“It is a famous poem: Layla and Majnun. Qays was in love with Layla and she loved him back, but they could never be together. She was married off to another. Qays lost his mind and so he became Majnun—the ‘possessed.’ He turned into a poet and started wandering the desert, like a madman, consumed by thoughts of Layla, even though she was out of his reach forever—do you see the resemblance?” Arthur smiles ruefully. “But I am no poet, my friend. I am just a devoted reader.”
