Lesson #72: Grandpa Mouloud Part 2/3

Email me to learn more about my online classes: [email protected]: "The man stood up and gave me the warmest handshake of my life. I was completely confused. For a moment, I thought he had mistaken me for someone else.Then he said, “It’s such an honor to meet one of Si Mouloud’s grandchildren. My family owes him so much—we owe him our lives.”I was really taken aback. I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say. He continued talking, and I listened, wide-eyed, unable to believe what I was hearing.Here’s the story he told me:Back in the early days of the Algerian revolution, his grandfather, Sidali Laouar, was a musician. But not just any musician—he was a member of the resistance. A very handsome man and a gifted oud player, he performed alongside his wife, Lalla Deedee, a singer with a voice so moving it was said to bring people to tears. The fact that they were stunning must have helped too. Together, they were a beloved musical duo. Their talent opened many doors—including those of the enemy. They often performed at hotels and events attended by French officials. Their popularity became their cover. While entertaining guests, they secretly gathered information. Through coded lyrics in their songs, they passed intelligence to the armed resistance. Their role was crucial in several key operations.But how does my grandfather fit into all this?After eighteen months of working as messengers, the authorities caught on. The French police had discovered their secret and were planning to execute them. Sidali and Deedee who were used to the lavish life of entertainers, became fugitives overnight.One desperate night, they knocked on Grandpa Mouloud’s door. They told him everything. He was terrified—rightfully so. Helping them could mean death. But he couldn’t turn them away.He let them hide under the stairs in his home. The big house was one of those old style houses with a courtyard in the middle. He tucked them behind some furniture, he fed them, and kept them hidden. The risk was enormous. Any one of the nearby families could have been interrogated. And the French police were not known for their mercy.A few days later, the police came knocking. They wanted to search the house.Grandpa was so terrified that his body temperature spiked. He turned red. He was sweating and shaking uncontrollably—he looked severely ill. Grandma Sousou acted fast. She told the officers he was gravely sick, possibly contagious. That scared them off. They backed away and left without searching.He had saved the musical duo’s lives. She had saved their family’s lives… "