomic dysfunctn. Sometim a person’s ntradictory behavr felt like hypocrisy, but often was simply a way to survive a flawed environment. And perhaps certa s reprented a form of human cency.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In Colorado, I looked at the Orn satelle imag every day, and ually the blue dot was on the Giza rooftop. The buildg sat the heart of an <em>ashwa’iyat</em>, one of the unplanned neighborhoods that are home to most rints of greater Cairo. There appeared to be a large water-treatment facily nearby; om above, the round tanks led up neat rows like the dots of a domo. The Fd My Mac feature even tracked the iPod’s battery stat. I sent updat to Manu:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>I jt checked and the iPod is on aga. Looks like they charged , <em>al hamdulillah</em> [all praise be to God]. A uple of days ago the battery was very low.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">A diplomat at the Egyptian Consulate Hoton agreed to certify a theft scriptn provid that was wrten Arabic and notarized. So Llie and I went to a notary public Montrose, Colorado. “I don’t thk I’m supposed to notarize somethg I n’t read,” the notary said, but she signed anyway. The Egyptian diplomat stamped , and I sent off to Manu.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="This posn may ll for some ocsnal plumbg." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE gdZTpI ptn RponsiveCartoonCaptn-dokfdF hJgaLQ rponsive-rtoon__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo bsWloa ptn__text">“This posn may ll for some ocsnal plumbg.”</span></div><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">He kept gog to the Cairo airport, and eventually he met a iendly policeman who put him touch wh the mandg officer at a statn near the blue dot. Like some of the ps Manu met, the officer seemed to thk that the iPod Touch was a sophistited trackg vice, and he asked if Apple uld requt to photograph the thief’s face. He seemed disappoted by Manu’s answer, but fally he lled together a crew of ten placloth ps. All of them piled to an old microb, along wh Manu.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-6 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">An hour earlier, I had checked—the iPod was on. It had been more than a month sce our luggage was stolen.</p><p class="paywall">The microb wound through narrow, dirty streets until stopped at a dgy lndromat. “Stay si,” the mandg officer told Manu. He argued wh the owner of the lndromat for a while, and then he returned brandishg a nfisted handgun. Why had the lndry man been armed? How had the ps known? Why hadn’t they ma an arrt? The were some of the qutns that Manu kept to himself. He was g the G.P.S. ördat om the satelle imag to gui the microb. The vehicle passed the water-treatment plant, and then me to the buildg wh the blue dot.</p><p class="paywall">The buildg was six stori tall. The officer lled Manu and two ps out of the microb, and they started on the ground floor. The officer was a big man, and he had a way of steppg forward and wedgg his bulk to the entrance whenever somebody answered a door. Manu stood behd him, and for the first time he saw Cairo om the police perspective. “We’re all good Coptic Christians this buildg!” one woman said, terrified. At another apartment, an old man mentned that a driver lived on the top floor.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="v807ya"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="c2zjkq"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Manu nudged the officer and whispered, “<em>The driver!</em> ”</p><p class="paywall">The ps clattered up the stairs. A picture of J hung on the door. The man who answered looked as ightened as his neighbors. Y, he was a driver. Y, he sometim went to the airport. He produced a license—his name was Girgis. Standg si the doorway, the officer rmed the driver that the police would search the apartment. They showed no warrant or even intifitn, but the driver didn’t rist.</p><p class="paywall">The apartment was large and well appoted. The driver’s wife and two small children were so terrified that Manu had to look away. The officer stcted him to help, and although Manu didn’t know how to nduct a proper police search, he opened a closet door and found a sandal that seemed to match my scriptn.</p><p class="paywall">Then the officer found an iPod Touch stg on a table. He brought to Manu for spectn. The home screen l up: a photograph of sleepg tw baby girls.</p><p class="paywall">Now the officer told the wife and children to leave the room. The driver was seated. The police closed the door. “Tell where the stolen thgs are,” the officer said lmly. “If you do, we’ll let you go. Otherwise, we’re gog to search everythg, and when we fd the goods you’ll go to prison.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-7 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">After a few nials, the driver told them to go to his bedroom and remove the mattrs. Beneath the mattrs were two rry-on bags. Insi the bags, Manu found some cloth, tw pairs of children’s sho, a py of “The Alexandria Quartet,” four hard driv, two meras, one puter, and all of Llie’s notebooks.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In 2012, after Manu was arrted, his father lled the next day and asked him to e to Port Said. Manu cled, bee he knew that the police mt have scribed his sexualy the cst of terms. When he was a boy, his mother had tried to protect him om his father’s rag, but she had been ad for years. The relatnship wh his father had never improved.</p><p class="paywall">Now, though, his father kept llg. “I haven’t told anythg to anybody,” he said. At last, Manu agreed. His father greeted him warmly, although he never mentned the arrt.</p><p class="paywall">His health was clg, and he had lost his bs what he believed to have been a rpt judgment on a lawsu. He uld have taken out his tratn on Manu, but stead there was a new tenrns the way that he treated his son. Unlike other fay members, he stopped speakg about marriage prospects for Manu.</p><p class="paywall">The father died a few months later. His fal surprise was his will—he had changed to leave his apartment to Manu alone. An Egyptian father would do this for a son who had yet to marry, but that clearly wasn’t his motivatn.</p><p class="paywall">Manu had learned that was impossible to predict how people would rpond once they learned the tth about his sexualy. Over time, he beme termed to live more openly Cairo, spe the risks. Once, he talked his way out of a police bt at a popular gay hangout, and he had to move out of another apartment after a neighborhood thug threatened to knife him for beg a <em>khawwal</em>. Manu asked one of his police-amy iends for protectn durg the move, and he told him the reason. It didn’t seem to bother the young p, and afterward they remaed iends.</p><p class="paywall">Egyptians who didn’t nsir themselv to be straight often had difficulty characterizg social attus toward homosexualy. One Egyptian his thirti told me that he had been iated to sex wh men as a teen-ager by a , who had given him a readg list of classil Arabic lerature that scribed male upl. “The qutn started my head: Is wrong or not?” he told me. Like his , he eventually married and had a child, but sometim he still felt attracted to men. He didn’t scribe himself as gay or bisexual; he preferred the English term “queer.” He thought that his behavr should have been seen as normal. “In Egypt, the nnectn between men is much stronger than the nnectn between men and women,” he said.</p><p class="paywall">At pickup spots like the Qasr al-Nil Bridge, Manu often met men who intified as straight. In a culture where was difficult to be alone wh a woman, they seemed to view the bridge as the bt alternative, and their ias about what nstuted a <em>khawwal</em> uld be idsyncratic. A man might sist on always beg a domant sexual posn, bee his md this didn’t qualify as gay.</p><p class="paywall">The only nsistency was silence. No matter what people did, they avoid talkg about . Ocsnally, Manu’s partners seemed overwhelmed by guilt, and they lashed out at him verbally or physilly. Sometim they even robbed him; over the years, he had three puters and four cell phon stolen. Manu saw this as an evable risk of meetg people a culture that was simultaneoly homophobic and full of male ntact. “They love me, they re about me,” he explaed. “But they also have this thg si that mak them hate me.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-8 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Late one eveng 2014, Manu went to the Qasr al-Nil Bridge and met a young man named Ahmed. Ahmed had a gentle manner, and he talked wh Manu for hours, plag about the thgs that young men often plaed about: lack of job prospects, lack of money, lack of marriage possibili. Ahmed seemed straight—“at least by the standards of Egypt,” Manu said, which was his ual qualifier. They had sex that eveng.</p><p class="paywall">Afterward, they drank beer and talked Manu’s livg room. Manu was gazg out the wdow when Ahmed approached him om behd and shattered two beer bottl rapid succsn agast his head.</p><p class="paywall">There had been no provotn. Later, Manu uldn’t even rell what they had been talkg about. He remembered that Ahmed me at him wh a third, heavier bottle, and somehow Manu fought him off and phed him out of the apartment. After lockg the door, Manu llapsed, bleedg heavily.</p><p class="paywall">He lled two foreign iends, who helped him get to the hospal. Manu received stch, and a sn showed bleedg the bra. Three days later, Ahmed and another young man showed up at Manu’s apartment door. Ahmed plead that he wanted to talk, and Manu stood shakg wh fear behd the locked door until they left. He had no ia why Ahmed had returned, or why he’d brought a iend—the actns were jt as myster as the origal attack.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="kt12q"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">At the time, I was on a long trip, and when I got back Manu seemed different. His head was srred, and he had sworn off the Qasr al-Nil Bridge. By that pot, the Arab Sprg was clearly over Egypt. The Mlim Brotherhood’s year power had end a up, and Manu’s iend Tariq had left the untry, like many other young Islamists. The secury state steadily reasserted self, and, after Abl Fattah el-Sisi won the Princy, 2015, there were creased arrts at Cairo gay hangouts and parti.</p><p class="paywall">By then, Manu had ma his cisn. He still had the police report om his arrt, and Cairo he told his story to a reprentative of the Uned Natns High Commissner for Refuge, so that he would have addnal documentatn. Manu sold the Port Said apartment and ed the sh to pay for his visa trips abroad. In the end, that was the herance om his father: a path out of Egypt.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">After the police disvered our belonggs Girgis’s apartment, they gave Manu two optns. He uld take the bags immediately if he signed a statement that Girgis had simply been holdg everythg on our behalf. The other optn was to prs charg. In that se, everythg the bags would be held as material evince while the police prepared paperwork, terviewed wns, arranged wh the prosecutor’s office, and—</p><p class="paywall">“I’ll take the bags now,” Manu said. The officer seemed happy to avoid paperwork. There had never been a proper theft report, and now there was no se—legally speakg, the cint had never happened.</p><p class="paywall">Most of our foreign currency was gone, along wh a few ems of clothg, but everythg else was the bags. Manu said that Girgis owned a whe van, and I prepared to ntact the r-service boss. Our uniendly driver was a Copt, and although he hadn’t gone by the name of Girgis Egyptians don’t always e the first name that appears on their I.D.s.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-9 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">But then Sayyid, the garbageman our old neighborhood, reported that Hany was tellg a story about how he had helped fd the stolen bags. It nfed me—I hadn’t mentned the revery to anybody. I knew, though, that people often ed Sayyid as a way to broadst thgs around the neighborhood, bee his job brought him to every doorstep. And I realized that immediately after the theft Manu had talked wh Hany on the phone, but they hadn’t met person.</p><p class="paywall">I sent Manu an e-mail. He rpond that he had misspoken—the thief drove a whe Toyota sedan, not a van.</p><p class="paywall">Hany’s Toyota was whe, and he was a Copt, too. I e-mailed a photograph of Hany sg happily wh the tws after a trip home om school. Manu wrote back:</p><p class="paywall"><em>That’s him. I’m sorry.</em></p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">I uldn’t make sense of the theft. Hany wasn’t poor, and I knew he hadn’t planned to steal the bags, bee origally the van was gog to take all of and the luggage to the airport. Hany had a number of regular clients the neighborhood, and once the past I had asked him how he got started. He explaed that a woman our buildg had left somethg valuable his r and he returned . On a trip back to Cairo, I vised the woman, spectg that the story was a lie. But she nfirmed — fact, on a number of ocsns Hany had returned thgs that she’d unknowgly left his vehicle.</p><p class="paywall">Manu’s advice was blunt. “You should his life as much as you n,” he said. “Bee he is a fuckg thief.” But I wanted to hear Hany’s si, so one eveng Manu and I went to Giza. We passed the gun-totg lndry and the tanks of the water-treatment plant, and we me to the buildg wh the blue dot. I hadn’t told Hany that we were g. He looked sheepish when he answered the door.</p><p class="paywall">He seated the livg room. The first thg I noticed, stg atop a bure, was a amed photograph of Hany wh my dghters. The picture hadn’t been there when the police ma their bt. Now Hany told a story: One day, a uple of weeks after we left, a man showed up the neighborhood wh our two bags. Hany took the bags, and he had been holdg them for . He didn’t know anythg about the man.</p><p class="paywall">I said that this was nonsense; we had evince that the iPod was Hany’s buildg immediately after the theft, and he mt have fiddled wh one of the stolen meras on the same day, bee ntaed a short vio taken si his apartment. Manu showed him the satelle imag. “We are alg wh vic, not humans,” Manu said. “There’s no chance of mistake.”</p><p class="paywall">I told Hany that people sometim do thgs they regret, and I jt wanted to know the tth. “You worked wh , you helped our children,” I said. “Why did you do this?”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-10 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“I was wag for you to send me a msage,” Hany said. He talked aga about the myster man wh the bags, but now he fixated on the iPod, sayg that he had waed patiently for to be ed as a means of munitn. “<em>Sada’ni, sada’ni, sada’ni</em>,” he said. “Believe me, believe me, believe me.” It was siar to how the police had seen the vice: everybody’s ey, there was a great power this foreign object. Hany kept talkg about the msag and the myster man, but he never admted his guilt. At last, Manu and I left.</p><p class="paywall">Manu remarked that he wasn’t surprised that Hany had taken our bags, bee he had been robbed so many tim by people he met at gay hangouts. “In my se, they nsir me the <em>khawwal</em>, so whatever they do is not so bad,” he said. “Maybe ’s the same wh you bee you are a foreigner.” He regnized the ntradictory behavr— was possible for somebody to feel genue affectn for children and then rob their parents. And the rponse to guilt was tortured; left people unable to acknowledge their actns or even speak about them. Hany mt have ma a spot cisn to steal the bags, but somethg prevented him om followg through, and for weeks he slept above the evince of his crime. <em>Sada’ni, sada’ni, sada’ni</em>. When I examed the iPod Touch, I saw that had been ed mostly to accs two thgs on YouTube: Coptic Christian hymns and “Tom and Jerry” rtoons.</p><p class="paywall">It bothered me that Hany had tried to spread a false story around the neighborhood, so I vised Sayyid and told him the tth. Not long after that, Hany was stck by a r the street, and he disappeared om the neighborhood. “His leg was ed, <em>al-hamdulillah!</em> ” Sayyid cheerfully told Llie, when she was back Egypt on a rearch trip. Sayyid said that he and others saw as dive jtice.</p><p class="paywall">Last sprg, I returned to Cairo aga. I was surprised to see Hany parked his ual spot, wag for his regular ctomers. I started to leave orr to avoid a scene, but Hany waved and limped over. He sed and asked about the tws.</p><p class="paywall">“I heard you were hurt,” I said. He pulled up his pants leg—an ugly sr ran across the sk, and he wore a brace. “<em>Salamtak</em>,” I said. The phrase me out tomatilly; Egyptians always say when somebody is sick or hurt. In the same way, I uldn’t help but ask about Hany’s children, and we end the exchange polely. It felt rualized, this act of behavg public as if somethg had never happened.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In December, 2016, Manu ma his last trip to the Cairo airport. A passport-ntrol officer spected his documents. “Hey, Mohamed,” he said. “Why are you gog to Germany?”</p><p class="paywall">Manu said that he was givg a lecture, and he hand over an vatn letter. Through some ntacts, Manu had arranged to attend a roundtable discsn hosted by a Berl advocy group. The German Embassy had approved the visa whout any qutns.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="A view om outer space of a large pile of posssns people have given up after watchg the Marie Kondo Netflix show." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">In German, the letter scribed Manu’s topic as “L.G.B.T. people sce the Egyptian revolutn.” From the way the passport officer stared at the letter, Manu was sure he didn’t unrstand. Fally, the officer asked, “What are you talkg about Germany?”</p><p class="paywall">“Human rights,” Manu said.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-11 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">The officer waved him through.</p><p class="paywall">In Berl, Manu attend the discsn, and he vised a lawyer. He went to Schwulenberatung, a non-ernmental anizatn that serv the cy’s L.G.B.T. muny. After the Arab Sprg, Schwulenberatung lnched new programs for gay refuge. A seworker gave Manu a letter that intified him as a member of a vulnerable subgroup of the refugee populatn. Next, Manu went to a procsg center for refuge. The Berl lawyer had stcted him to say two thgs.</p><p class="paywall">“I’m applyg for asylum,” Manu told an official. “And I’m gay.” It was the first time he had ever scribed himself such a way to a ernment reprentative.</p><p class="paywall">That year, more than half a ln refuge arrived Germany. The system was overwhelmed, and Manu was shuttled to mps var plac: Münster, Leverken, Cologne. But he asserted ntrol whenever possible. At his terview for asylum, the ernment provid a Tunisian-born Arabic translator, but Manu dismissed the man. He knew that he had the right to choose both the language and the genr of his translator, and he refed to tell his story his native tongue—he believed that homophobia was too eply embedd Arabic. Manu sisted on speakg English through a woman.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="ji6h6s"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="hjib8t"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">At some mps, officials tried to hoe Manu large open dormori. There had been attacks on gay men such suatns, and Manu always produced the letter om the N.G.O. and sisted on more private hog. Eventually, he was assigned to a se outsi Cologne, where nety-six shippg ntaers had been nverted to hog for men. A sgle block of three ntaers was dited to gay refuge.</p><p class="paywall">I had wrten a letter ttifyg to what I knew about Manu’s experienc Cairo, and we talked equently on the phone. Durg that first wter, he was often prsed. He hated the gay shippg ntaer, as he lled . He shared the space wh five Iraqis who had fled war-torn ral areas. They stole Manu’s food om the reigerator, so he bought only pork products, bee the Iraqis wouldn’t touch anythg that was haram. They were all applyg for asylum as homosexuals, but they believed that beg gay was haram, too. Once, when Manu was tryg to sleep, he overheard a nversatn.</p><p class="paywall">“We have to stop this someday,” one of the Iraqis said. “We n enjoy now, but someday we have to stop.”</p><p class="paywall">Another man agreed. They talked about how someday, after they had received asylum as homosexuals, they would fd bris.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-12 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“At least we are Mlims, <em>al-hamdulillah</em>,” one said. “We know right om wrong. We n fix ourselv. But Germans live their liv whout knowg right om wrong.”</p><p class="paywall">Eventually, other refuge figured out why the block of shippg ntaers was isolated. One afternoon, a Lebane rint threatened to kill Manu, shoutg that he was a <em>khawwal</em>. After all the trips, and after all the distance that Manu had travelled, he found exhstg—that same word, that same fear. But his rourcefulns was also the same, and worked even better Germany than had Egypt. Manu immediately filed an cint report that went to the police, and he applied for ernment fundg for a private apartment, cg the threat. After two months of tensive German lsons, he unrstood enough to fd an expensive apartment a leafy suburb. The place was small, but the sixteenth-floor view was betiful. The day Manu moved was the happit of that long wter.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Last summer, I vised Manu Cologne, and I was surprised by how much his appearance had changed. He wore hoop earrgs, and he was strikgly f; he went to the gym pulsively. Even his mannerisms were different: looser, more natural, as if somethg si him had relaxed. He told me that a gay iend om Cairo had recently vised and clared, “Manu, you’re more gay!”</p><p class="paywall">One eveng downtown, Manu poted out some German pestrians wag at a red light, even though there weren’t any rs. “I love that,” he said. “Always Egypt one of the thgs that ma me crazy is that there’s no system.”</p><p class="paywall">He had received asylum the prev year. Germany don’t publicize statistics on how many people are granted asylum for reasons of sexualy, but Dirk Siegied, a Berl lawyer, told me that Manu’s se was particularly strong. Siegied had given Manu the unual advice of applyg whout a lawyer, bee he believed he was so pable. “He was able to tell his story,” Siegied said. In Cologne, Manu vised a group lled the Rabow Refuge, which helped him wh some hog applitns. Felix Coeln, a former member of the group, told me that sometim Manu had been quicker than Coeln to figure out a solutn to burecratic problems. “Those refuge who succeed settlg themselv, handlg their own affairs, they tend to be the on who have fewer problems,” Coeln said. But ually this was difficult for gay Arabs, who had been trmatized at home and abroad. Coeln mentned an Iraqi client who twice experienced homophobic attacks refugee mps, but uldn’t leave, bee he wasn’t functnal German society. “He’s like a fire whout flam,” Coeln said. “He’s been here three years and hardly speaks any words German.”</p><p class="paywall">In Cologne, Manu avoid other Middle Easterners, and even the support groups for gay Arabs. “When an Arab is around, I don’t feel ee,” he said. He believed that this feelg would pass wh time. But he said ankly that he sometim wonred why the Germans had opened their untry to so many people like him. He often thought of the Iraqis the shippg ntaer talkg about how someday they would stop beg gay. “It was a horrible nversatn,” Manu said. “All I n hope is that years Germany n change this behavr.”</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">A seri of German-language exams prepar newers for jobs, and Manu passed the first wh a sre of 164 out of 165. This qualified him to work, but he wanted to be certified at a higher level, so he was takg four hours of class a day. He had recently been accepted for ernment job trag the bure that handl work programs, hog, and other refugee issu. Manu wanted to ntribute to the system, bee he felt grateful to be there.</p><p class="paywall">The majory of his language classmat me om the Middle East. Manu liked the subtle propaganda of the ernment-produced texts, and he liked seeg his classmat’ reactns. One lson scribed a gay uple, and a Turkish stunt exprsed disgt, but other stunts phed back. Another time, a beard Syrian clared that he would never let his wife remove her hijab. An unvered Iranian woman argued fiercely broken German. “This is Germany,” she said. “If you don’t like , then you n leave.”</p><p class="paywall">One afternoon, I sat on a class bate about a text that scribed <em>Müllsünr</em>—“garbage sners.” “It means ‘haram,’ ” the blond German stctor said, g the Arabic word. Then she swched back to German. “This is about people who do bad stuff wh garbage.”</p><p class="paywall">The text listed f Frankfurt: twenty ros for a tossed cigarette butt, thirty-five for gum. Any <em>Sünr</em> who fed a pigeon had to pay a hundred.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-13 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“Some of the f are a ltle too expensive,” the Iranian woman said.</p><p class="paywall">“I thk thirty-five for gum is not expensive,” Manu said. “It stays on the street for many years.”</p><p class="paywall">A French woman of Ain scent agreed: “It tak a long time to—” She psed, searchg for the word.</p><p class="paywall">“A long time to tegrate,” the teacher said. She sed to let them know that was a joke, and everybody lghed. ♦</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="0od9ar"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><footer class="ContentFooterMagazeDisclaimer-gzKAqo iZIuUU" data-ttid="MagazeDisclaimerWrapper">Published the prt edn of the <a href="/magaze/2019/04/01" data-reactroot="">April 1, 2019</a>, issue.</footer></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="ContributorsWrapper-eNpWFu GWFsc ntributors" data-ttid="Contributors"><div class="ContributorBWrapper-bnVHbt gMon"><div class="ContributorBContent-ubQdr jZTSSi"><div class="ContributorBHear-ledood XOIEx"></div><div class="ContributorBB-fBolsO giFhKz"><a href="/ntributors/peter-hsler">Peter Hsler</a> joed The New Yorker as a staff wrer 2000. His forthg book, “Other Rivers,” is due out 2024.</div><div class="ContributorBFooter-brqDlv ezUmSv"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd bPyAoD kQQRmu">More:</span><a href="/tag/refuge" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Refuge</span></a><a href="/tag/egyptians" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Egyptians</span></a><a href="/tag/immigrants" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Immigrants</span></a><a href="/tag/gay-rights" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Gay Rights</span></a><a href="/tag/thefts" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Thefts</span></a><a href="/tag/bags" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Bags</span></a><a href="/tag/iro-egypt" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Cairo, Egypt</span></a><a href="/tag/germany" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Germany</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kixtae"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN jKSBhE newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt kbxOa-D newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Weekly</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc cKOhTM newsletter-subscribe-form__k">Your gui to the latt magaze and our biggt stori of the week, pl highlights om podsts, humor, and more.</div></div><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper-keARJE hVWbzr"><form class="form-wh-validatn NewsletterSubscribeFormValidatn-iCYa-Dt dweEln" id="newsletter" name="newsletter" novalidate="" method="POST"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp hNhevp text-field" data-ttid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd stdEm fvoOvz text-field__label text-field__label--sgle-le" for="newsletter-text-field-email" data-ttid="TextFieldLabel__email"><div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl eeDYTb">E-mail addrs</div><div class="TextFieldInputContaer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><put type="email" aria-scribedby="privacy-text" aria-valid="false" id="newsletter-text-field-email" required="" name="email" placeholr="E-mail addrs" class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT laFPCK text-field__ntrol text-field__ntrol--put" data-ttid="TextFieldInput__email"/></div></label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dwpimO button button--utily TextFieldButton-csBrgY edxbrw" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="subm"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign up</span></button></span><div id="privacy-text" tabx="-1" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDisclaimer-bTVtiV bsgLJZ"><span><p>By signg up, you agree to our <a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">User Agreement</a> and <a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement</a>. This se is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google<a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Privacy Policy</a> and<a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Terms of Service</a> apply.</p></span></div></form></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--DenseDktopStack"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm jTGbEO"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq kjAxEG SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa dqtvfu jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR eOCboB hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Mosw</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">The stori of those who survived tentn and torture and are now livg unrver Put’s Rsia.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Masha Gsen</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Tal of the Trash" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Cairo</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Tal of the Trash</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Tal of the Trash" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">A neighborhood garbageman explas morn Egypt.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Peter Hsler</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--evio summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 720w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 480w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fsJGML summary-em__bric summary-em__seri-lk"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/vio/seri/obssns"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Annals of Obssn</span></a></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 720w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 480w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k summary-em__k--isCneVio">From a twenty-ne-dollar cup of ffee to petns for roastg beans and tastg not of flavor, specialty-ffee culture is attractg ffee lovers and hard-re nnoissrs.</div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Lows of the High Life" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Weekend Essay</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Lows of the High Life</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Lows of the High Life" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">I had never had money, and then I did. For three days New York, I learned how not to e .</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Andre Dub III</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="kvcd0c"></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails---f" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="ecqiuw"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH rjBtU"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY gKJGws se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj cQgGDp" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image rponsive-image"><img alt="The New Yorker" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div></div><nav aria-label="Sectns" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnVertil-eawNCf hgahMe" data-ttid="navigatn"><p data-ttid="navigatn__headg" class="NavigatnHeadgWrapper-befTuI kSFYXD navigatn__headg"><button data-ttid="navigatn__headg-button" type="button" aria-expand="false" class="NavigatnHeadgButton-eDVixB fiYwDK">Sectns<span data-ttid="navigatn__headg-arrow" class="NavigatnHeadgArrow-iJeTMa gGaHQm"></span></button></p><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS fSEziN navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/news" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">News</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/culture" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Books & Culture</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/fictn-and-poetry" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Fictn & Poetry</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/humor" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Humor & Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/magaze" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Magaze</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/crossword-puzzl-and-gam" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Crossword</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Vio</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/podst" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Podsts</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/archive" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Archive</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/gogs-on-about-town" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Gogs On</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><nav aria-label="More" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnContactVertil-kReQvb ejvbAv" data-ttid="navigatn"><p data-ttid="navigatn__headg" class="NavigatnHeadgWrapper-befTuI kSFYXD navigatn__headg"><button data-ttid="navigatn__headg-button" type="button" aria-expand="false" class="NavigatnHeadgButton-eDVixB fiYwDK">More<span data-ttid="navigatn__headg-arrow" class="NavigatnHeadgArrow-iJeTMa gGaHQm"></span></button></p><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS fSEziN navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Ctomer Care</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Shop The New Yorker</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Buy Covers and Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Condé Nast Store</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/digal-edns" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Digal Accs</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/newsletter" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Newsletters</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/jigsaw" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Jigsaw Puzzle</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/feeds" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">RSS</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><div class="SeFooterNoticWrapper-gbuTHd kdRVhS"><div class="SeFooterNoticContaerWrapper-cQMYXm jYCnSe"><nav aria-label="Notic" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnHorizontal-cWLRMH eTQAIE" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dnLcIy navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">About</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/reers" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Careers</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/ntact" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Contact</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/faq" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">F.A.Q.</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Media K</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/prs" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Prs</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/accsibily-help" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" rel="nofollow" role="lk">Accsibily Help</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><p data-ttid="dangero-legale-brand-text" class="SeFooterLegaleText-bquxSW eUChdN">© <!-- -->2023<!-- --> Condé Nast. All rights rerved. Use of this se nstut acceptance of our<!-- --> <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">User Agreement</a> and <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement</a> and <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Your California Privacy Rights.</a> <em>The New Yorker</em> may earn a portn of sal om products that are purchased through our se as part of our Affiliate Partnerships wh retailers. The material on this se may not be reproduced, distributed, transmted, ched or otherwise ed, except wh the prr wrten permissn of Condé Nast.<!-- --> <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ad Choic</a></p><div class="SeFooterCollectnContaer-iKPzYu cUTUWM"></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV hwdgCG social-ins social-ins--footer SeFooterSocialIns-cLAKVY cPpkaJ"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA gBoIvv social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR izQXJd social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--footer thner"><a aria-label="Follow on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU kupRzT social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" width="7.2" height="16" viewBox="0 0 7.2 16" xmlns="><tle>Facebook

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* THIEF GAY

Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-outle" d="M20 24L12.5 19.7804L5 24V3H20V24ZM12.5 18.6028L19 22.2336V3.98131H6V22.2336L12.5 18.6028Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" d="M11.5541 13.7033L9 11.2033L9.66216 10.5552L11.5541 12.407L15.3378 8.70331L16 9.35146L11.5541 13.7033Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc loYW alert-msage"><p>To revis this article, select My Acunt, then<!-- --> <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a></p></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div><a href="/th/iate?redirectURL=%2Fmagaze%2F2019%2F04%2F01%2Fegyptian-refugee&source=VERSO_NAVIGATION" rel="nofollow" data-ttid="signIn" class="StandardNavigatnAcuntLabel-pyqL jVPHWr">Sign In</a></div><div class="StackedNavigatnConsumerMarketgUnWrapper-epSkjf eqsNVO"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-rollover" role="prentatn"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-rollover"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-dialog" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-dialog"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><a href="/search" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv gVJotL button button--utily StackedNavigatnSearch-lFFwq ckLQNp" data-event-click="{"element":"Button","outgogURL":"/search"}" data-ttid="Button" type=""><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Search</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-search" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns=" data-ttid="inSearch"><tle>Search</tle><path d="M14.5 10a4.5 4.5 0 1 0 0 9 4.5 4.5 0 0 0 0-9zm5.249 8.335l4.458 4.458-1.414 1.414-4.458-4.458a6.5 6.5 0 1 1 1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></a></div></div><div data-ttid="StackedNavigatnSectnPrimaryLks" class="StackedNavigatnSectnPrimaryLks-foRfJu jOZVNi"><nav aria-label="Primary" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK StackedNavigatnNavigatnPrimaryLk-hGPvKW junrbk" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dnLcIy navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/news" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">News</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/culture" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Books & Culture</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/fictn-and-poetry" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Fictn & Poetry</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/humor" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Humor & Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/magaze" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Magaze</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/crossword-puzzl-and-gam" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Puzzl & Gam</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Vio</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/podsts" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Podsts</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/gogs-on" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Gogs On</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Ftival</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="external-lk NavigatnExternalLk-hktPkS jLQUSr navigatn__lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shop</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span></div><div class="StackedNavigatnBottom-dpkX bIeNbx"><div class="StackedNavigatnDrawer-jtJcEj edsvEF"><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily StackedNavigatnDrawerToggle-cycUFN eZCXFW" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Open Navigatn Menu</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-menu" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Menu</tle><path d="M8 10h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk ePjLtR" data-ttid="BookmarkAlertMobile" role="tooltip"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye dJBuXq alert-arrow"></div><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertInWrapper-iHNVmf iGkvlr"><svg class="in in-bookmark in-bookmark--activated" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-outle" d="M20 24L12.5 19.7804L5 24V3H20V24ZM12.5 18.6028L19 22.2336V3.98131H6V22.2336L12.5 18.6028Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" d="M11.5541 13.7033L9 11.2033L9.66216 10.5552L11.5541 12.407L15.3378 8.70331L16 9.35146L11.5541 13.7033Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc loYW alert-msage"><p>To revis this article, vis My Profile, then<!-- --> <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a></p></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dZjwET button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div></div><div class="StackedNavigatnSectnLogo-gMsxSu kUeORh"><a href="/" class="StackedNavigatnLogoLk-byNqXP dmvHfj"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa rponsive-image"><img alt="The New Yorker" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></a></div><div class="StackedNavigatnSectnMobileOptn-iaaAJG bHHPuB"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--mob-nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--mob-nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div></div></div></hear><div class="modal-ntaer"></div></div><div class="PersistentBottomWrapper-eddooY bIieWF persistent-bottom" data-journey-hook="persistent-bottom"><asi class="PaywallBarWrapper-hbEokK kqItQt paywall-bar"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut paywall-bar__nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="SplScreenContentHearWrapper-bFxPWy eCzzyl ntent-hear article__ntent-hear" data-ttid="SplScreenContentHearWrapper"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK dfqcEG grid grid-ems-2 grid-full-bleed grid-no-gap SplScreenContentHearMa-fNigKG daohZh"><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"><div class="SplScreenContentHearTleBlock-sCMXE jActCi"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX dZhWBL bric SplScreenContentHearRubric-cLHEJQ ildzkT"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/magaze/letter-om-iro"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Cairo</span></a></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SplScreenContentHearHed-lcUSuI iUEiRd NbxED dfelga">The Refugee and the Thief</h1><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SplScreenContentHearDek-emptdL iUEiRd wOnsu dJrDEb">A gay Egyptian leav his homeland.</div><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl SplScreenContentHearByle-kvEhqE ejWxsm"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/peter-hsler">Peter Hsler</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2019-03-25T05:00:00-04:00" class="SplScreenContentHearPublishDate-bMGEVk gvRvVr">March 25, 2019</time><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard SplScreenContentHearSocialShare-gSVclr kUKgnn"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" width="7.2" height="16" viewBox="0 0 7.2 16" xmlns="><tle>Facebook</tle><path d="M1.548 3.099v2.203H0v2.693h1.548V16h3.179V7.995H6.86s.2-1.291.297-2.703H4.739V3.45c0-.275.346-.646.689-.646H7.16V0H4.805C1.47 0 1.548 2.696 1.548 3.099z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-twter" focable="false" width="15.3" height="13" viewBox="0 0 15.3 13" xmlns="><tle>Twter</tle><path d="M15.275 1.539a6.04 6.04 0 0 1-1.8.517A3.268 3.268 0 0 0 14.854.24a6.127 6.127 0 0 1-1.99.797A3.067 3.067 0 0 0 10.575 0c-1.73 0-3.134 1.47-3.134 3.281 0 .257.028.508.081.748C4.918 3.892 2.61 2.585 1.063.6A3.382 3.382 0 0 0 .64 2.25c0 1.14.552 2.144 1.393 2.732a3.001 3.001 0 0 1-1.418-.41v.042c0 1.59 1.08 2.916 2.513 3.218a3.011 3.011 0 0 1-1.415.056c.399 1.304 1.556 2.253 2.926 2.28A6.111 6.111 0 0 1 0 11.525 8.59 8.59 0 0 0 4.805 13c5.764 0 8.916-5 8.916-9.338a8.96 8.96 0 0 0-.01-.425 6.522 6.522 0 0 0 1.564-1.698z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR hHoUCw social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--email social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Share via Email" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--email" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"mailto:?subject=The%20Refugee%20and%20the%20Thief&" href="mailto:?subject=The%20Refugee%20and%20the%20Thief& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" width="17.3" height="13" viewBox="0 0 17.3 13" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M0 .776V13h17.333V.776L8.67 8.931 0 .776z M.756 0L8.67 7.443 16.578 0H.756z"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR ilDrTe social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--prt social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Prt" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU cLGRzS social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--prt" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"#"}" href="#" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-prt" width="17" height="16" viewBox="0 0 17 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Prt</tle><rect class="background" x="4.5" y="0.5" width="8" height="5" fill="black" stroke="whe"></rect><rect y="4" width="17" height="9" fill="whe"></rect><rect class="background" x="4.5" y="10.5" width="8" height="5" fill="black" stroke="whe"></rect></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR kZrSyF social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--bookmark social-ins__list-em--standard thner"><a aria-label="Save story" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU vjrme social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--bookmark" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"#"}" href="#" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save Story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z" fill="black"></path><path class="in-bookmark-stroke" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"><div class="SplScreenContentHearLeadWrapper-jYfGAC kBeEbL"><div data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset" class="SplScreenContentHearLeBlock-nUOA cwQiEB"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SplScreenContentHearLe-bGywFh gyNssY"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SplScreenContentHearLe-bGywFh gyNssY rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="An out of foc portra" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SplScreenContentHearGrid-kFpOdh fLkIyA"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn SplScreenContentHearCaptn-iOfEOv ckLUKG"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">Manu had learned to be reful about his appearance and his mannerisms. His plans for parture were also meticulo.</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph by Robbie Lawrence for The New Yorker</span></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div class="ActnBarWrapperComponent-cjwxLS bEeSLb"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kNjTbQ viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU hQrwCF bookmark large-screen"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kAEsuD viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU cjjxgx bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG Uozmo"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure data-ttid="IameEmbed" class="IameEmbedWrapper-sc-dRedg cjyRVU iame-embed"><div data-ttid="IameEmbedContaer" class="IameEmbedContaer-hptgUZ fXVBaX"><div class="IameEmbedAspectRatWrapper-hFVJps BKpgQ"><iame class="IameEmbedContent-cMdiev csnuAY IameEmbedContent lazyload" height="90" width="100%" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-orig allow-popups" tle="Embedd Frame" data-src=" allowfullscreen="" allow="toplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-wre; toplay; fullscreen; picture--picture"></iame></div></div></figure><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Manu fled Egypt a ltle b at a time. First, he flew to Cyps, bee he knew a travel agent who helped him get a visa. Manu spent a few days Larna, and he got a tattoo Nisia, and then he returned to Cairo. The next stop was Sdi Arabia. Visas were easy to get for Egyptians performg the <em>‘umrah</em> pilgrimage, and Manu had a relative the untry. It may have been the first time history that a gay man was gog to <a href=">Mec</a> as part of a plan to pe a Mlim untry, but Manu wanted his passport stamped.</p><p class="paywall">At the Great Mosque of Mec, he sat alone the urtyard om midnight until dawn, bee he liked the way looked at night. His given name was Mohamed, and he had been raised Mlim, although he had abandoned the fah long before. Still, he figured that he might as well have the experience of performg the tradnal <em>tawaf</em> pilgrimage walk, so he circled the Kaaba unterclockwise seven tim, as was ctomary, and then, for good measure, he ma another seven circus. That was typil: Manu never did anythg halfway.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall">He was one of the first people I met after I moved to Cairo wh my fay, the fall of 2011. Earlier that year, durg the <a href=">Arab Sprg</a>, Print <a href=">Hosni Mubarak</a> had been overthrown, and Manu translated for me when I reported on protts at Tahrir Square. Later, he took a job as a rearcher for the <em>Guardian’s</em> Cairo bure; though we rarely worked together, we beme close iends. He was thirty years old, a handsome man wh a shaved head and hood ey. I didn’t know that he was gay until he told me, not long after we met. He remarked that om an early age he had learned to be reful about his appearance and his mannerisms.</p><p class="paywall">His plans for parture were also meticulo. He rearched untri that grant asylum to gay people, and Germany seemed the most promisg. But was hard to get a German tourist visa, bee of the ongog refugee crisis. So Manu tend to tablish himself as a regular traveller, hopg to reassure the German thori that he wasn’t a risk to overstay his visa. In 2016, durg my last year Egypt, he was tryg to nvert his savgs to U.S. dollars, so I changed money wh him whenever I need lol currency. After five years of polil stabily, the black-market price for dollars was twice the ernment-set bank rate. Manu wasn’t the only Egyptian I knew who was tryg to get out.</p><p class="paywall">That June, on the eveng before my fay returned to our home Colorado, Manu stopped by around midnight to say goodbye. He lghed when he saw our belonggs: fourteen bags, two children’s r seats, one double stroller. Some luggage was still only half packed, and my wife, Llie, and I had hardly slept durg the past week. That year, Ramadan fell June, so bs hours were irregular, and even simple tasks took forever. It occurred to me that anybody who saw the ms the apartment would assume that we were the on fleeg the untry.</p><p class="paywall">A uple of months earlier, Manu had travelled to Istanbul. Cape Town was next. I wished him good luck, and he offered to help the next day, but I waved him off. It didn’t need to be said: for people like , leavg Cairo was easy.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">A van was wag at dawn. We had arranged through our ual service, but the driver was new; he seemed uniendly. He gmbled about the luggage, and, when I tried to stall the children’s seats, I realized that the back seat belts were broken.</p><p class="paywall">A few iends had e to see off, cludg Hany, a driver who had picked up our tw six-year-old dghters, Ariel and Natasha, om school every afternoon that year. His Toyota had workg seat belts, and now he offered to take me and the tws to the airport while Llie acpanied the luggage the van. On the way, Hany and the girls sang children’s songs Arabic.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“<em>Mama zamanha gaya</em> . . .”</p><p class="paywall">He was softhearted wh the tws—a uple of days earlier, all three of them had been weepg when they returned om school, bee of the impendg parture. I realized that the airport drive would be one of our last memori of Egypt, so I filmed them sgg on my phone.</p><p class="paywall">“<em>Mama is about to arrive</em> . . .”</p><p class="paywall">The termal wasn’t too by. At the check- unter, I looked over our pile of posssns: one double stroller, two children’s r seats, twelve bags.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">Count aga.</p><p class="paywall">Then the panic—lls to Hany, to the van driver. The two missg bags were rry-ons, and both drivers said that we hadn’t left them their vehicl. I texted Manu and asked him to check wh them and wh the head of the r service, se I was missg some tail Arabic. I telephoned Sayyid, a iend who was the neighborhood garbageman, bee he had been at the apartment. Sayyid remembered takg the two rry-on bags out to the curb.</p><p class="paywall">One bag ntaed my puter, along wh two meras and about eight hundred dollars foreign currency. My work fil were backed up on Dropbox, but I had never been able to synch my photos and vios, bee of some problem wh our Inter. So I had pied everythg twice onto portable hard driv. Llie had recently ma two long rearch trips, fillg a set of notebooks wh material for the book about Egypt that she planned to wre. Usually, she would have transcribed her not immediately, but thgs had been too hectic. I had packed the backup driv and the notebooks the send rry-on, so that they would be separate om the puter.</p><p class="paywall">First rry-on, send rry-on— ma no difference now. Manu told me that the boss of the r service seemed nervo about the driver. “He said, ‘I hired this guy for the first time, and I don’t know him,’ ” Manu reported.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">At the airport, a sleepy-eyed police officer sprawled a chair bi the luggage X-ray mache. “You have to ntact your embassy,” he told Llie and me. After the U.S. Embassy issued a report, he explaed, the police uld review secury-mera footage.</p><p class="paywall">“But the Embassy isn’t open now!” I said.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“Wa until ’s open.”</p><p class="paywall">We plead that our flight was about to part, but the officer offered no solutn; he never even stood up om his chair. This was perhaps the worst time to get robbed—most fastg Mlims were reverg om the heavy <em>suhoor</em> meal.</p><p class="paywall">After the plane took off, Llie opened her laptop and started wrg down anythg she uld remember om the rearch trips. Ariel and Natasha read quietly their seats, obliv. I realized that we had jt lost almost all fay photos and vios om the past year, and I scrolled through the few pictur that remaed on my phone. The only vio was the one om that morng.</p><p class="paywall">“<em>She’s brgg a goose and a duck sayg, ‘Wak wak wak!’</em> ”</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Hollywood executiv have a meetg about makg ‘The Godfather to a super hero movie." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE gdZTpI ptn RponsiveCartoonCaptn-dokfdF hJgaLQ rponsive-rtoon__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo bsWloa ptn__text">“We’re rebootg ‘The Godfather’ as a Marvel property.”</span></div><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">In Colorado, a iend advised to check Fd My Mac on iCloud, which would track any registered vice that nnected to the Inter. When I logged to the iCloud Web se, led me to a Google Earth image of a slum Giza, on the wtern si of the Nile. From the perspective of an Orn satelle, the neighborhood looked like a stg circu board: ty alleyways thread around endls square rooftops, gray and brown and virtually distguishable. But one rooftop was marked on the screen wh a blue dot.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="6lme5"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="los1m"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Somewhere beneath that dot, while our plane was still the air, somebody had turned on an old iPod Touch om one of the stolen bags.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">We tried everybody wh Cairo nnectns: iends at the U.S. Embassy, iends at European embassi, iends who worked wh the ernment. Amerin Embassy staff explaed that they didn’t issue theft reports. In their opn, the officer had misrmed bee he didn’t want to al wh the hassle. One U.S. diplomat wrote:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>Whout a police report, the Egyptian thori will not pursue any actn. Even wh a police report I wouldn’t expect this to rult the revery of your missg posssns. Unpleasant to hear, but the police are unlikely to put much effort to a search for your ems.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">After our first day Colorado, the blue dot vanished om the satelle imag. I was sure that the thiev had tossed the outdated iPod; for years, s only purpose had been to play the sound of ocean wav the girls’ bedroom at night, orr to drown out prayer lls and other Cairo nois. I asked Manu if somebody should go to the neighborhood and spread the msage that we would pay for the hard driv and Llie’s not, no qutns asked. “They’ll thk ’s a trap,” he said. “They’ll jt get rid of everythg.”</p><p class="paywall">Manu believed that there was no optn other than gettg the ps to search the buildg, and he offered to help. Of everybody I ntacted—the diplomats, the well nnected—the only person who believed he uld motivate the Egyptian police was a gay guy the procs of fleeg the untry.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">When I first met Manu, he rented a n-down apartment wh some foreigners the district of Dokki. It’s unual for an unmarried Egyptian to live apart om fay, and Manu’s five olr siblgs perdilly tried to set him up wh a wife, but he found easy to make exc. On weekends, he drank heavily the furtive bars that are sttered around downtown Cairo. He often went to gay pickup spots, like the Qasr al-Nil Bridge, which cross the Nile to Tahrir. Many of his iends me om predictable groups: liberals, activists, foreigners, other gay men.</p><p class="paywall">But he also associated wh people who surprised me. A uple of tim, I stopped by his apartment and found him hangg out wh a group of police-amy stunts whom he had met his neighborhood. They were typil macho, nservative ps, but they enjoyed Manu’s pany. There was also a young <a href=">Mlim Brother</a>, a man I’ll ll Tariq, who me to parti hosted by Manu and his roommat. Everythg at the gathergs—the drkg, the prence of homosexuals, the sual mixg of unmarried men and women—should have been anathema to an Islamist. But Tariq was always there, enjoyg himself.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Somethg about Manu’s separatn om normal society seemed appealg to his peers. Egypt is hard on young people, part bee there are so many of them—more than sixty per cent of the populatn is unr the age of thirty. Jobs have always been short supply, and there’s tense fay prsure to marry early. Wh genrs segregated most muni, sexual reprsn is a nstant weight on people’s psych. Young men particular often nvey an unsettled, slightly volatile air.</p><p class="paywall">Manu, though, had e to terms wh some of the prsur earlier life. He grew up Port Said, a provcial cy at the northern end of the Suez Canal. His father ran a succsful ffee shop, but he treated his staff harshly, and at night he tried to relax by smokg hashish. He often beat Manu. The boy had a gift for languag, and he begged to be enrolled a private English school, but his father refed. So Manu eventually learned English on his own, along wh Italian.</p><p class="paywall">In Egypt, most public middle and high schools are separated by genr. As Manu and his male classmat entered their teen-age years, their socializg and roughhog often had a sexual element. Sometim a boy would act like a girl, a jokg way, and the others would touch and grab him. It wasn’t unual for boys to proceed to more timate activi private. Manu beme terted a good-lookg classmate, and soon they were havg sex. After a uple of years, the relatnship end, and Manu paired off wh another boy.</p><p class="paywall">He had no words for what he was dog. In Port Said durg the neteen-neti, there wasn’t a proper Arabic term for a gay person, other than the slur <em>khawwal</em>—“faggot.” <em>Shez gseyan</em>, the more formal term for homosexualy, lerally means “sexually abnormal.” As far as Manu was ncerned, “abnormal” hardly scribed an activy that, his timatn, was enjoyed by most of his classmat.</p><p class="paywall">Wh Manu’s send partner, sex was tense but silent, and they never discsed directly. Their private word was “football.” <em>Let’s play football,</em> one would say, if he was the mood. The other boy seemed tortured by his sire, and perdilly he cut off the relatnship. But variably, over a perd of four years, he returned to the : <em>Let’s play football.</em></p><p class="paywall">Years later, Manu moved to Cairo hop of a more open life, and like most homosexuals the pal he rporated the English words “gay” and “straight” to his Arabic. But he diststed the labels. His experience Port Said had nvced him that sexualy is more fluid, an ia that has a long history Egypt. Even that morn slur, <em>khawwal</em>, riv om an old term for cross-drsg male dancers. More than a century ago, the figur were popular entertaers at weddgs and other events, where they were often seen as sexually available to men. This tradn is long gone, but Manu regnized certa echo. He believed that if men are surround by men, and if there’s a tac acceptance of ntact, then the men are likely to have sex. Later, bee society mands tradnal marriage, most of the same men will settle to heterosexual liv.</p><p class="paywall">On viss back to Port Said, Manu sometim ran to his old high-school partners. Neher of them said a word about what they had shared, although Manu found easy to talk wh the first iend. Now he was married, wh small children, and Manu believed that he saw their past relatnship as a harmls youthful flg.</p><p class="paywall">The send partner, though, never married or had a girliend. To Manu’s knowledge, he no longer engaged sex wh men, and he had migrated to work one of the Gulf stat, which are even more nservative than Egypt. A uple of tim, Manu ran to him Port Said, and the teractns were awkward. Afterward, Manu felt prsed. He sensed that his iend’s sir, which had once been silent but powerful, were now also numbed: no words, no feelgs.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Manu e-mailed updat about his search for the stolen bags:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>Yterday I went to the airport twice and the police statn Boulak once and the report hasn’t been filed yet . . .</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">I sent the Orn satelle imag, along wh a list of ems the bags: some cloth, a pair of sandals, tw pairs of children’s sho, a py of “The Alexandria Quartet.” The airport police stcted Manu to vis ps Giza; Giza, they sent him back to the airport. There was no nsens on what was need to file a theft report. After more than a week, somebody at the airport fally rmed Manu that the thori scbbed all secury footage on a seven-day cycle. Manu’s police-amy iends were of ltle help:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>I lled Bahgat who gave me some ntradictg advice, lled Magdy who was not at all eful but is tryg to look like he is . . .</p></div></blockquote></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="3zb0z"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">I checked the iCloud Web se for a uple of weeks, but nothg appeared. It seemed time to give up, but one morng I logged for a fal look and saw the blue dot. The iPod was beneath that same Giza rooftop.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Some lawyers told Manu that might help if Llie and I received documentatn om an overseas ernment reprentative, so we started llg the Egyptian Consulate Hoton. Meanwhile, Manu kept phg the ps. He had been targeted by police the past, and I told him to ll the search off if he felt unsafe. But he sisted this was different: now he was the one reportg a crime.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Late one eveng early 2012, Manu was headg back to his apartment when a young man on the street approached him. He troduced himself as Kareem, and said that he was an Army nscript who uldn’t return to his base, bee of an argument wh his mandg officer. He offered Manu a Marlboro om a newly opened pack.</p><p class="paywall">The brand should have been a tipoff— was too expensive for a nscript. But Manu was near home, and he wasn’t alert to the possibily of trouble. When Kareem plaed about the ld, Manu ved him for a cup of tea.</p><p class="paywall">Insi the apartment, Kareem’s meanor changed. He said that he knew Manu was a <em>khawwal</em>, and he threatened to expose him. Manu asked one of his roommat, a large Atrian, for help, and he forcibly removed Kareem om the apartment. Manu spected was a setup, and he ran outsi, hopg to flee the area. But the police were already there, along wh Kareem—he was an unrver officer.</p><p class="paywall">The ps marched Manu back to his apartment. They nfisted the notebooks om his work wh foreign journalists, and then they transported him to a holdg cell the neart police statn. There, two officers prepared a crime report, readg Kareem’s acunt of the supposed events aloud to Manu:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>He asked me to sleep wh him. I told him, “No, I nnot do this.” But he had two iends and they grabbed me.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">The report claimed that the foreign roommat had participated an attempted rape, but one officer worried that embassi might get volved, so he eded out the foreigners. Other tails were fabrited on the spot. After the report was fished, the mandg officer said, “Take him to the hospal and do an anal exam.”</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In 2010, Alexandria, police beat to ath a twenty-eight-year-old named Khaled Saeed, who had been stg a cyberfé. Saeed was ted and he had no crimal history; wasn’t clear why he was targeted. When photos of his rpse appeared onle, there was a public outcry. The event beme a talyst for the first prott of the Egyptian Arab Sprg, which was held on January 25, 2011—Natnal Police Day.</p><p class="paywall">After Mubarak’s fall, two officers were sentenced to short prison terms for their rol Saeed’s ath. But the larger qutn of police reform remaed unrolved, part bee Egyptian thorarianism wasn’t really a system. It was more an atmosphere that enveloped the untry, and reprsn had the unpredictable qualy of a weather event: police generally seemed lazy, but their btaly uld strike at any time, often whout any sense of protol. This ma reform difficult— wasn’t enough to simply remove a lear or a group of lears.</p><p class="paywall">There was no law agast homosexualy, for stance, but gay men were often prosecuted unr a charge of “bchery.” When ps bted pickup spots, they routely forced spects to subm to anal examatns. After Manu’s arrt, he was handcuffed to a sergeant and taken down the street to a hospal. The staff said that they weren’t equipped to nduct the exam; at a send clic, the doctor refed. The ps were en route to a third hospal when they were lled to an appotment at the prosecutor’s office.</p><p class="paywall">The prosecutor terrogated Manu as to why he hadn’t been tryg to pick up girls on the street. “Why would you approach guys?” he said. “You fuckg <em>khawwal!</em> ” He kept hissg the word—<em>khawwal</em>, <em>khawwal</em>, <em>khawwal</em>—and he rmed Manu that he stood acced of attempted rape. But the proceedgs uldn’t be pleted whout a wns statement, and Kareem was nowhere to be found.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-5 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">While they waed, Manu was kept a holdg area, and a junr officer appeared wh Manu’s phone. “Your father lled,” he said, lghg. “I told him that we found you wh a man. Sleepg wh a man!”</p><p class="paywall">But then the officer hand Manu the phone. “Fd someone to help you,” he said. Manu lled Tariq, his Mlim Brother iend, who immediately me to the statn wh a lawyer. Fally, after Manu had been held for nearly twenty-four hours, the ps released him on bail. They had never anized the anal exam, and Kareem still hadn’t shown up.</p><p class="paywall">Outsi the statn, Tariq and a few iends were wag, along wh a distant relative who lived Cairo and had been alerted by Manu’s father. When Manu saw his relative, he realized that the junr officer had told the tth about outg him on the phone, and he knew that he uld never show his face Port Said aga.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Durg the next few weeks, the lawyer asked Manu for the equivalent of three thoand dollars, orr to bribe officials. After that, he said that the se was no longer beg actively pursued, but hadn’t been dropped. For safety, Manu moved out of the Dokki neighborhood.</p><p class="paywall">He never learned what had prompted the bt. Perhaps a neighbor had spected that Manu was gay, or maybe the ps wanted to force Manu to rm on the journalists he worked wh. But why didn’t the ps follow up? And, after Kareem went to all the trouble to entrap Manu, why didn’t he appear at the prosecutor’s office? Why did the junr officer expose Manu to his father and then allow the phone ll? Such qutns were unanswerable a untry whout any clear system, and where the police had always been fed by petence as much as by btaly.</p><p class="paywall">That sprg, 2012, a Mlim Brother named <a href=">Mohamed Morsi</a> was nng to bee the first post-revolutn Print. Tariq was by wh the mpaign, but he often checked on Manu. He never said a word about his iend’s beg gay. For a Mlim Brother, the issue should have been unequivol: the anizatn’s lears had clared homosexualy to be a vlatn of Islam.</p><p class="paywall">I equently met wh Tariq durg this perd, and he believed that Manu had been targeted bee of his journalism. “He’s too tstg,” Tariq said. “But he’s a good person.”</p><p class="paywall">I uldn’t tell if Tariq accepted Manu’s sexualy or if he jt feigned ignorance. People Egypt often avoid mentng certa thgs that seemed obv, and their behavr uld seem ntradictory to an outsir. I thought that probably rulted om the var social prsur: rigid tradns of fah, fay stctur that uld be clstrophobic, and s of polil and enomic dysfunctn. Sometim a person’s ntradictory behavr felt like hypocrisy, but often was simply a way to survive a flawed environment. And perhaps certa s reprented a form of human cency.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In Colorado, I looked at the Orn satelle imag every day, and ually the blue dot was on the Giza rooftop. The buildg sat the heart of an <em>ashwa’iyat</em>, one of the unplanned neighborhoods that are home to most rints of greater Cairo. There appeared to be a large water-treatment facily nearby; om above, the round tanks led up neat rows like the dots of a domo. The Fd My Mac feature even tracked the iPod’s battery stat. I sent updat to Manu:</p><blockquote class="BlockquoteEmbedWrapper-sc-SdiGL jPeLne paywall blockquote-embed"><div class="BlockquoteEmbedContent-RbGs gmbtPx blockquote-embed__ntent"><p>I jt checked and the iPod is on aga. Looks like they charged , <em>al hamdulillah</em> [all praise be to God]. A uple of days ago the battery was very low.</p></div></blockquote><p class="paywall">A diplomat at the Egyptian Consulate Hoton agreed to certify a theft scriptn provid that was wrten Arabic and notarized. So Llie and I went to a notary public Montrose, Colorado. “I don’t thk I’m supposed to notarize somethg I n’t read,” the notary said, but she signed anyway. The Egyptian diplomat stamped , and I sent off to Manu.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="This posn may ll for some ocsnal plumbg." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE gdZTpI ptn RponsiveCartoonCaptn-dokfdF hJgaLQ rponsive-rtoon__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo bsWloa ptn__text">“This posn may ll for some ocsnal plumbg.”</span></div><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">He kept gog to the Cairo airport, and eventually he met a iendly policeman who put him touch wh the mandg officer at a statn near the blue dot. Like some of the ps Manu met, the officer seemed to thk that the iPod Touch was a sophistited trackg vice, and he asked if Apple uld requt to photograph the thief’s face. He seemed disappoted by Manu’s answer, but fally he lled together a crew of ten placloth ps. All of them piled to an old microb, along wh Manu.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-6 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">An hour earlier, I had checked—the iPod was on. It had been more than a month sce our luggage was stolen.</p><p class="paywall">The microb wound through narrow, dirty streets until stopped at a dgy lndromat. “Stay si,” the mandg officer told Manu. He argued wh the owner of the lndromat for a while, and then he returned brandishg a nfisted handgun. Why had the lndry man been armed? How had the ps known? Why hadn’t they ma an arrt? The were some of the qutns that Manu kept to himself. He was g the G.P.S. ördat om the satelle imag to gui the microb. The vehicle passed the water-treatment plant, and then me to the buildg wh the blue dot.</p><p class="paywall">The buildg was six stori tall. The officer lled Manu and two ps out of the microb, and they started on the ground floor. The officer was a big man, and he had a way of steppg forward and wedgg his bulk to the entrance whenever somebody answered a door. Manu stood behd him, and for the first time he saw Cairo om the police perspective. “We’re all good Coptic Christians this buildg!” one woman said, terrified. At another apartment, an old man mentned that a driver lived on the top floor.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="v807ya"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="c2zjkq"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Manu nudged the officer and whispered, “<em>The driver!</em> ”</p><p class="paywall">The ps clattered up the stairs. A picture of J hung on the door. The man who answered looked as ightened as his neighbors. Y, he was a driver. Y, he sometim went to the airport. He produced a license—his name was Girgis. Standg si the doorway, the officer rmed the driver that the police would search the apartment. They showed no warrant or even intifitn, but the driver didn’t rist.</p><p class="paywall">The apartment was large and well appoted. The driver’s wife and two small children were so terrified that Manu had to look away. The officer stcted him to help, and although Manu didn’t know how to nduct a proper police search, he opened a closet door and found a sandal that seemed to match my scriptn.</p><p class="paywall">Then the officer found an iPod Touch stg on a table. He brought to Manu for spectn. The home screen l up: a photograph of sleepg tw baby girls.</p><p class="paywall">Now the officer told the wife and children to leave the room. The driver was seated. The police closed the door. “Tell where the stolen thgs are,” the officer said lmly. “If you do, we’ll let you go. Otherwise, we’re gog to search everythg, and when we fd the goods you’ll go to prison.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-7 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">After a few nials, the driver told them to go to his bedroom and remove the mattrs. Beneath the mattrs were two rry-on bags. Insi the bags, Manu found some cloth, tw pairs of children’s sho, a py of “The Alexandria Quartet,” four hard driv, two meras, one puter, and all of Llie’s notebooks.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In 2012, after Manu was arrted, his father lled the next day and asked him to e to Port Said. Manu cled, bee he knew that the police mt have scribed his sexualy the cst of terms. When he was a boy, his mother had tried to protect him om his father’s rag, but she had been ad for years. The relatnship wh his father had never improved.</p><p class="paywall">Now, though, his father kept llg. “I haven’t told anythg to anybody,” he said. At last, Manu agreed. His father greeted him warmly, although he never mentned the arrt.</p><p class="paywall">His health was clg, and he had lost his bs what he believed to have been a rpt judgment on a lawsu. He uld have taken out his tratn on Manu, but stead there was a new tenrns the way that he treated his son. Unlike other fay members, he stopped speakg about marriage prospects for Manu.</p><p class="paywall">The father died a few months later. His fal surprise was his will—he had changed to leave his apartment to Manu alone. An Egyptian father would do this for a son who had yet to marry, but that clearly wasn’t his motivatn.</p><p class="paywall">Manu had learned that was impossible to predict how people would rpond once they learned the tth about his sexualy. Over time, he beme termed to live more openly Cairo, spe the risks. Once, he talked his way out of a police bt at a popular gay hangout, and he had to move out of another apartment after a neighborhood thug threatened to knife him for beg a <em>khawwal</em>. Manu asked one of his police-amy iends for protectn durg the move, and he told him the reason. It didn’t seem to bother the young p, and afterward they remaed iends.</p><p class="paywall">Egyptians who didn’t nsir themselv to be straight often had difficulty characterizg social attus toward homosexualy. One Egyptian his thirti told me that he had been iated to sex wh men as a teen-ager by a , who had given him a readg list of classil Arabic lerature that scribed male upl. “The qutn started my head: Is wrong or not?” he told me. Like his , he eventually married and had a child, but sometim he still felt attracted to men. He didn’t scribe himself as gay or bisexual; he preferred the English term “queer.” He thought that his behavr should have been seen as normal. “In Egypt, the nnectn between men is much stronger than the nnectn between men and women,” he said.</p><p class="paywall">At pickup spots like the Qasr al-Nil Bridge, Manu often met men who intified as straight. In a culture where was difficult to be alone wh a woman, they seemed to view the bridge as the bt alternative, and their ias about what nstuted a <em>khawwal</em> uld be idsyncratic. A man might sist on always beg a domant sexual posn, bee his md this didn’t qualify as gay.</p><p class="paywall">The only nsistency was silence. No matter what people did, they avoid talkg about . Ocsnally, Manu’s partners seemed overwhelmed by guilt, and they lashed out at him verbally or physilly. Sometim they even robbed him; over the years, he had three puters and four cell phon stolen. Manu saw this as an evable risk of meetg people a culture that was simultaneoly homophobic and full of male ntact. “They love me, they re about me,” he explaed. “But they also have this thg si that mak them hate me.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-8 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Late one eveng 2014, Manu went to the Qasr al-Nil Bridge and met a young man named Ahmed. Ahmed had a gentle manner, and he talked wh Manu for hours, plag about the thgs that young men often plaed about: lack of job prospects, lack of money, lack of marriage possibili. Ahmed seemed straight—“at least by the standards of Egypt,” Manu said, which was his ual qualifier. They had sex that eveng.</p><p class="paywall">Afterward, they drank beer and talked Manu’s livg room. Manu was gazg out the wdow when Ahmed approached him om behd and shattered two beer bottl rapid succsn agast his head.</p><p class="paywall">There had been no provotn. Later, Manu uldn’t even rell what they had been talkg about. He remembered that Ahmed me at him wh a third, heavier bottle, and somehow Manu fought him off and phed him out of the apartment. After lockg the door, Manu llapsed, bleedg heavily.</p><p class="paywall">He lled two foreign iends, who helped him get to the hospal. Manu received stch, and a sn showed bleedg the bra. Three days later, Ahmed and another young man showed up at Manu’s apartment door. Ahmed plead that he wanted to talk, and Manu stood shakg wh fear behd the locked door until they left. He had no ia why Ahmed had returned, or why he’d brought a iend—the actns were jt as myster as the origal attack.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="kt12q"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">At the time, I was on a long trip, and when I got back Manu seemed different. His head was srred, and he had sworn off the Qasr al-Nil Bridge. By that pot, the Arab Sprg was clearly over Egypt. The Mlim Brotherhood’s year power had end a up, and Manu’s iend Tariq had left the untry, like many other young Islamists. The secury state steadily reasserted self, and, after Abl Fattah el-Sisi won the Princy, 2015, there were creased arrts at Cairo gay hangouts and parti.</p><p class="paywall">By then, Manu had ma his cisn. He still had the police report om his arrt, and Cairo he told his story to a reprentative of the Uned Natns High Commissner for Refuge, so that he would have addnal documentatn. Manu sold the Port Said apartment and ed the sh to pay for his visa trips abroad. In the end, that was the herance om his father: a path out of Egypt.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">After the police disvered our belonggs Girgis’s apartment, they gave Manu two optns. He uld take the bags immediately if he signed a statement that Girgis had simply been holdg everythg on our behalf. The other optn was to prs charg. In that se, everythg the bags would be held as material evince while the police prepared paperwork, terviewed wns, arranged wh the prosecutor’s office, and—</p><p class="paywall">“I’ll take the bags now,” Manu said. The officer seemed happy to avoid paperwork. There had never been a proper theft report, and now there was no se—legally speakg, the cint had never happened.</p><p class="paywall">Most of our foreign currency was gone, along wh a few ems of clothg, but everythg else was the bags. Manu said that Girgis owned a whe van, and I prepared to ntact the r-service boss. Our uniendly driver was a Copt, and although he hadn’t gone by the name of Girgis Egyptians don’t always e the first name that appears on their I.D.s.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-9 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">But then Sayyid, the garbageman our old neighborhood, reported that Hany was tellg a story about how he had helped fd the stolen bags. It nfed me—I hadn’t mentned the revery to anybody. I knew, though, that people often ed Sayyid as a way to broadst thgs around the neighborhood, bee his job brought him to every doorstep. And I realized that immediately after the theft Manu had talked wh Hany on the phone, but they hadn’t met person.</p><p class="paywall">I sent Manu an e-mail. He rpond that he had misspoken—the thief drove a whe Toyota sedan, not a van.</p><p class="paywall">Hany’s Toyota was whe, and he was a Copt, too. I e-mailed a photograph of Hany sg happily wh the tws after a trip home om school. Manu wrote back:</p><p class="paywall"><em>That’s him. I’m sorry.</em></p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">I uldn’t make sense of the theft. Hany wasn’t poor, and I knew he hadn’t planned to steal the bags, bee origally the van was gog to take all of and the luggage to the airport. Hany had a number of regular clients the neighborhood, and once the past I had asked him how he got started. He explaed that a woman our buildg had left somethg valuable his r and he returned . On a trip back to Cairo, I vised the woman, spectg that the story was a lie. But she nfirmed — fact, on a number of ocsns Hany had returned thgs that she’d unknowgly left his vehicle.</p><p class="paywall">Manu’s advice was blunt. “You should his life as much as you n,” he said. “Bee he is a fuckg thief.” But I wanted to hear Hany’s si, so one eveng Manu and I went to Giza. We passed the gun-totg lndry and the tanks of the water-treatment plant, and we me to the buildg wh the blue dot. I hadn’t told Hany that we were g. He looked sheepish when he answered the door.</p><p class="paywall">He seated the livg room. The first thg I noticed, stg atop a bure, was a amed photograph of Hany wh my dghters. The picture hadn’t been there when the police ma their bt. Now Hany told a story: One day, a uple of weeks after we left, a man showed up the neighborhood wh our two bags. Hany took the bags, and he had been holdg them for . He didn’t know anythg about the man.</p><p class="paywall">I said that this was nonsense; we had evince that the iPod was Hany’s buildg immediately after the theft, and he mt have fiddled wh one of the stolen meras on the same day, bee ntaed a short vio taken si his apartment. Manu showed him the satelle imag. “We are alg wh vic, not humans,” Manu said. “There’s no chance of mistake.”</p><p class="paywall">I told Hany that people sometim do thgs they regret, and I jt wanted to know the tth. “You worked wh , you helped our children,” I said. “Why did you do this?”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-10 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“I was wag for you to send me a msage,” Hany said. He talked aga about the myster man wh the bags, but now he fixated on the iPod, sayg that he had waed patiently for to be ed as a means of munitn. “<em>Sada’ni, sada’ni, sada’ni</em>,” he said. “Believe me, believe me, believe me.” It was siar to how the police had seen the vice: everybody’s ey, there was a great power this foreign object. Hany kept talkg about the msag and the myster man, but he never admted his guilt. At last, Manu and I left.</p><p class="paywall">Manu remarked that he wasn’t surprised that Hany had taken our bags, bee he had been robbed so many tim by people he met at gay hangouts. “In my se, they nsir me the <em>khawwal</em>, so whatever they do is not so bad,” he said. “Maybe ’s the same wh you bee you are a foreigner.” He regnized the ntradictory behavr— was possible for somebody to feel genue affectn for children and then rob their parents. And the rponse to guilt was tortured; left people unable to acknowledge their actns or even speak about them. Hany mt have ma a spot cisn to steal the bags, but somethg prevented him om followg through, and for weeks he slept above the evince of his crime. <em>Sada’ni, sada’ni, sada’ni</em>. When I examed the iPod Touch, I saw that had been ed mostly to accs two thgs on YouTube: Coptic Christian hymns and “Tom and Jerry” rtoons.</p><p class="paywall">It bothered me that Hany had tried to spread a false story around the neighborhood, so I vised Sayyid and told him the tth. Not long after that, Hany was stck by a r the street, and he disappeared om the neighborhood. “His leg was ed, <em>al-hamdulillah!</em> ” Sayyid cheerfully told Llie, when she was back Egypt on a rearch trip. Sayyid said that he and others saw as dive jtice.</p><p class="paywall">Last sprg, I returned to Cairo aga. I was surprised to see Hany parked his ual spot, wag for his regular ctomers. I started to leave orr to avoid a scene, but Hany waved and limped over. He sed and asked about the tws.</p><p class="paywall">“I heard you were hurt,” I said. He pulled up his pants leg—an ugly sr ran across the sk, and he wore a brace. “<em>Salamtak</em>,” I said. The phrase me out tomatilly; Egyptians always say when somebody is sick or hurt. In the same way, I uldn’t help but ask about Hany’s children, and we end the exchange polely. It felt rualized, this act of behavg public as if somethg had never happened.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">In December, 2016, Manu ma his last trip to the Cairo airport. A passport-ntrol officer spected his documents. “Hey, Mohamed,” he said. “Why are you gog to Germany?”</p><p class="paywall">Manu said that he was givg a lecture, and he hand over an vatn letter. Through some ntacts, Manu had arranged to attend a roundtable discsn hosted by a Berl advocy group. The German Embassy had approved the visa whout any qutns.</p><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kKwZhx rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RponsiveCartoonWrapper-iTMMjI eXTYsS rponsive-rtoon AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset viewport-monor-anchor"><a class="external-lk rponsive-rtoon__image-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa RponsiveCartoonImage-hzNqyc ikeCcH rponsive-rtoon__image rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="A view om outer space of a large pile of posssns people have given up after watchg the Marie Kondo Netflix show." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></a><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTA-eiqqMB iDCQRs"><div class="RponsiveCartoonCTAWrapper-CYIqa iTbFtf"><div class="RponsiveCartoonLkButtonWrapper-hqDAJK eSEhbj"><button aria-label="Copy lk to rtoon" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Copy lk to rtoon</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-pylk" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Copy lk to rtoon</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178637)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M16.3488 10.5017C16.2107 10.7357 16.2926 11.035 16.5318 11.17C16.7709 11.3052 17.0767 11.225 17.2148 10.991L18.4648 8.87225C19.5694 7.00002 18.9139 4.60601 17.0007 3.52508C15.0875 2.44415 12.6412 3.08562 11.5366 4.95785L9.53657 8.34782C8.432 10.22 9.08751 12.6141 11.0007 13.6949C11.1888 13.8012 11.382 13.8908 11.5785 13.9642C11.7819 14.0403 12.0058 13.9485 12.1147 13.764C12.2794 13.4849 12.1103 13.1276 11.8083 12.9992C11.7041 12.9549 11.6014 12.9044 11.5007 12.8475C10.0658 12.0368 9.57417 10.2413 10.4026 8.83712L12.4026 5.44715C13.2311 4.04298 15.0658 3.56187 16.5007 4.37257C17.9356 5.18327 18.4272 6.97878 17.5988 8.38295L16.3488 10.5017ZM7.6526 13.4983C7.79067 13.2643 7.70873 12.965 7.46959 12.8299C7.23044 12.6948 6.92464 12.775 6.78657 13.009L5.53657 15.1278C4.432 17 5.0875 19.394 7.00068 20.475C8.91385 21.5558 11.3602 20.9144 12.4648 19.0422L14.4648 15.6521C15.5694 13.78 14.9139 11.3859 13.0007 10.305C12.8127 10.1988 12.6195 10.1091 12.4229 10.0357C12.2195 9.95975 11.9956 10.0515 11.8867 10.236C11.7221 10.5151 11.8911 10.8724 12.1932 11.0008C12.2973 11.0451 12.4 11.0956 12.5007 11.1525C13.9356 11.9632 14.4272 13.7587 13.5988 15.1628L11.5988 18.5529C10.7704 19.957 8.93555 20.4382 7.50068 19.6274C6.0658 18.8167 5.57417 17.0212 6.4026 15.6171L7.6526 13.4983Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178637"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk MdjE RponsiveCartoonLkAlertPopup-BPAXn kdMXRM shoppg-alert" role="dialog"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye AlLda alert-arrow"></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm ifgabc cxFROy alert-msage"><p aria-hidn="te">Lk pied</p></div></div></div><button aria-label="Shop" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv YsOBB button button--primary-pair RponsiveCartoonInButton-hBCBMq lpsjql" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Shop</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="in in-rt" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Shop</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3732_178638)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M4 3H2V4H4.23828L6.99617 15.2631C7.11483 15.6982 7.50998 16 7.96094 16H18.0365C18.4875 16 18.8826 15.6982 19.0013 15.2631L20.9648 7.26312C21.1383 6.62698 20.6594 6 20 6H10V7H20L18.0365 15H7.96094L5.03652 3H4.58055H4ZM10.0365 19C10.0365 19.5523 9.58881 20 9.03652 20C8.48424 20 8.03652 19.5523 8.03652 19C8.03652 18.4477 8.48424 18 9.03652 18C9.58881 18 10.0365 18.4477 10.0365 19ZM11.0365 19C11.0365 20.1046 10.1411 21 9.03652 21C7.93195 21 7.03652 20.1046 7.03652 19C7.03652 17.8954 7.93195 17 9.03652 17C10.1411 17 11.0365 17.8954 11.0365 19ZM18.0365 19C18.0365 19.5523 17.5888 20 17.0365 20C16.4842 20 16.0365 19.5523 16.0365 19C16.0365 18.4477 16.4842 18 17.0365 18C17.5888 18 18.0365 18.4477 18.0365 19ZM19.0365 19C19.0365 20.1046 18.1411 21 17.0365 21C15.932 21 15.0365 20.1046 15.0365 19C15.0365 17.8954 15.932 17 17.0365 17C18.1411 17 19.0365 17.8954 19.0365 19Z" fill="black"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath><clipPath id="clip1_3732_178638"><rect width="24" height="24" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></div></button></div></div></div></span></div></figure><p class="paywall">In German, the letter scribed Manu’s topic as “L.G.B.T. people sce the Egyptian revolutn.” From the way the passport officer stared at the letter, Manu was sure he didn’t unrstand. Fally, the officer asked, “What are you talkg about Germany?”</p><p class="paywall">“Human rights,” Manu said.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-11 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">The officer waved him through.</p><p class="paywall">In Berl, Manu attend the discsn, and he vised a lawyer. He went to Schwulenberatung, a non-ernmental anizatn that serv the cy’s L.G.B.T. muny. After the Arab Sprg, Schwulenberatung lnched new programs for gay refuge. A seworker gave Manu a letter that intified him as a member of a vulnerable subgroup of the refugee populatn. Next, Manu went to a procsg center for refuge. The Berl lawyer had stcted him to say two thgs.</p><p class="paywall">“I’m applyg for asylum,” Manu told an official. “And I’m gay.” It was the first time he had ever scribed himself such a way to a ernment reprentative.</p><p class="paywall">That year, more than half a ln refuge arrived Germany. The system was overwhelmed, and Manu was shuttled to mps var plac: Münster, Leverken, Cologne. But he asserted ntrol whenever possible. At his terview for asylum, the ernment provid a Tunisian-born Arabic translator, but Manu dismissed the man. He knew that he had the right to choose both the language and the genr of his translator, and he refed to tell his story his native tongue—he believed that homophobia was too eply embedd Arabic. Manu sisted on speakg English through a woman.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="ji6h6s"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="hjib8t"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">At some mps, officials tried to hoe Manu large open dormori. There had been attacks on gay men such suatns, and Manu always produced the letter om the N.G.O. and sisted on more private hog. Eventually, he was assigned to a se outsi Cologne, where nety-six shippg ntaers had been nverted to hog for men. A sgle block of three ntaers was dited to gay refuge.</p><p class="paywall">I had wrten a letter ttifyg to what I knew about Manu’s experienc Cairo, and we talked equently on the phone. Durg that first wter, he was often prsed. He hated the gay shippg ntaer, as he lled . He shared the space wh five Iraqis who had fled war-torn ral areas. They stole Manu’s food om the reigerator, so he bought only pork products, bee the Iraqis wouldn’t touch anythg that was haram. They were all applyg for asylum as homosexuals, but they believed that beg gay was haram, too. Once, when Manu was tryg to sleep, he overheard a nversatn.</p><p class="paywall">“We have to stop this someday,” one of the Iraqis said. “We n enjoy now, but someday we have to stop.”</p><p class="paywall">Another man agreed. They talked about how someday, after they had received asylum as homosexuals, they would fd bris.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-12 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“At least we are Mlims, <em>al-hamdulillah</em>,” one said. “We know right om wrong. We n fix ourselv. But Germans live their liv whout knowg right om wrong.”</p><p class="paywall">Eventually, other refuge figured out why the block of shippg ntaers was isolated. One afternoon, a Lebane rint threatened to kill Manu, shoutg that he was a <em>khawwal</em>. After all the trips, and after all the distance that Manu had travelled, he found exhstg—that same word, that same fear. But his rourcefulns was also the same, and worked even better Germany than had Egypt. Manu immediately filed an cint report that went to the police, and he applied for ernment fundg for a private apartment, cg the threat. After two months of tensive German lsons, he unrstood enough to fd an expensive apartment a leafy suburb. The place was small, but the sixteenth-floor view was betiful. The day Manu moved was the happit of that long wter.</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Last summer, I vised Manu Cologne, and I was surprised by how much his appearance had changed. He wore hoop earrgs, and he was strikgly f; he went to the gym pulsively. Even his mannerisms were different: looser, more natural, as if somethg si him had relaxed. He told me that a gay iend om Cairo had recently vised and clared, “Manu, you’re more gay!”</p><p class="paywall">One eveng downtown, Manu poted out some German pestrians wag at a red light, even though there weren’t any rs. “I love that,” he said. “Always Egypt one of the thgs that ma me crazy is that there’s no system.”</p><p class="paywall">He had received asylum the prev year. Germany don’t publicize statistics on how many people are granted asylum for reasons of sexualy, but Dirk Siegied, a Berl lawyer, told me that Manu’s se was particularly strong. Siegied had given Manu the unual advice of applyg whout a lawyer, bee he believed he was so pable. “He was able to tell his story,” Siegied said. In Cologne, Manu vised a group lled the Rabow Refuge, which helped him wh some hog applitns. Felix Coeln, a former member of the group, told me that sometim Manu had been quicker than Coeln to figure out a solutn to burecratic problems. “Those refuge who succeed settlg themselv, handlg their own affairs, they tend to be the on who have fewer problems,” Coeln said. But ually this was difficult for gay Arabs, who had been trmatized at home and abroad. Coeln mentned an Iraqi client who twice experienced homophobic attacks refugee mps, but uldn’t leave, bee he wasn’t functnal German society. “He’s like a fire whout flam,” Coeln said. “He’s been here three years and hardly speaks any words German.”</p><p class="paywall">In Cologne, Manu avoid other Middle Easterners, and even the support groups for gay Arabs. “When an Arab is around, I don’t feel ee,” he said. He believed that this feelg would pass wh time. But he said ankly that he sometim wonred why the Germans had opened their untry to so many people like him. He often thought of the Iraqis the shippg ntaer talkg about how someday they would stop beg gay. “It was a horrible nversatn,” Manu said. “All I n hope is that years Germany n change this behavr.”</p><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">A seri of German-language exams prepar newers for jobs, and Manu passed the first wh a sre of 164 out of 165. This qualified him to work, but he wanted to be certified at a higher level, so he was takg four hours of class a day. He had recently been accepted for ernment job trag the bure that handl work programs, hog, and other refugee issu. Manu wanted to ntribute to the system, bee he felt grateful to be there.</p><p class="paywall">The majory of his language classmat me om the Middle East. Manu liked the subtle propaganda of the ernment-produced texts, and he liked seeg his classmat’ reactns. One lson scribed a gay uple, and a Turkish stunt exprsed disgt, but other stunts phed back. Another time, a beard Syrian clared that he would never let his wife remove her hijab. An unvered Iranian woman argued fiercely broken German. “This is Germany,” she said. “If you don’t like , then you n leave.”</p><p class="paywall">One afternoon, I sat on a class bate about a text that scribed <em>Müllsünr</em>—“garbage sners.” “It means ‘haram,’ ” the blond German stctor said, g the Arabic word. Then she swched back to German. “This is about people who do bad stuff wh garbage.”</p><p class="paywall">The text listed f Frankfurt: twenty ros for a tossed cigarette butt, thirty-five for gum. Any <em>Sünr</em> who fed a pigeon had to pay a hundred.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-13 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">“Some of the f are a ltle too expensive,” the Iranian woman said.</p><p class="paywall">“I thk thirty-five for gum is not expensive,” Manu said. “It stays on the street for many years.”</p><p class="paywall">A French woman of Ain scent agreed: “It tak a long time to—” She psed, searchg for the word.</p><p class="paywall">“A long time to tegrate,” the teacher said. She sed to let them know that was a joke, and everybody lghed. ♦</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="0od9ar"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><footer class="ContentFooterMagazeDisclaimer-gzKAqo iZIuUU" data-ttid="MagazeDisclaimerWrapper">Published the prt edn of the <a href="/magaze/2019/04/01" data-reactroot="">April 1, 2019</a>, issue.</footer></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="ContributorsWrapper-eNpWFu GWFsc ntributors" data-ttid="Contributors"><div class="ContributorBWrapper-bnVHbt gMon"><div class="ContributorBContent-ubQdr jZTSSi"><div class="ContributorBHear-ledood XOIEx"></div><div class="ContributorBB-fBolsO giFhKz"><a href="/ntributors/peter-hsler">Peter Hsler</a> joed The New Yorker as a staff wrer 2000. His forthg book, “Other Rivers,” is due out 2024.</div><div class="ContributorBFooter-brqDlv ezUmSv"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx ctyZyK ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd bPyAoD kQQRmu">More:</span><a href="/tag/refuge" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Refuge</span></a><a href="/tag/egyptians" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Egyptians</span></a><a href="/tag/immigrants" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Immigrants</span></a><a href="/tag/gay-rights" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Gay Rights</span></a><a href="/tag/thefts" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Thefts</span></a><a href="/tag/bags" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Bags</span></a><a href="/tag/iro-egypt" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Cairo, Egypt</span></a><a href="/tag/germany" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd ggMZaT gFob hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd gwIVBQ bUkXwu">Germany</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kixtae"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN jKSBhE newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt kbxOa-D newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Weekly</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc cKOhTM newsletter-subscribe-form__k">Your gui to the latt magaze and our biggt stori of the week, pl highlights om podsts, humor, and more.</div></div><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper-keARJE hVWbzr"><form class="form-wh-validatn NewsletterSubscribeFormValidatn-iCYa-Dt dweEln" id="newsletter" name="newsletter" novalidate="" method="POST"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp hNhevp text-field" data-ttid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd stdEm fvoOvz text-field__label text-field__label--sgle-le" for="newsletter-text-field-email" data-ttid="TextFieldLabel__email"><div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl eeDYTb">E-mail addrs</div><div class="TextFieldInputContaer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><put type="email" aria-scribedby="privacy-text" aria-valid="false" id="newsletter-text-field-email" required="" name="email" placeholr="E-mail addrs" class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT laFPCK text-field__ntrol text-field__ntrol--put" data-ttid="TextFieldInput__email"/></div></label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ bqVKKv dwpimO button button--utily TextFieldButton-csBrgY edxbrw" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="subm"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign up</span></button></span><div id="privacy-text" tabx="-1" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDisclaimer-bTVtiV bsgLJZ"><span><p>By signg up, you agree to our <a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">User Agreement</a> and <a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement</a>. This se is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google<a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Privacy Policy</a> and<a href=" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Terms of Service</a> apply.</p></span></div></form></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--DenseDktopStack"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm jTGbEO"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq kjAxEG SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa dqtvfu jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR eOCboB hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Mosw</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2017/07/03/the-gay-men-who-fled-chechnyas-purge" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">The stori of those who survived tentn and torture and are now livg unrver Put’s Rsia.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Masha Gsen</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Tal of the Trash" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Letter om Cairo</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Tal of the Trash</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/magaze/2014/10/13/tal-trash" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Tal of the Trash" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">A neighborhood garbageman explas morn Egypt.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Peter Hsler</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--evio summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 720w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 480w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fsJGML summary-em__bric summary-em__seri-lk"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/vio/seri/obssns"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Annals of Obssn</span></a></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 720w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 480w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A Damn Fe Cup of Coffee" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k summary-em__k--isCneVio">From a twenty-ne-dollar cup of ffee to petns for roastg beans and tastg not of flavor, specialty-ffee culture is attractg ffee lovers and hard-re nnoissrs.</div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Lows of the High Life" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Weekend Essay</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Lows of the High Life</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Lows of the High Life" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">I had never had money, and then I did. For three days New York, I learned how not to e .</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Andre Dub III</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eamwqR ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="kvcd0c"></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails---f" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssS ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="ecqiuw"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH rjBtU"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY gKJGws se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj cQgGDp" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image rponsive-image"><img alt="The New Yorker" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div></div><nav aria-label="Sectns" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnVertil-eawNCf hgahMe" data-ttid="navigatn"><p data-ttid="navigatn__headg" class="NavigatnHeadgWrapper-befTuI kSFYXD navigatn__headg"><button data-ttid="navigatn__headg-button" type="button" aria-expand="false" class="NavigatnHeadgButton-eDVixB fiYwDK">Sectns<span data-ttid="navigatn__headg-arrow" class="NavigatnHeadgArrow-iJeTMa gGaHQm"></span></button></p><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS fSEziN navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/news" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">News</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/culture" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Books & Culture</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/fictn-and-poetry" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Fictn & Poetry</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/humor" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Humor & Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/magaze" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Magaze</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/crossword-puzzl-and-gam" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Crossword</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Vio</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/podst" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Podsts</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/archive" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Archive</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/gogs-on-about-town" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Gogs On</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><nav aria-label="More" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnContactVertil-kReQvb ejvbAv" data-ttid="navigatn"><p data-ttid="navigatn__headg" class="NavigatnHeadgWrapper-befTuI kSFYXD navigatn__headg"><button data-ttid="navigatn__headg-button" type="button" aria-expand="false" class="NavigatnHeadgButton-eDVixB fiYwDK">More<span data-ttid="navigatn__headg-arrow" class="NavigatnHeadgArrow-iJeTMa gGaHQm"></span></button></p><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS fSEziN navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Ctomer Care</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Shop The New Yorker</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Buy Covers and Cartoons</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Condé Nast Store</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/digal-edns" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Digal Accs</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/newsletter" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Newsletters</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/jigsaw" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Jigsaw Puzzle</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD JsNkg navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/feeds" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">RSS</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><div class="SeFooterNoticWrapper-gbuTHd kdRVhS"><div class="SeFooterNoticContaerWrapper-cQMYXm jYCnSe"><nav aria-label="Notic" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK SeFooterNavigatnHorizontal-cWLRMH eTQAIE" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dnLcIy navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">About</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/reers" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Careers</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/ntact" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Contact</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/faq" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">F.A.Q.</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href=" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Media K</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/prs" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Prs</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/about/accsibily-help" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" rel="nofollow" role="lk">Accsibily Help</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><p data-ttid="dangero-legale-brand-text" class="SeFooterLegaleText-bquxSW eUChdN">© <!-- -->2023<!-- --> Condé Nast. All rights rerved. Use of this se nstut acceptance of our<!-- --> <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">User Agreement</a> and <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement</a> and <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Your California Privacy Rights.</a> <em>The New Yorker</em> may earn a portn of sal om products that are purchased through our se as part of our Affiliate Partnerships wh retailers. The material on this se may not be reproduced, distributed, transmted, ched or otherwise ed, except wh the prr wrten permissn of Condé Nast.<!-- --> <a class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ad Choic</a></p><div class="SeFooterCollectnContaer-iKPzYu cUTUWM"></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV hwdgCG social-ins social-ins--footer SeFooterSocialIns-cLAKVY cPpkaJ"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA gBoIvv social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR izQXJd social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--footer thner"><a aria-label="Follow on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU kupRzT social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" width="7.2" height="16" viewBox="0 0 7.2 16" xmlns="><tle>Facebook.