“Wow, so this is what Egypt felt like in the 50s.”
In movies, Egypt in the 50s and 60s is depicted as an desert, a port overrun by mafia, Mummy, pyramid specially that movie series, over crowded residential area Around Nile, and an unstable society overflowing with the unemployed, but the reality was not like that.
As Egypt now fighting Against Israel, and there is already heat from that war to its industry, like expulsion of Jews community from Egypt’s economy, concentration of resources for war and many things.
Banners saying that were hanging everywhere were hanging, and people were moving busily.
Should I say that the hurried footsteps reveal both the anxiety and hope to end this war quickly at the same time?
I don’t know what the passersby were actually thinking, but that’s how it looked to me.
“So this was when Egypt participating in 1948 Arab-israeli War under it’s monarch?”
I really could only say that I was lucky.
Because at this time all of middle East is currently in war, and grandfather went to abroad at this time, seriously..
My memory was vivid because of the story about doing business in MENA in the 50s was hard to tell whether it was trade or smuggling.
What I mean is that Egypt faced more than just one or two problems when it transform itself to the Republic.
The economic impact was significant, in addition to political instability.
The first was that the MENA market, which had previously operated as a domestic market, will be turned into an overseas market that will be subject to tariffs.
The second was an even bigger problem: as Sudan gained independence from Egypt it’s domestic market further fragment, and Israel will clashed with Egypt at every turn and went so far as to ban taking over the Suez canal itself that hard hit the Egypt economy even more.
Suddenly, Egypt ended up missing out on huge surrounding markets.
However, those who made a living through trade could not simply give up business, so they eventually chose smuggling.
What is even funnier is that even Israel, which banned imports, did not actively crack down on smuggling because its economy could not function properly without it.
Instead, they conducted smuggling crackdowns only occasionally when necessary, using them as a tool to control prices.
But the biggest problem was probably the , Suez canal company right?
Since it is 1948, it would be said that the U.K.
military is on the verge of sinking into a quagmire right now.
Because of Israel.
In short, it seems Grandfather was incredibly lucky to visit Cairo at a time when the entire MENA is in turmoil.
Come on, let’s hurry.
We don’t have time.
Since I had entered Egypt under the pretext of a layover, I had to leave the country quickly to get a refund for half of my flight ticket to London.
At that time, the one-way airfare between DumDum and London was about 130 Pounds
(roughly Rs. 1,730), so if you return via a layover, it would be approximately $100…
In other words, it means the budget available in Cairo is about $100 .
I guess I won’t need to go around looking like a beggar.
Ding-dong.
Ding-dong.
Welcome, guest.
I’m planning to get a suit made.
As I left the airport and entered the city, I went into the first tailor shop I found.
Luckily, it was a shop run by an Egyptian owner.
Who can communicate in English.
Please come this way.
I will take your measurements first.
As Egypt was once under indirectly or directly British rule, there were many tailor shops dealing in men’s suits, and naturally, the fabric market developed here.
You are tall and have very broad shoulders.
To have a suit custom-made with a loose fit, it would cost roughly 1,00 dollars..
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to wait. I like the suit hanging over there. How much is it?”
I pointed at the suit on the mannequin in the display case and pretended to take out my wallet.
“Oh, you have high standards. That suit is made of British’s Prestige fabric. It was custom-made for a gentleman for $90, but it ended up like this because he had to return to England in a hurry.”
It felt like I had met a tailor who just kept spouting lies the moment he opened his mouth.
It was nonsense to call a fabric that was clearly a synthetic fibre blend a “Prestige” fabric.
“I’ve never seen such a ridiculous person. What do you mean synth blend is prestige?!”
With a look of disbelief, I put my wallet back in and turned around abruptly.
Huh, did I act this well?
No, looking at the 1950s as a 21st-century human, everything seemed simple.
Even though it had been a long time since I wrote in English, the words flowed out smoothly.
“Gasp! Sir. I made a brief mistake. This suit is made of Italian fabric. Although it contains a bit of synthetic, it wrinkles very little and is very easy to wash. It is the kind of fabric preferred by young, handsome men like you. Since you need it right away, I will give it to you for exactly $59.”
“Italian? No, I know perfectly well it’s American fabric, so why are you telling such a lie?”
“…”
The tailor shop owner froze at the mention of American fabric.
I thought I’d snag a naive foreigner, but that was totally unexpected, wasn’t it?
How do I know it’s American fabric?
Of course I know.
Because it is Grandfather’s heroic tale that I was constantly instilled with day and night when I was a child by my father.
Replacing the American fabrics mainly used by Egyptian clothing merchants in the 1950s with Indian ones became the starting point for the grandfather.
Because as America is supporting Israel, the sentiment of Egyptian taking a nose drive for American products that’s why this present situation, where Egypt needs to reconfigure it’s supply chain.
$10.
That’s enough for labor costs, right?
“10 dollars? Does this suit look that shabby to you?”
“You don’t want to? Then never mind.”
I took out 10 dollars, picked them up, and put them back in.
As soon as I turned around, he snatched my pants.
“Oh come on, sir. Who said I didn’t want to? I was just surprised because you quoted the exact cost price. Fine. Since you seem to visit Cairo often, I’ll treat you to the regular price.”
I will wear the suit right away, so I don’t need the packaging.
Please bring some UK and US fabric samples as a complimentary service.
“You mean samples? Are you in the fabric business?”
“Yes, I am a fabric dealer. I have a business meeting today, but my luggage disappeared at the airport. Thanks to that, not only did I lose my fabric samples, but I even lost the suit I was supposed to wear.”
I confidently asked for a sample and slipped a ten-dollar bill into the tailor’s upper pocket.
It was not an unreasonable request.
If you are a tailor, you receive tons of fabric samples from fabric dealers.
Since it was an album book made of small scraps of cloth stacked together, it was difficult to get rid of when several of them piled up.
“You mean a meeting?”
The shop owner’s gaze changed.
And understandably so, as two major forces were competing among Egyptian traders.
One group consisted of Native Egyptian and other forces compromise of Sudaniese.
Because Jews are in limbo and they leaving Egypt, so there assets are divided between this two groups.
In the 21st century, the Egyptian eventually pushed out the Sudaniese, but at that this time, they were clearly in a competitive relationship.
And when breaking into a new market, the answer is to start by siding with the weaker side.
The side that is losing is bound to try to expand its strength by bringing in even a third party.
Was it the branch office of Sudinese Chamber of Commerce?
Anyway, I have an appointment with the director there this evening.
“Gasp! You mean you have a dinner appointment with Lord Omer?”
Is the branch head of the Sudan Chamber of Commerce named Omer?
Omer, omer…
Let’s memorize that.
“Ahem, I think I said something unnecessary.”
“If he is a guest of Mr. Omer, I should be of any help. Just a moment, he will need a dress shirt as well.”
I don’t need a dress shirt..
“It is on your behalf. When you meet Mr. Omer, please mention just once that the suit you are wearing is from Nile Tailor Shop.”
Just by mentioning the Sudan Chamber of Commerce, the shop owner gave me dress shirts and fabric samples and started promoting his shop.
I suppose it would be hard to imagine a fresh-faced newbie like me coming to break into one of Egypt’s two major trading companies.
After Jews interest.
They might consider him to be something like the son of an existing business partner…
“Okay.”
I don’t know if I’ll ever get a chance to mention the name of the tailor shop, but I’ll give it a try.
After all, he’s the kind of gentleman who even packs fabric samples for the dress shirts.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The shop owner kept bowing his head, and I paid for the suit and left the shop.
Once I put on the suit, I looked somewhat presentable.
It would have been nice to wear new shoes, but it didn’t seem like it would be much of a flaw if I just dusted them off.
“You seem a bit taller than usual?”
My reflection in the street shop window has changed.
I wondered if it was my imagination, but once I put on the suit, I felt distinctly different from right after reincarnation.
In particular, his face was changing.
Should I say the atmosphere is changing somehow?
My original face was overlapping with grandfather’s face.
The round face was starting to develop angles, and the shoulders were getting wider.
It seems that as the mind changes, the body changes as well.
I even felt a sense of familiarity as I became like myself.
This way is the that side, right?
This is a place where the upper class is active, to the extent that almost everything as are located nearby.
To give an example of 21st-century India, you could say it was something like DLF camellia.
In any case, they were openly using a name that represent highclass meaning a street where the upper class gathered.
Shepheard’s Hotel
It was a top-class hotel that symbolized the Cairo.
“welcome.”
I have come to see the Head Mr.
Omer.
I went to the hotel front desk and immediately looked for Omer.
It was funny to look for the head of the Sudan Chamber of Commerce at a hotel, but it wasn’t wrong.
That gentleman was using this hotel’s suite as both his office and home.
Because if you are a gentleman serving as the branch head of the Sudan Chamber of Commerce at this time in Egypt.
the hub of MENA and west Asian trade, it is safe to say that you belong to the top 0.1%.
At that time, Egypt was 2 times wealthier than India with a per capita national income of around $110, while India was poorer.
So you hVe to understand how much wealth he has to use Hotel room as private lounge.
That rich guy is incredibly flustered right now.
It’s a golden opportunity for him to meet someone like me.
I steeled myself as I looked straight at the front desk employee, who was flustered by my sudden remark that I had come to see Omer.
Believe it, you can do it.
The wheels of history originally rolled like this, slightly different but yes it happened .
Do you have an appointment with Lord Omer?
No.
I couldn’t make an appointment.
“Then you won’t be able to meet…”
It is such an urgent matter that I couldn’t even call in advance.
Please call him now and tell i am Rohit Karmakar, that he has come regarding the Israel matter.
Israel?
“That’s right. My name is Rohit Karmakar. Even if they don’t know the name, they must be waiting for the person who came regarding the Israel matter. That is exactly me!”
I unfolded my passport and shouted.
“Okay… just a moment… I’ll make the call.”
The front desk employee got scared at the mention of the Israel matter.
What if I really am the person omer has been waiting for?
It amounts to committing a breach of etiquette against a VIP customer.
Although he was skeptical, the employee had no choice but to call Omer.
Tururu.
Tururu…
The soft ringing sound of a telephone, characteristic of 50s hotels, could be heard over the receiver.
Excuse me.
“Yes, this is the front desk. A guest has come to see Director Omer.”
Guest?
I don’t have a meeting today…
He asks me to pass on the message that Mr.
Rohit Karmakar has come regarding the Israel matter.
Israel?
Rohit Karmakar?
“Yes. They say that if I convey that, they will know. According to the passport, they are from India.”
…
send it up.
Ah, yes.
Yes.
The front desk employee kept bending over while holding the receiver.
I left the staff behind and headed to the top floor.
There was no need to be guided separately.
**
Perhaps because he had the entire top floor to himself, an elderly Sudaniese man with a magnificent beard was staring at me when the Door opened.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Omer. My name is Rohit Karmakar. Please feel free to call me Rohit.”
I didn’t even have a business card to hand out, so I boldly held out my hand.
“Welcome, Mr. Rohit. As for shaking hands, I will decide whether or not to do so after hearing the reason why you brought up Israel.”
I will supply the fabric that has been cut off from America.
I will substitute it with Indian-made materials.
“!!!!”
Omer’s eyes widened.