Woluwe-Saint-Lambert commune

Chapter Thirty-Two

• The commune of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert is a large yellow brick building with a distinctive clock tower.
• To get documents, people take a numbered ticket and wait for their number to appear on a monitor in a cavernous central hall with hard plastic seats.
• Max, Oscar, Avenue Georges Henri are all together to do the documents.
• Max thought Farah was right, and he was planning to turn them in because the police station is near the commune.
• Oscar headed straight into the commune, bypassing the ticket machine.
• Oscar greeted the cranky old woman at the information desk, and rapped on a door in the center of the windowed wall marked NO ENTRY, EMPLOYEES ONLY.
• A bearded man, recognized by Max as one of the clerks, greeted Oscar and waved them in.

The Clerk's Office

• The area for clerks is larger than it appears.
• Rows of computers and filing cabinets line the other side of the wall, along with a lounge for clerks' lunch breaks.
• A woman's voice speaks out from one of the windows reserved for native Belgians.
• Oscar is referred to as a "little cabbage" by his mother.
• Oscar’s mother asks about Max, the American, whom Oscar mentions from school and Scouts.
• Oscar introduces Max to his mother, who expresses surprise that Oscar talks about Max so often.
• Oscar’s mother asks if he can teach him English.
• Oscar scolds his mother for sounding stupid, as he was "taught" and not "teach".
• Oscar’s mother blushes and laughs.
• Oscar’s mother says she has a half hour left for lunch.
• Oscar interrupts, asking if they can play on Monsieur Dupont's computer.

Inspector Fontaine's Visit

• Oscar had already started using Monsieur Dupont’s computer.
• Oscar’s mother retreats back to her window beside a bearded man.
• Oscar's mother presses a buzzer; a ping is heard, and the next number appears on the monitor.
• Oscar's mom speaks to someone quickly in French.
• Oscar asked them if they had photos and a passport.
• Max gets Ahmed's fake Syrian passport from Boy Heroes, with extra ID photos.
• A screen comes up asking for a password, and then a list of names with dates of birth, addresses, and identity card numbers.
• Oscar knew how to access this information because he spend a lot of time there watching and learning.
• He scrolls to the name Nasser and asks what Ahmed's mother's name is, then looks it at his passport which contains "Reem".
• Oscar found a profile named Rima, R-I-M-A. Close date of birth December 4, 1992.
• Max noticed that it’s Ahmed’s mother's popular surname.
• Max notes that Rima would have been ten when Ahmed was born, which is not possible because the Ahmed is now 14.
• Oscar changes Rima to Reem, and 1992 to 1982, then presses Save.
• Oscar opens a file marked "Identification Documents for Foreign Minors".
• Oscar highlights, pastes the revised entry, hits copy and switched screens to a file.
• He opens a new template, copies the info with Max and Ahmed, and adds photos to the new ID.
• He glues on photos and pulled down the handle onto the ID with what looked like a stapler.
• He hands it to Max; the commune seal has been printed over Ahmed’s photo.
• A clerk with a beard tells Oscar's mom something.

Complications

• Oscar is told to stop using the computer by his mother.
• Max sensed that the clerk wasn't pleased with them.
• Oscar ignores them
• Oscar deletes the template and opens another file marked "Composition de ménage."
• Oscar said the document shows everyone in Ahmed's family home needed at school.
• Oscar smiles and suggests they provide Ahmed another family.
• Max agrees and suggests younger brothers and sisters and gives the names as Jasmine, Nouri, the baby.
• Oscar types in names and invents birthdays, but states there is “No father.”
• Oscar prints the document, also uses an inkpad and a rubber stamp.
• Inspector Fontaine is walking toward them and greets the crowd by saying “Bonjour, tout le monde!”.
• Fontaine states sternly in French that Max shouldn't be here.
• Max remembers that Inspector Fontaine has ties with the commune, so his visit is needed to approve of IDs and other documents.
• Fontaine says that he played in Max’s garden with boys and that he is still friends with them.
• Max notices the "Composition de ménage" file tip still open at the top of the screen and distracts Inspector Fontaine.
• Max tells the police officer that Tomek didn't work out and that his parents are going to find someone new.

Chapter Thirty-Three

• The documents were perfect, almost fool proof and Oscar did a phenomenal job, better than even a professional forger.
• The Thursday before the start of the holiday break, Ahmed went over the garden wall and onto the street.
• He crossed the big avenue with the American name—Brand Whitlock.
• Max said that Brand Whitlock had arranged food drops during the First World War for the U.S..
• Ahmed walked to Oscar's apartment building and saw Farah's shoes lined up outside.
• Max says that he and Farah have good timing.
• Oscar says that his mother has to come home at 5pm
• Ahmed understands and he lined up his shoes next to Farah’s.
• He went down the hall to a combined dining/living area with photos of Oscar's father decorated every wall.

Farah's Phone Call

• Ahmed sat down across from Farah, who was staring at a mobile phone.
• Max comforted Ahmed, so he wouldn't worry about him.
• It had been a long time since Ahmed had been called him a brother since Jasmine and Nouri were alive.
• Ahmed recalls a passage from the Qur'an: Allah knows well the mischief-maker from the reformer.
• Farah said that Ahmed couldn't go to school for three years, because the secretary said that he was too old for class six .
• Farah reached out for the household document and his ID, asking about his immigration status, and Belgian residency.
• Farah held the phone away and mouthed something in French to Max and Oscar; Max says that she will be talking to the principal.
• Ahmed curled himself into a ball, holding his knees against his chest with his eyes closed.
• Farah says that Ahmed can go.
• Max shouted that Ahmed got accepted, but Ahmed hid his face in his hands.
• Ahmed noticed Farah’s lips moving silently, and picks up four bottles of orange Fanta.
• Farah nodded and then points to the list of the members of Ahmed's household.
• She asks in English if Reem Nasser is Ahmed’s mother.
• Max used his mother and sisters’ real names so Ahmed didn’t have to remember any new names.
• Ahmed continued to peer at the document, fantasizing about an alternate reality where the bombing in Aleppo never took place.
• Farah and Oscar seemed to be coaching her on what she should say, waving them off and picking up the phone.
• Ahmed notices her finger trembling.
• Ahmed says that he does not want to harm her honor.
• Oscar interrupts with a comment about "crazy Muslim talk".
• Ahmed interjected that he does not want to have trouble.

Max, Oscar, and Avenue Georges Henri visit the commune of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert to do the documents. Oscar bypasses the ticket machine and greets the cranky old woman at the information desk. A bearded man waves them into the clerk's office.