Straightening Ali (27 page)

He did not have much money left, probably less then fifty euros, which was never going to be enough for a hotel for the night. He also knew he was over the limit on his credit card, rendering it useless. He could go to the airport and wait there until the flight the next day. Then he remembered Benigno’s business card.

Ali searched his pockets frantically for Benigno’s card and was relieved to find it in his jacket pocket. His next task was to find a phone box. This was not easy. After walking up empty and badly lit streets for over an hour with his suitcase wheeling noisily behind him Ali finally chanced upon a phone box. After entering the phone box, Ali was frustrated to find that it only took pre-paid phone cards. The phone box next to it was the same.

“
What am I going to do?” Ali thought to himself with tears welling up in his eyes. He felt so tired and alone. “I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to cry,” he said loudly to himself. “Think rationally. What would you do if you were in England? That’s it!” The solution had come to him.

He dialed the freephone number for the operator. “Do you speak English?” he asked when the call was answered.

“
Yes,” the operator’s voice crackled over the line.

“
Oh, thank God,” Ali exclaimed. “I need to make a reverse charge call to the following number please.” Ali read the number for Benigno’s mobile phone.

“
One moment, sir. I must confirm with the owner of the number whether they will accept a reverse call charge. What is your name, sir?” the operator asked.

“
Ali Mirza,” Ali said giving his name.

“
Hold the line for a moment sir.” The line clicked noisily and went silent. Ali crossed his fingers, hoping that Benigno remembered him. “Sir, the reverse call charge has been accepted. I’m putting you through, now,” the operator said. The line went dead.

“
Hello. Hello,” Ali shouted down the line in panic, worried that the call had been terminated accidentally.

“
Hello, my pretty boy,” Benigno’s voice replied after a few moments.

Ali sighed to himself with relief. It was the first time that he had welcomed Benigno’s words no matter how sleazy they sounded.

“
Hi, Benigno. I’m really sorry to make a reverse charge call. I will pay you back. The telephones all seem to take phone cards, and I only have cash on me. I hope you don’t mind?” Ali asked.

“
It’s okay, my beautiful boy. I would be willing to pay hundreds of euros to hear your voice. So are you coming out to dinner with me?” Benigno asked eagerly.

“
Well, I need to ask a favor,” Ali said hesitantly, feeling embarrassed at what he was about to ask.

“
Anything for a pretty boy like you. Anything. Just ask, and I will grant you any favor you ask for,” Benigno said grandly.

“
Well, I’ve had a big falling out with the friend that I was visiting, so I was hoping that I could stay at yours for the night. If you don’t mind that is. It will only be for one night. I’m flying back to England tomorrow,” Ali said.

“
Yes, of course you can stay the night, my pretty boy. You can stay as long as you want,” Benigno said.

“
You’re not expecting anything in return are you?” Ali asked, cringing at his own words, but unable to find another way to say them.

“
Anything in return? What are you suggesting, my pretty boy. All I want is your company and a chance to look at your beautiful face and those beautiful brown eyes,” Benigno said, trying to set Ali’s mind at rest.

“
Okay, but nothing more?” Ali asked a little suspiciously.

“
Nothing more than that. I promise.” Benigno said. “Do you have my address?”

“
I think so. Is it the one on your business card?” Ali asked peering at the card again.

“
Yes, that is the address. If you’re coming by cab just give the card to the driver,” Benigno instructed him.

“
Okay. I shall see you soon,” Ali said.

“
I am looking forward to it you beautiful boy. Don’t change your mind, now,” Benigno said before hanging up.

Ali got out of the phone box wondering how he was going to find a taxi. Seeing the spires of a cathedral in the distance, Ali knew if he followed the road he’d find himself somewhere in center of the city where there would hopefully be a taxi available.

Strasbourg was a beautiful city that Ali would have explored under better circumstances. The walk into the city center along the tree lined roads and the river would have been enjoyable if he’d not been worried about the uncertainties of what was going to happen with his life.

His mind was focused on getting to Benigno’s, but kept going back to the thought of returning home and living the life that had been mapped out for him. It took Ali half an hour to finally arrive in the city center. He felt embarrassed and paranoid that people were watching him as he wheeled his suitcase through the cobbled streets.

The city was crowded with tourists even though it was now late evening. There were small stands with people selling chestnuts and bakeries with waffles being sold from carts on the street. The smell made Ali hungry, and he tried to ignore his stomach rumbling. The place had a lively and friendly atmosphere, which made him feel like an intruder with his deep level of unhappiness.

Ali finally found a taxi rank near a busy thoroughfare and got into a taxi. He took out Benigno’s business card and pointed at the address on the card to instruct the driver.

The driver said something in French. “I can’t understand,” Ali replied in English.

“
Ah, you are English. I take you there,” the cabbie said in pigeon English. “It is near Parliament. Nice.”

The drive didn’t take that long, and once they got to their destination, Ali got out, taking his suitcase with him and paid the driver.

The cabbie had dropped him in a leafy suburban area, outside an apartment block similar to the one Steve was living in with his new boyfriend. Ali felt sick at the thought. The building had lots of large stone balconies, which were festooned with elaborate designs carved into the stone. The style was vaguely gothic.

Ali could almost imagine Benigno flying off the balcony in a vampyric flight. The chubby image of Benigno with a cloak and large canines brought a smile to Ali’s face.

Ali pressed the buzzer for Benigno’s apartment.

“
Come in, my pretty boy. I am on the fifth floor. Come right up. You have such a beautiful face,” Benigno’s voice said longingly from the intercom. Ali noticed that it had a small camera built into the unit. Ali smiled and waved into it.

He walked into the building once Benigno had buzzed the door open to let him in. He felt very guilty knowing that he was using Benigno to get a free place to stay for the night.

Ali reached the apartment and knocked on the door “Hello my pretty boy! How are you?” Benigno cried excitedly as he answered the door. He hugged Ali tightly as if they were long lost friends. “Come in. Let me take your suitcase.”

Benigno picked up Ali’s suitcase and pulled it into the hallway. “I’ll leave it by the coat stand,” he said putting it down. “I’m in the middle of cooking a meal for us, a tasty Italian pasta dish with fresh home made sauce that was my mother’s recipe. I decided it was much better than going out for dinner,” Benigno said.

“
That sounds delicious,” Ali said hungrily. He hadn’t eaten all day.

“
Talk to me while I cook,” Benigno said leading Ali to the kitchen. Ali took his jacket off and hung it on the clothes stand before following him into the kitchen. The kitchen was huge with a large six-ring stainless steel cooker as the main feature. An elaborate wrought iron dining table sat in the center of the room with beautifully designed handmade chairs.

“
So, what’s your story, Ali. Tell me what’s happened,” Benigno requested as he looked over the steaming saucepan of pasta being boiled

Ali considered what to tell Benigno. He had nothing to lose by being honest. “I was forced into an arranged marriage by my family and I ran away,” he said.

“
Oh, my dear boy,” Benigno said, looking shocked and pausing from what he was doing. “I didn’t know things like that still happened. No wonder you looked so unhappy on the flight. That’s what drew me to you. I wondered why someone so beautiful was walking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

“
My friend, the one who I had the disagreement with, is my ex-partner. I was hoping for a reconciliation, but he had already moved in with another man,” Ali said. His own words stung him bringing him back to the harsh reality that Steve was no longer there for him.

“
I’m really sorry to hear that, Ali, but you have me. I’m your friend while you are here. You’re not alone,” Benigno said warmly. He looked at Ali and turned back to his cooking again.

“
Thank you, Benigno, that’s very kind,” Ali said, feeling gratitude at Benigno’s kindness.

“
Right, the food is ready. You can set the table. The cutlery and the plates are in the cupboards over there,” Benigno said pointing to one of the kitchen cabinets.

Ali silently laid the table out, and they both sat down together to eat. The pasta tasted delicious. Ali ate the food that had been put out for him ravenously, devouring the meal in minutes.

“
You must have been very hungry,” Benigno commented looking at Ali’s empty plate. “Would you like some more?”

“
I wouldn’t mind,” Ali said staring greedily at the pasta bowl. “It’s delicious, the best pasta I’ve ever tasted.”

“
Help yourself. I will only throw away what we’ve not eaten, so it’s best to finish it all,” Benigno said.

“
Thank you,” Ali said piling some more pasta onto his plate and digging into it with his fork.

“
It’s getting late. We should go to bed,” Benigno said when they had finished eating.

“
What time is it?” Ali asked.

“
It’s just gone past eleven,” Benigno said looking at his watch.

“
I didn’t realize it was that late,” Ali said. “Is it okay if I have a shower first?”

“
Yes, use the en-suite in the bedroom. It’s the first door on your left in the hallway. There are some fresh towels in there as well.”

“
Thank you,” Ali said.

The shower was luxurious and warm. Ali found a bottle of orange scented shower gel on the shower cubicle floor, which he used to lather himself. It smelled divine and helped wash away the dirt and grime that he’d gathered during the day.

The hot water spraying on him was blissful. Ali closed his eyes enjoying the sensation of the warm heat massaging his tired and sore muscles. His mind wandered slowly to thoughts of Steve, and he wanted to open himself to the feeling of despair he’d been bottling up since Steve’s rejection, but stopped himself quickly. “Cry later,” he told himself firmly.

Ali got out of the shower and dried himself on the white towel that had been put out for him. It was so nice to be clean and fresh again. Wrapping the towel around his waist, Ali silently crept out of the bathroom to get his suitcase and hurried back in case Benigno came across him. He didn’t want to be seen by him with just a towel round his waist.

Ali opened the suitcase, to find the pajamas that he had planned to wear at his mother-in-law’s house. He put them on. Looking at the contents of the suitcase, he couldn’t believe how much his life had changed since packing it. Ali closed the suitcase and returned it to the coat stand in the hallway before joining Benigno in the kitchen.

“
You look beautiful,” Benigno exclaimed.

“
Thank you,” Ali said feeling embarrassed.

“
Well let’s go to bed,” Benigno said. “I only have one bed, so you’ll have to share it with me.”

“
It’s okay, I can sleep on the couch,” Ali stuttered worriedly.

“
Don’t be scared, Ali. I just wish to share my bed with you because it is comfortable. I want friendship from a pretty boy like you and perhaps a kiss one day. I wouldn’t do anything that you don’t want to do,” Benigno said assuring Ali of his good intentions.

“
I’m not very good at sharing a bed. It’s easier for me to sleep on the couch,” Ali said.

“
I wouldn’t dream of it. Trust me, my pretty friend. I don’t have any ulterior motive.”

Ali tried to trust Benigno, but he followed him to the bedroom feeling tense and worried that Benigno had some hidden sexual motive in inviting him to share his bed.

The bedroom was beautifully decorated in an Indian theme. The bed linen was of terracotta and orange color with bands of gold embroidery. Over the bed, hung a print in a silver frame showing a photograph of rows upon rows of different shades of spices in large earthenware bowls, and the curtains were made from sari fabric.