Two colleagues and a prank that goes terribly wrong.
Translator’s Note: As a short piece of fiction, “An Anecdote of Errors” is meant to be entertaining. A joke, or a prank one colleague plays on another. However, what transpires is black comedy that showcases the absurdity and hypocrisy within a society in which male suspicion of a woman’s infidelity is enough to justify aggression towards her. Deemed guilty by insinuation alone and disallowed from defending herself, the lover gives himself the total authority to publicly humiliate the woman in a display of virtue that is in stark contrast with his private transgression (the two are engaged in an affair with each other outside of marriage). The laughter (depending on who’s reading) alongside the relief that it was all “innocent mischief” (the irony!) pushes readers to confront the contradictions of everyday life.
In Arabic literature, humor and satire have been used to interrogate societal issues and gender relations. Such forms use discomfort, exaggeration, cruelty, or absurdity to address subjects that are otherwise difficult to confront. Ujayli’s piece, in particular, brings to mind A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar (Other Press, 2008), in which the author uses humor to challenge cultural expectations around female sexuality, virginity, and respectability, and Nawal El Saadawi’s oeuvre of fiction that exposes the many ways patriarchal systems control women’s bodies and voices.
— Rana Asfour, Executive Editor
When the two colleagues came head-to-head, the first tried to get under his rival’s skin by insinuating that he and the woman in question had already consummated their relationship. The other did not believe him and, to call his bluff, demanded proof. Word around the office was that the second colleague was deeply and intimately involved with her; some even whispered they might be married. To convince the second, the first colleague started dropping details about the woman’s bedroom, the color of her curtains, even what she got up to in her own home.
The second man was totally thrown by the intricacy of the details, but chalked it up to nothing more than a lucky guess. Not letting up, the first man pressed on, describing the style and colors of her nightgowns. As the second man’s skepticism faded, frustration and anger took over his features, especially when the infuriating colleague began to share specifics about her underwear.
When the man (who was actually involved with the woman) realized everything the other man was saying lined up perfectly, he lost it. He barged into the woman’s office and, in front of the entire team, attacked her. With every pummel, he unleashed a torrent of accusations, spectacularly blowing their secret to smithereens.
Realizing the gravity of the situation he had created, the colleague rushed in to restrain him and talk him down. But the latter was having none of it. He spun around and poured the remainder of his rage onto him.
Between punches, the first man yelled: “Chill out, I was just messing with you! It was all supposed to be innocent mischief. She’s literally my neighbor. I can see right into her house from my window, and I’m treated to a front-row view of her washing line.”
