Notes from the End of the World

Interview with Souleymane Koffi

Souleymane Koffi – You want to know what I saw?

Interviewer – Yes. Please, tell me everything.

SK – Things just started to happen. I woke up one day and the station was packed. People were trying to run away. Trying to leave.

I – Did you live in the train station at that time?

SK – Yes. In Gare du Nord. I had no other place to go.

I – And haven't you heard the news about the plague earlier than that?

SK – People were talking about it, but none of us took it seriously. It did not seem to be something serious.

I – When you say "us", who are you referring to?

SK – Those that I knew, those that I met every day and made business with.

I – What kind of business?

SK – You know ... Everything that we could do to survive another day. When I saw that crowd, I immediately thought, this is going to be a fine day. I'll make a lot of money!

I – Do you mean by stealing?

SK – Of course. The more crowded, the better. But you could sense in the air that there was something wrong, almost devilish was going on. I saw a man fainting and a woman bleeding through her nose, mouth and ears. Everybody was shouting, elbowing, pushing each other. It was a horrible scene. A little girl was trampled to death, and many others started to fall on the ground. I heard gunshots and teargas bombs were fired. It was a war. I thought I was going to die. You know, I've seen death many times in the eyes before coming to Europe ... I knew exactly how it felt.

I – How did you escape?

SK – I'm big, as you can see. I shoveled my way among the people and got off to the street. The army and the police were outside. Helicopters in the sky. It was as if I were in a movie. I ran and I ran. I dashed towards the canal. I had to find a safe place to hide, and wait until it was over. I met some of my folks and they grabbed me by the arm. Souleymane, what the fuck is going on? They asked me. I don't know. I said. So we found shelter under a bridge and only got out after it got dark.

I – And what did you see?

SK – Everything looked much calmer. The police were patrolling the streets, but you could perceive that the panic was over. Let's get out of Paris. I said to my friends. Where to? They asked. I don't know, but we'll die if we stay. I said, and I knew some days later that I was right. The city was razed to the ground. Nothing was left

I – And how you managed to survive this far?

(Souleymane laughs)

SK – Doing my business ...

vħ~z$