Monday, March 5, 2007

Jamal Ayad's black hat


Between Christmas and New Year I travelled to the border between Morocco and Algeria to celebrate New Year in the desert with the Berbers. At the stroke of midnight the full moon was perpendicular to my head and my feet were dancing in the Sahara sand. A few days before I landed in Tanger and a civil servant of the Ministry of Tourism would be waiting there for me. 'How boring', I thought, 'but it has to be done, the appointment was made that way, I can't get out of it.' To my surprise I saw a kind man with a black hat on top of his head, very unusual for Morocco. His laugh was irresistible, his humour was contagious. I remained in the company of Jamal for a whole day. He told me the history of Morocco like I've never heard it before, for example about the innumerable cultures. At a certain point I thought that about every civilisation had passed by in Morocco, when I heard him talk like that. Teasingly I said to him: everybody except the Eskimos has been here!
Jamal is a man with a vision. He would like to see a Meetings and Incentives division arise within the Ministry of Tourism in Rabat. Speaking for myself, Jamal could start his new task tomorrow because there is lots to do in this kingdom! He knows his business like no one else. If I ever write a movie script, I will offer Jamal a part in it, of course with his black hat!

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