By: Michelle Bowen
It's as though my past were erased
I don't know who I am though I have tried to remember
I know not where I come from
Or where I have been
Do I have a family?
Do I have a friend?
Did I harm someone?
Why can't I remember....?
The stars in the sky were shining brightly that night and there was a cool wind stirring the desert as the three friends sat huddled around the fire. “It hasn't been this cold out in a long time” Saariyah stated while shivering and getting closer to the fire. “Let's try not to think of the cold imagine yourself in a warm place” Nesayem said trying to take her friends mind off of the cold. “It's either too hot or too cold out here in the desert, why can't it ever be just right” he stated sourly looking over to his optimistic friend. “I'll go get more wood for the fire Nesayem said while rolling her eye why did Saariyah always have to complain for once he could be happy she thought to herself. Suddenly there was a flash of light somewhere nearby and the three turned around simultaneously, there was a man walking towards them with a blind fold over his eyes he appeared to be blind. “Who are you?” Nesayem asked the old man, what's he doing out in the desert all alone he looks like he is blind she thought to herself. “I am Fasir, I have some thing to tell you something to do with your future a future task you must complete” he said with a spooky sound to his voice Nesayem couldn't help but shiver as he spoke. “W....what task” she asked still shivering as the cool wind blew around her, “What are you talking about? she continued. “I see a boy and a girl with a blue Genie you must find them and then you task will begin” he said looking straight at Nesayem, she knew that couldn't be the case he was blind how could he possibly know where she was standing. “There is lots of danger you must not fear your past” he continued on, “or you will lose, you have to face your past and what is in it” he continued on. Oh this is too creepy what would he know about my past, he doesn't even know me and I am still a stranger about my past. “What do I have to face that has to do with my past” she asked, but when she turned to look at him, he was gone, “Where did he go now” she asked the others in confusion. “He just poof disappeared!” Najila exclaimed her eyes were wide open from shock she had never ever seen anyone do that. “Oh well he didn't make any sense anyways, how would he know about my past when even I don't know about it” Nesayem said to her friends.
Five years earlier, Nesayem was playing out in the oasis she jumped into the water and swam around for a few minutes. When she got out she wrung out her long black hair and wiped the water from her face. “Mother come here” she called, a few minutes later a middle aged woman stepped out she had her coal black hair tied back in a ponytail, “What is it dear” Anwaar asked her excited daughter. “Come see what I can do” Nesayem took her mother's hand and pulled her toward the pool of water, “come see what I can do.” Nesayem quickly jumped into the water and did a flip and a dive, Nesayem looked around for her mother as she came out of the water but she couldn't see her she wasn't there. Maybe she went into the trees Nesayem thought, she quickly went to see her mother but she couldn't find her, as she walked close to the water again she noticed the bowl her mother had been carrying but it was broken. “Mother, Mother where are you” Nesayem hollered at the top of her lungs, where could she be she thought while wiping tears from her eyes. All that night Nesayem stayed awake looking for her mother, Nesayem saw a dark black flash and a cat like woman stepped out of the portal. “Hello Nesayem” she said with a sort of sick and twisted purr to her voice, “w..who are you?” Nesayem asked her there was something about the woman/cat that she didn't like. “Me well I am Mirage, and you well it's all your fault you caused your mother to vanish” Mirage said evilly while laughing. Nesayem looked up at the cat/woman and glared “No I didn't it wasn't my fault what happened do you know what happened?” Nesayem hollered at first but then calmed herself down. “You shouldn't have angered me” Mirage said glaring at the young girl, “how did I anger you” she asked glaring at Mirage. “Do you remember those people in that caravan, well lets just say you shouldn't have helped them” Mirage laughed evilly at her and disappeared. Nesayem passed out shortly after Mirage left it was all her fault but she hadn't done anything wrong. After a few hours of being passed out Nesayem woke up but she didn't know where she was and why she was there, but she knew her name “I am Nesayem, but where am I from do I have any family?” she questioned herself over and over as she walked along the desert that night. After day break she saw something on the horizon moving and started towards it, during the afternoon she arrived at the caravan. “Salaam may I inquire as to why you are out here” a young man about her age asked Nesayem, but Nesayem couldn't answer because she blacked out.
A few hours later she woke up in a tent and there was a young girl sitting next to her, “Oh your awake do you want some water?” the girl asked. “Who are you, and where am I” Nesayem asked the girl before her, “I am Najila, who are you, and are you okay you passed out” Najila smiled at Nesayem. “I am Nesayem and I think I am okay” Nesayem now understands why her head hurts so much, and she knew there was something wrong but what she couldn't remember. “So you're awake” she heard a young man say and she turned around to see the same man she had seen before she passed out, “Who are you?” Nesayem questioned the man before her. “I am Saariyah, who are you” he asked her, “She is Nesayem and she seems to be okay” Najila said to him while getting Nesayem water. From that day forward the three remained friends.
Years later, during the night Nesayem awoke screaming with tears streaming down her face, Najila and Saariyah jumped up and looked over at their friend. Najila stood up and went over to her friend, “Is everything okay?” she asks while wiping the tears off of her friends face and moving the hair out of her eyes. “A nightmare, I had a really bad nightmare but I don't remember it” Nesayem said to her friends she was trembling and couldn't stop. Najila stayed up with Nesayem the rest of the night letting Saariyah sleep. When the sun started to rise that morning Nesayem looked up at her friend and said “thanks, I think we should head for Agrabah, I want to see if what that man said is true” she said looking at her friend. “If that is what you want” Najila said to her best friend who was once again calm the last traces of fear had left her face. Najila and Nesayem walked over to where Saariyah and shook him till he woke up “Saariyah we are going to Agrabah” Najila said loudly trying to wake him up, Saariyah sat up and looked around sleepily and said “but it's just sunrise.” Najila and Nesayem rolled their eyes and went and got a bucket of water from a nearby well “Time to get up” they hollered simultaneously as they dumped the bucket of water on their friend who immediately jumped up sputtering and spitting the water out of his mouth. Both girls fell to the ground laughing at their now soaked friend, “w....what was that for” Saariyah asked the two glaring at them, “you could have waited one minute couldn't you” he walked over to where his things where and stepped out of site when he came back he was in a dry outfit. “Now we can go and if you ever do that to me again I swear you are going to regret it” he said with a smirk. Nesayem walked over to her horse and mounted her “come on Flash” she said digging her heals into the tan colored Arabian horse, whom immediately began to run. After a quick warm up Nesayem came back to her friends and waited for them to mount their horses once the others were up and ready to go Nesayem snapped the reigns and Flash moved forward in a slow trot.
By nightfall the three were inside the gates of Agrabah, “Wow its beautiful” Najila said looking around. “Yes it is but we need to find somewhere to stay and something to eat” Saariyah stated, he quickly found an inn and steered his horse toward it. After the three paid for their rooms they took care of the horses and went to bed for the night. The next morning Nesayem got up and went out into the city, if the man was right and this was the city she should find them before to long, but what if her past was too terrible to remember what if she had hurt someone she loved, no that couldn't be it she thought shaking her head and clearing her mind. Suddenly something flew at her and she ducked out of the way just in time when she looked over she saw a group of people but one of them wasn't human he was blue a genie, and there was a boy and a girl around her age. “He was right” she said to herself, “Sorry about that are you okay?” the young man asked her. “Yes I am fine what's your name?” she asked him, “I am Aladdin, and this is Jasmine and this is Genie, Abu, and Iago” Aladdin said pointing to each of them as he spoke, “who are you” he asked her. “I am Nesayem, a man named Fashir said I would find you and that I needed your help for some task but I don't know what he is talking about something to do with my past but I don't know anything about my past” Nesayem said quickly hoping she wasn't making a complete fool of herself. “Did you say Fashir” Iago exclaimed he remembered the last time Fashir had come he had told him that he would face an old evil, the thought still made him nervous even though he had defeated it. “Yes Fashir” Nesayem stated to the bird with relief they knew who she was talking about. “Why don't you know anything about your past” Jasmine cautiously asked Nesayem, she looked down and then started to say “I remember only five years of my life I woke up in an oasis and I knew my name but I didn't know who I was” Nesayem’s voice broke slightly. Aladdin and Jasmine looked at each other and then at Nesayem “why don't you come to the palace with us and we will figure this all out” Jasmine offered. “Well can you come with me I need to go get my friends and then I can go they don't know that I am here” Nesayem saw Aladdin and Jasmine nod so she turned and headed back to the inn. “Saariyah, Najila you have to come with me I found them” Nesayem said knocking on their doors until both were up and ready. “Not another early morning” Saariyah grumbled, Najila was a little happier for her friend and complained a lot less.
Once they were all in the palace Aladdin and Jasmine went and got a servant within a half hour breakfast was on the table. Saariyah stopped complaining and ate a nice meal, every now and then he would look up at the others and then look back down at the food he hadn't had a meal like this in years. “Thanks for the meal and sorry about the lapse in manners that my friend is showing” Nesayem said while glaring at Saariyah who just continued to eat. “Your welcome and that's okay” Aladdin said smiling at Nesayem, “So can you tell us anything more about you past that you haven't already told us” Aladdin asked her to see if she would remember anything. “Nothing” Nesayem said with frustration, “maybe I can jog your memory I will say a few words and you tell me if you can remember anything to go with them” Genie said changing himself into a psychiatrist and putting Nesayem on a couch to talk. Nesayem looked around and then laid back down again and Genie started saying words “ water” Nesayem nodded no and Genie continued on “trees” no again and then after an hour of different words he came to “Mother” suddenly without knowing why Nesayem began to cry there was something about that word that just made her sad. “What is wrong” Jasmine asked looking at the girl on the couch, “I.. I don't know there something to do with that word that just makes me sad” was all she could manage. “I think we have struck a memory” Genie said he waited for Nesayem to calm down, “now try to remember why this word makes you so sad.” Nesayem thinks for fifteen minutes her eye brows are furrowed and she is thinking really hard then a scene flashes quickly into her mind and she hears in her memory “Mother come see what I can do” it was a young girl she looked a lot like herself and she was jumping in a pool of water at the oasis that she woke up in but in a matter of seconds the memory disappears it is as though her mind is trying to protect her from something. “I just remembered something when I was young I remember being in an oasis and my mom was there and I was swimming but after that there seems to be nothing” she said in frustration. “It's okay take it easy” Jasmine said to Nesayem, she smiled at her and tried to keep herself calm. “It's just so frustrating I mean I know there is something about my past that I need to know so that I can do what I need to do but I can't remember anything” Nesayem blurted out. “Well you did remember something to do with that oasis so you do remember something if you just take it easy and try to go slower then you will do fine” Genie reassured Nesayem with a smile. “He is right you know, just relax and take it slowly” Najila said to her friend, “all right I will slow down I promise” Nesayem said to her friends.
“don't worry Nesayem you will discover your past soon enough, and you must face it without fearing it” Fashir said to himself as he watched the young one try to remember to no avail. “You must remember your mother needs your help” he continued. There was a sudden flash of light and Mirage stepped out, “Oh, Fashir your still trying to help that pitiful girl” she said mockingly. “You took her mother when she was only fifteen and you made her think that it was her fault just because she helped out a caravan” Fashir calmly said to Mirage who was looking about ready to ripe off his face. “Fashir you are a fool” Mirage spat the words at him, “No Mirage it is you whom is the fool” he continued to anger her. “I could harm her mother like that she is just asleep and I could just make it so she never sees her again” Mirage had her hands in fists and looked ready to pounce at Fashir at anytime. Mirage disappeared and Fashir turned to watch as the young hero and his friends tried to help, within a matter of seconds Mirage reappeared back at her sphinx as she walked by Anwaar she glared at her sleeping form. “Your daughter will never remember” she scoffed even though she knew that Anwaar couldn't hear her, “she is foolish to try” Mirage continued.
That night Nesayem and her friends stayed at the palace, both Najila and Nesayem shared a room it was large and beautiful. There where two bed both near the balcony, “wow this is really nice” Najila said but Nesayem didn't respond for she was sound asleep. Najila smiled over at her friend and got up off the bed and went out to the balcony, she inhaled a fresh breath of night air and looked at the menagerie. Suddenly she heard a scream it was frightening and it came from her friend, “MOTHER, NO IT'S NOT MY FAULT I didn't DO ANYTHING WRONG MIRAGE” Nesayem screamed and sobs escaped her and she was trembling. “Nesayem, Nesayem wake up, wake up” Najila hollered shaking her friend awake, “No, no..no...no..no” Nesayem repeated over and over before waking up. Najila hugged her friend until she stopped crying, “It's okay calm down” Najila repeated over and over, “I had the nightmare I remember it only a small amount of it, it was all so real” Nesayem sobbed to her friend. “What's wrong is everything okay” the two heard a group of people outside the door, “everything is okay now” Najila said getting up and walking to the door and opening it. Jasmine and Aladdin, Genie, Abu, Saariyah, and Iago with carpet came in, “Who was screaming” Jasmine asked. “It was me I had a nightmare but it was all so real, there was a person named Mirage” she paused “she took my mother and said it was my fault but I didn't do anything I didn't do anything wrong I think I remember something like you shouldn't have angered me.” Iago looked at Nesayem and said “Yup, sounds like Mirage to me”, Aladdin and Jasmine and everyone who knew who Mirage nodded in agreement. “Why would she do that” Najila asked, she had never met Mirage, “She is ruthless and cares for no person’s feelings” Aladdin tried to explain. Najila frowned and looked really mad which was rare for her but when someone was trying to hurt her friend it just made her so angry, “I won't let her get away with this” Najila said with anger ringing through her voice. “Neither will we” Jasmine reassured she remembered a time when Mirage had turned her into a snake woman only because she had a bet with Fashir fortunately when Aladdin’s and her love proved to be unbreakable the fruit came back and they had returned to human form. “Okay so do you know how you made her angry?” Aladdin asked, “Um it was something to do with a caravan exact details I don't have them” Nesayem said she had finally stopped shivering. “Okay let's get some sleep tonight and tomorrow we will figure everything out” Jasmine said getting up and everyone agreed with her and headed to bed. “Najila do you think it was my fault” Nesayem asked she knew it wasn't but couldn't help feeling guilty what had happened to her mother. “No it wasn't from what you were saying in your nightmare and when you were awake I don't think it was your fault” Najila assured her friend, if only I had known she had such a painful past how can anyone treat anyone else like this Najila thought angrily. When she looked over at Nesayem she was asleep, “Sleep well my friend and may no more nightmares disturb you” Najila covered her friend up and crawled into bed.
The next morning everyone meet in the menagerie to get some fresh air they figured it might help Nesayem remember more. “Maybe if I go back to the oasis I might remember more” she suggested, “Maybe it would do you know where it is?” Genie asked. “No not really but if you take me to several I can point out the one” Nesayem said hopefully, “Right okay here we go” Genie made everyone disappear and they reappeared in an oasis. “No its not the one” Nesayem said, this was repeated a few more times through out the day, finally at dusk they came to an oasis it looks familiar Nesayem thought. When Genie thought that it was the wrong one he was about to take them else where when Nesayem stopped him “this is it” she shouted excitedly. “There's the pool, and that's where my mother was” Nesayem said pointing around the oasis. “This is the oasis that Mirage took your mother from?” Jasmine questioned her just to be sure, “Uhuh” Nesayem said nodding her head. “Do you remember anything else?” Iago says slowly he didn't like being around an oasis at night especially one that Mirage had attacked someone in he thought. Nesayem wasn't paying any attention to the others she was just walking around and looking at everything trying to remember everything. Her mother and her had been traveling and had stopped for a night of rest, earlier that day she had helped some people in a caravan. They were being attacked by something they looked like cats but they were fire she thought she was remembering more and more, “I...I remember what I helped them from they were being attacked by fire cats” Nesayem said with a tad bit of confusion about the fact that the cats were made out of fire. “Go on do you remember more” Jasmine prodded Nesayem, “I made her mad because she wanted them dead or was punishing them” Nesayem continued on. “My Mother and I got here shortly after dark and she was preparing diner, I wanted to go for a swim, I called her out to show her something I could do, when I came up she was gone” Nesayem’s voice quivered slightly. “I searched for her all night long, but I couldn't find her then I saw the bowl she had been carrying it was broken she had dropped it, then I saw a dark flash of light and Mirage stepped out she blamed me” Nesayem said. “But I know it wasn't my fault I didn't do anything wrong, did I?” she questioned the others, “What if she hurt my mother?” Nesayem continued more to herself than to anyone else. Jasmine stepped toward Nesayem along with Najila, “It wasn't your fault you weren't in the wrong Nesayem” Najila comforted her friend. “She is right you know I mean Mirage is ruthless and doesn't care what happens to people and their families” Jasmine said agreeing with Najila. Suddenly there was a flash and everyone turned to see whom had entered it was Mirage “Bravo you remembered” she said mockingly, “I thought you would never remember, Your mother is fine for now but she only safe for so much longer” Mirage hissed at them then she turned and disappeared. “We have to go find my mother, we have to go right now” Nesayem said jumping up, Aladdin and Jasmine agreed but Iago didn't “Why do we have to go” Iago whimpered and hid behind Saariyah. “Nesayem are you sure” Saariyah asked, he wasn't one for wild adventures but if it was for a friend then he would help he though to himself. “I am sure” Nesayem said firmly, “lets go then” Saariyah said stepping next his friend. “Genie you know where to take us” Aladdin said and in the next second they were gone and reappeared in Morbia. “Oh I really hate this place” Iago said shivering. “Shhhhh” Abu said to Iago, “Oh fine I'll shut my beak” Iago squawked.
After a few minutes of staying on Carpet and not moving Aladdin said “Okay carpet let's move” as they flew around Genie followed with the rest of the people and they all looked around cautiously. “No sign of Mirage anywhere Aladdin” Jasmine said turning to Aladdin, “okay let's go to where we know she stays” Aladdin said carpet turned and headed in the direction of the sphinx. “Those fools” Mirage hissed as she watched them approach, “Mirage come out here right now or else” Nesayem boldly demanded. “Yes and what do you want, Nesayem” Mirage said as she appeared outside the sphinx right next to Nesayem. “I want my mother and I want her now, you've kept us away from each other long enough” she angrily glared at the woman/cat as she said this. “Still just as foolish as ever” Mirage mocked her “that day when you attacked me to protect those people you were stupid, you started this whole thing” Mirage said looking rather angrily at the girl before her. “No Mirage you started it and I just jumped in and helped” Nesayem continued she knew that Aladdin and his friends along with her friends where all there and would help her if she needed them too they knew that she had to do this somewhat alone. “You fool” Mirage was growing angrier and angrier as Nesayem spoke on “No you're the fool, messed with the wrong person you should know what your getting into when you mess with my family” Nesayem knew that she was making Mirage angry. “Ummm Nesayem could you not be so umm bold please at least so we don't get hurt” Iago asked peaking out from behind Genie. “You go girl” Genie said looking at Mirage to make sure she did no harm to Nesayem, “tell her everything that you have on your mind tell her off” it wasn't too often that this happened to Mirage Genie thought to himself you either have to be really bold or really mad to do this. “You really ought to hold your tongue and not say anything else or it may be your Mother paying the price” Mirage threatened. Nesayem stopped short of what she was about to say it wasn't worth putting her mother in danger, finally after a few tense moments Iago heard no more come from Nesayem. He was very relived but what Aladdin whispered to him made him scared again “Abu and Iago go look and see if you can find her mother” Aladdin said over his shoulder. Abu jumped up and grabbed Iago, the two of them snuck past Mirage who still had her eyes on Nesayem. When Nesayem saw them sneaking by she knew she had to keep her distracted “Mirage you are quite the coward” Nesayem prayed she wouldn't harm her mother but it would make her mad enough so that she would ignore Iago and Abu as they went by.
“Hey Abu do you think it's safe in here?” Iago asked while looking around, suddenly they heard something in the corner of one of the rooms. Iago jumped a mile high and grabbed Abu as he came down “what was that” Abu pushed Iago off and continued on. The rooms in the sphinx were very dark and dreary and very dirty Iago thought to himself, Iago was not paying attention to what he was doing and he bumped into Abu the two jumped back and prepared to fight, “oh it's just you” Iago squawked in surprise and relief. Finally deep into the sphinx they heard someone moving around like they would in their sleep, they saw a woman in the corner sleeping peacefully. “Do you think it's her” Iago asked Abu, when he nodded yes Iago sighed “I better stay here and you go get Aladdin make sure Mirage doesn't see you Abu” Iago said to his friend. Abu scurried off and when Mirage was still turned around he jumped up and down getting Aladdin’s attention. “Jasmine they found her keep Mirage busy I am going in” Aladdin whispered then he pretended he fell off of the sphinx this gave him a reason to get on Carpet without Mirage noticing him. “Okay carpet let's go get Nesayem’s Mother” Aladdin said quietly to Carpet who gave him a thumbs up sign and headed cautiously past Mirage. “Okay Abu show me where to go” Aladdin said he really hated to be in her home, Abu scurried toward the room that she was in. After a few minutes they came to the room with Nesayem’s Mother and saw Iago next to the sleeping woman “Iago you ready to go” Aladdin knew the bird was more than ready, he lifted the woman up on Carpet and then climbed on to carpet and they flew away. Genie saw Aladdin with a woman and Iago and Abu on carpet flying past Mirage, Mirage whirled around and snarled at them “You don't know how to wake her up” she said with a smirk. That was enough to make Nesayem want to scream but she didn't and kept quiet.
Mirage motioned for her fire cats to come out, she would get rid of these people once and for all. As the cats came out Nesayem and Jasmine backed away quickly Saariyah and Najila fell from the sphinx. As they fell, Genie flew below them and caught them then came back up and set the two down getting between Mirage and Nesayem he wasn't about to let the two girls or the others get hurt. Aladdin had taken Nesayem’s Mother away and left Abu and Iago there with her on one of the floating rock “Just make sure nothing happens to her and if you hear us holler shout back” Aladdin instructed the two. Aladdin jumped up on Carpet and took off leaving a very relived Iago and a somewhat relived and disappointed Abu, “So do you think we will have to fight Mirage to keep her away from Nesayem’s Mother” Iago asked cautiously. “I dunno” Abu squeaked. “Oh your a big help, I ask you a question and all you can say is I dunno” Iago snapped in his usual tone.
“Mirage” her name rang through the air and she looked away from the Genie and the group of people and saw Aladdin a little ways off. So he thinks he is being smart does he she thought angrily sometimes humans can be so frustrating. “Aladdin don't” Jasmine hollered back to him as Mirage approached him with her cats. “So do you feel the heat yet Aladdin” she said viciously, Aladdin was sweating those cats were so hot and he needed to fight just Mirage she was a lot to handle anyway but with her cats and alone. Suddenly from behind the cats he hears humming sound and then hears the cats hiss and sees the whirl upon Genie who is ready with a fire hose in hand he was dressed like a fire man “Okay Mirage I'm here to put out your fire” Genie said turning on the hose and soaking the cats as well as Mirage and Aladdin. “NOOOO” Mirage screamed and hissed as she was hit with the water, after a minute Aladdin looked over at the now soaked Mirage. “So I see you finally had your bath” he mocked, Mirage glared at him, “We are not through yet I will get back at you for this indignity” Mirage hissed at him and disappeared.
“Aladdin are you okay” Jasmine and the rest of the people were hollering as Genie brought them over. “Yes I am fine let's go get her mother and get out of here” he said looking over at Nesayem, Nesayem smiled she would finally see her mother after so many years.
Once they were back in the palace Nesayem sat at her mothers side and tried to keep from crying she now had her mother back but would she ever wake up again. Suddenly there was a flash of light and Nesayem whirled around ready to defend her mother but it was not Mirage that stood before her but the old blind man named Fashir. “What are you doing here” she asked him, Fashir turned to Nesayem and said “Young one you did a good job and you listened well for you faced your past with as little fear as possible” Fashir said putting his hand on Nesayem's shoulder. Nesayem smiled up at him and was glad he had told her before hand about everything, “thank you so much Fashir” she said hugging the old man, Fashir smiled and hugged her back. “You are most welcome now to wake your mother” he walked over to where Anwaar was laying and touched her eyelids softly, after about a minute or so Anwaar began to move and opened her eyes, she smiled for the first sight she saw was her daughter whom she hadn't seen for five years. “Nesayem, you've grown w.. what happened to me?” Anwaar questioned her crying daughter. “A woman named Mirage she took you from me five years ago and said it was my fault, and when I woke up the next morning I only knew who I was but nothing else” Nesayem said kneeling beside her mother. “I've been asleep for five years” Anwaar questioned making sure she had heard right, “yes” was all her daughter could manage. After a few moments of time alone Nesayem stepped out to the hall and got one of the servants to go get her friends, within moments Najila, Saariyah, Jasmine, Aladdin, Genie, Iago, Abu, and Carpet all met Anwaar. “I must be going now” they heard Fashir say from behind them, “No, Fashir don't go not yet anyway” Anwaar said as everyone turned to her in disbelief at the fact that she knew his name.