ALEXADNRIA: On the Corniche of Alexandria, there is an ongoing competition between the street vendors vying for the attention of the clientele of the numerous coffee shops dotting the sidewalks.
As you sit sipping your tea or coffee, especially in the evening, you are approached by shoe-shiners, beggars and all sorts of street vendors.
Only one is bound to get the attention of coffee shop connaisseurs. Not only does he get everybody s attention, he is also able to inspire them to tip him qutie generously.
The first you will is the two kids practically hanging in the air. They are suspended for about 30 seconds before they are slowly brought down to the ground.
Then, an old man who accompanies the two kids comes closer to where you are seated. The man takes a deep breath and shouts “Allah Akbar (God is Great) before he bends over backwards and signals the boy to jump on his chest.
The boy climbs skillfully to the old man’s head. With an innocent, boyish look, the boy confidently keeps his balance.
But that s not the end of the show. The girl soon follows. She is lifted by the man and makes her way up to where the boy is standing – on the man’s head. She then climbs further, all the way up to the boy’s shoulders.
Meanwhile, you are watching in suspense, worried about the two kids, wondering what would happen if they lose their balance.
The old man is not oblivious to this possibility, but he continues to play the game with a master’s adroitness. Again, the man shouts “Allah Akbar and “Ya Rab Ya Satir (God is the Protector) as he helps the children climb down. The audience takes a sigh of relief when the two kids are again finally grounded.
The acrobat then takes off his cap, signaling the end of the show, and passes it around to every table to collect his dues. This process is not accompanied by any pleading or pitiful looks. The performer knows that after all of this suspense, the audience, whose hearts are still throbbing with tension, tip him willingly and generously.
“This is the only way left for me to earn a living, said Mohamed, the acrobat, 62, also known in entertainment circles as El Americani (The American).
“I learned these tricks when I was a young boy at the circuses of Akef and Mohamed El Helw. Late movie star, acrobat and belly-dancer Naima Akef was the star of her father’s circus when I was six or seven. I grew up in the circus and will remain loyal to it for the rest of my life.
But he grew bored of the circus routine and the meager pay, so El Americani went to try his luck in the cinema. “I thought that it would be better, but I had to quit after some time. Producers duped me many times; I worked and got little or nothing in return, he recalled.
But it wasn’t only about changing careers. El Americani has four wives and 11 kids.
“The boy and girl who took part in this short show are my kids Yahia and Shaimaa. I have trained them so they can assist me during the summer. Now they are young and light and can do the job perfectly. Once they gain more weight, they will be a burden for an old man like me.
El Americani and his kids can be seen sometimes at sporting events or birthday parties. When it is low season, they venture out to the street cafés. “I understand that it is a big challenge, but you have to have a skill that you can earn a living with, whether your luck is good or bad – a skill that you can hand down to your children and grandchildren.
