108
CAIRO TO DAMASCUS
born in America. My mother is a Moslem from Baghdad
named Maryam. My father is Armenian. I am not American.
I am Armani. Understand?" It was as bizarre a lie as I could
think up at the moment, but its effect was magical.
"Allah! Allah! You half Muslimin, half Armani. I now
everything understand. Why you not say before?"
My alleged ancestry put an end to our East-West misunderstanding. He could no longer bully an $&