StreetwiseHaving taken the momentous decision to learn to read and write when in his early 20s, Choukri joins a children's class at the local state school in Tangier. Here, he leads a life of desperate poverty. In order to survive, he does a bit of everything. When not at school, he hangs out in cafes, drinking and smoking kif (it's cheaper than cigarettes). On the days that he has a few coins in his pocket, he can afford a primitive doss-house, otherwise he sleeps in mosques or on the street. |
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Abdullah Allah Arabic Arhimo asked bars beautiful began bottle bought bread brother Café Central Café Continental Chevalier Choukri cigarette clothes crazy crying cursing dirhams djellaba door drank dream drink drunk eyes face Farid el Atrache father Fatima Feddane felt Franco front gave girls glass going Habiba Hamid hand happened happy hashish head headmaster hospital kids kind knew Kubaybat Kunza Larache live long live love looked Meknes Mohamed Mohamed Choukri morning Moroccan mother mukhtar neighbour never night pasha's pesetas piss prostitute Rabi'a Rosario round Saida Saliya Salwa Sarah Sebta shouting sister sitting sleep smell smiled smoked someone Sometimes Souq Spanish started stopped street supper Tafersiti talking Tangier teacher Tetuan things thought told took town usually Val Fleuri walked who'd wine woman women worried writing young