Chasing Saadi Youssef in Acton

Today my friend Yousif Naser, the painter, was going to see our poet friend Saadi Youssef who decided to visit the exhibition of Yousif's works at W3 Gallery in Acton.

We parked the car and went to the gallery only to discover that, despite the notice on the door, it was closed. What to do? Yousif had tried phoning Saadi earlier, but it was all in vain, as the man does not answer the phone most of the time. He turns it off and says that he carries it only for an emergency situation, Yousif told me. Well, that was not an emergency, I learnt. To Saadi, Yousif explained, an emergency is if, say, he should collapse or something. Then it's an emergency. It made me puzzled. How can you make use of your mobile once you've collapsed? I must ask my artist friends to explain it to me. Anyway, it was at W3 Gallery doorstep when Yousif realised that he had left his mobile in the car. He went back to retrieve it and I headed towards the Old Town Hall where he was to pick up some papers. (I still have to limit the amount of my walking. If I'm not careful, the pain reoccurs. Better avoided.)

As I was walking, taking pictures of the Acton Library facade, my mobile rang.

It was another artist friend, the drummer, who is going away to Africa later this week. He had bought a plot of land there when the place used to be peaceful and needs to see to it. Brave man!

While we were talking, I had to skip on snapping the huge oak tree mural with all the local birds to spot in it. I wonder if the author of this interesting work, John Aldus, has come back from Japan to his home in Hampstead, if I remember well.

Anyway, at that stage I was quite keen to sit down over a cup of espresso with hot milk, no froth. I peered in the little Polish cafe opposite the Oak. However, the strong smell of serious cooking was too encouraging. I didn't stay. Walking back, I stopped at Cafe Etc, past the library. The cafe is a family business. Two sisters from Egypt were 'on duty' at the time. They make food themselves, including sandwiches, salads, soups and cakes. The place is clean and pleasant. There are proper tables and simple but comfortable chairs. Mona told me that they can also organise parties and cater for small groups. There is a small outdoor space at the back, which can be used when the weather permits:

Yousif joined me here:

The gallery was still closed. He looked on the way back. No trace of Saadi anywhere. His phone was mute, as expected...

Having had the coffee, we set off towards the Gallery. This time there was a volunteer there, which meant it was open. Then it turned out that Saadi came there in the morning, just before the first volunteer had to leave the place. We missed him by a few minutes. He had nowhere to wait. It was too early for the pub next doors to open. Pity... It would be great to meet this amazing man again and to look at Yousif's paintings together. We had such a great time at the gallery, talking, listening to Yousif about his work and his understanding of art. Fiddling with my mighty mobile, I made a little video recording while we were there. While there, Yousif received a phone call from Saadi. He returned home.

When it was still daylight, I walked around the block and took a few more pictures: of the mosque, the catholic church, the Ukrainian orthodox church and the monument to the seven million starved to death by the Soviets in Ukraine...

The volunteer kindly posed sporting her beautiful shawl. She made it herself!