El Balas

Modern football is obsessed with "false nines" and pressing forwards, but Javier Balibia is a throwback to a dying art: the pure, old-school center-forward.

Characters: Seif, Skouna, and a confused Neighbor. el balas

(Panic-stricken) Skouna! Did you hide the "Balas" (shovels)? The inspector is coming! Skouna: (Calmly eating a sandwich) Why would I hide a shovel? It’s a tool, Seif, not a fugitive. Seif: In this neighborhood, everything is a fugitive if you look at it long enough! Hide them in the fridge! Neighbor: (Peering over the fence) Why is Seif putting hardware in the vegetable crisper? Skouna: He thinks the inspector is a gardening enthusiast who might get jealous. Just keep walking, Uncle. 2. Historical Summary: Deir el-Ballas (Ancient Egypt) Context: Deir el-Ballas Modern football is obsessed with "false nines" and