by David Hunter
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Three days later Abdelaziz took Jeff, Karim, and his brother Khalid, to see the expansive farm. The real estate agent was jovial the entire trip down, a trip of several hours in his car that seemed to exacerbate the bumps and multiply the clouds of dust as it passed over dirt roads. From the conversation in the car, the real estate agent felt certain that the sale was a fait accompli.
Abdelaziz was not only an excellent agent, but a great translator. As well as his native tongue, he was fluent in English and French. From him Jeff learned that the brothers spent a great deal of time on their maternal grandfather's farm, apparently their happiest childhood memories centered on that farm.
Hard work was nothing new to these men. Equally strong bodies and work ethic, they were eager to get out of the city where day labor was difficult to find. They were also pleased that their children could breathe fresh air and play, as children ought.
Continuing to share their story, Jeff learned that their grandfather and father both died within a month of one another. Their mother, bereaved and unable to run a farm on her own while raising two young boys sold it and moved to Cairo, where they lived ever since. Both had talked about leaving the city but circumstances never allowed for such a move.
Finally reaching the first destination, both men talked excitedly, pointing at this and that. Jeff knew in a modern-day used car sales lot they would be easy marks, with salesmen practically tripping over one another to be the one to make such a simple and lucrative sale.
The farm, it turned out, was in pretty good condition. The machinery was old but still operable. The homes and other structures were solid, made to last with a craftsmanship rarely seen anymore. To say that there was some water damage, and that they would need to do a little cleaning, was an understatement. With enough elbow grease to renovate them properly the structures were otherwise in better condition than Jeff expected. Water was irrigated and freely available. The soil was rich, having remained uncultivated for a few years was a benefit.
The best part was that the asking price for the farm was lowered to a level that would be termed a steal in his time, more than likely in this time, too.
Returning to Cairo, Jeff treating everybody to dinner on the way, all four men were happy with their new perspective fortune. Allah, one explained, smiled on them.
Setting a date two days later to go back to the agent's office, they returned to the hotel by taxi. The following day Karim and Jeff went to the local bank to open a joint account, a branch of the more solid national banks that had so far weathered the financial storm.
