My Friends

On November 18, 2016, Khaled Abd al Hady watches his friend Hosam Zowa walk to his train at King’s Cross Station in London after a brief visit. Meanwhile, he reflects on their friendship over the years. They used to live in London together and saw one another often. Since the 2011 Libyan Revolution, however, their friendship has changed. Hosam was involved in the revolution and “a distance opened between [them]” (4) while Hosam was gone.

Hosam flew into London from Benghazi the night before. From London he was heading to Paris, where he’d fly to his new home in San Francisco and meet his wife Malak and daughter Angelica. In the cab from the airport, Hosam didn’t mention the past five years he’d spent in Libya. Instead, he talked about his late father, who had bought land in Northern California’s Point Reyes years prior. Seeing Hosam’s old backpack reminded Khaled of their past and the years when Hosam and his ex-girlfriend Claire would visit the River Dart.

The friends arrived at Khaled’s flat in Shepherd’s Bush Green, where he’s lived for many years. Inside, Hosam washed his face and discussed the London sites he wanted to revisit.