An Unexpected Visit

Yemenat

Mohammed Al-Mekhlafi

Two days ago, I went out with my son, Ayham (11 years old),at nine in the morning to Restaurant Street in Tahrir Square, in the heart of Sana’a. The weather was beautiful, and the sky was covered with thick clouds that promised rain.

After breakfast, I headed, as I usually do, to a place near the square where a number of friends gather on benches beneath the trees. Among them are writers, poets, and authors, most of whom belong to the generation that witnessed Yemen’s newspaper industry and cultural life.

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There, they find a brief escape from daily routines. They exchange stories and revisit memories of seminars, book fairs, and literary events that were held from time to time in many Arab and international capitals. They remain there until shortly before noon, then leave.

On our way home, we passed by the entrance to the Military Museum. Ayham asked me if we could go inside to discover what it contains. We bought tickets and entered.

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The museum was almost empty of visitors. I remembered my days as a tour guide twenty years ago, when the place was filled with tourists from different nationalities, almost like a bustling marketplace.

We were welcomed by the museum guide, Mr. Adel Halboon, with a warm smile. As he began explaining the history of some of the archaeological artifacts on display, some of which date back thousands of years, I asked him whether photography was allowed.

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“Yes,” he replied.

I then asked for permission to record his explanations as he spoke about the artifacts. I told him that I intended to write an