microphones, kidneys, thick manila folders and the freedom of information act

Penetrating enemy territory...this is from near Khan al-Khalili a couple days ago during a class trip. And the backside of an American tourist.

Anyhow, the shuttle from school to the dormitories this afternoon should have been filmed. One of the most theatrically well-executed entanglements of dialogue concerning the background (FBI/CIA/MI-6 speaking) of the nine people aboard the bus. So very hysterical and politically incorrect...but people began discussing what forms of fundings and grants they were receiving to study Arabic here, many from the Department of Education, NGO's and the like. Then someone posited the probability of US agents in our midst. I have to admit, there are some suspicious characters here. We all turned on each other, realizing nobody truly knew the motive for anyone else on the bus's pursuit of Arabic. Okay, so it was absurd, but that was why it was fun. Conversation shifted into which Homeland Security watchlists we are probably on in being here. Our travel histories, family histories, phone records and so forth. We quickly recognized regardless of occupational association, we are a suspicious bunch ourselves. Then we began doing mock interviews or interrogations with CIA agents undercover, pretending mics were concealed in backpacks, and using what skills of interrogation we knew...who did you vote for, where do you shop, what medical concerns exist, your parents' backgrounds, your neighbors' opinions of you, etc. We are speaking accents and whispers, with what vernacular of spy movies and Hannity and Colmes bickering we can implement. It probably doesn't sound bizarre and funny, but was.