توقيت القاهرة / Tawqit al-Qahira: Countdown to a Coup?

Night has fallen on Medan El Mesaha, but from our apartment we can hear a small crowd of vocal demonstrators shouting for Morsi's downfall on their way to Tahrir for the second day. Cars are driving with their hands on their horns, honking in celebration. Fireworks are going off not too far away. Not long ago, I saw a low-flying military helicopter circle just outside my building. Neighbors noticed that it - and a series of others with it - were carrying Egyptian flags over the city. Why a celebration? This afternoon, the military announced that it would step in within 48 hours to set out a "roadmap" for the country if Morsi did not respond to protestors' demands. Protestors' demands are very succinctly expressed in the word "erhal" -- in other words, Morsi gets lost or the military stages a coup. Perhaps there will be more nuance in the way things actually fall out, in the logistics or back-room dealings of such a coup. Most likely, it seems, the military will announce early elections.

Most of yesterday was peaceful. Our own neighborhood was quiet, though we mostly stayed in and ordered Pizza Hut (besides McDonald's, the only delivery men working). We gathered in our living room, refreshing Facebook, Twitter, and watching live feeds of private satellite channels like OnTV and CBC. Mostly we saw giant crowds, both in Tahrir and around the Etehadya presidential palace, starting fairly early in the morning. In the afternoon, marches began to pick up. Our very own Medan El Mesaha had two small marches (maybe 30 people or so each), which headed north to Medan El Galaa to join the masses coming from Mohandiseen, together flooding across Qasr El Nil Bridge to Tahrir. We happened to be at the grocery store down the street when it started, and stood with our doormen observing the scene.

-So you're not going out [to demonstrate]? I asked Nasser.

-It's not allowed. We're working, both men responded.

Nasser asked us whether we thought Morsi would go.

-The only alternative that is organized is the army, I noted.

-Exactly, he said. The army would be much better.

-But what about the last time they were in charge? Was that really better?

-Yes, definitely. He smiled. Here in Egypt, we've gotten used to the army. They will do much better.

A widespread fondness for the military has suddenly erupted. There were reports of ebullient cheers when military headquarters circling Tahrir yesterday dropped flags on the protesters.

While this was going on, we relocated to our friend Chris's apartment down the street, a little closer to Medan El Galaa. We climbed out his window, from where we could see the streams of demonstrators making their way toward the square. There were many women and children among them, most carried flags and red cards (giving Morsi a red card). They seemed to be converging from all directions -- south from the Corniche, from Mesaha St, and mostly from Tahrir St. Even closer to us, just across the street, was the local police station, Qism El Dokki. The officers in their white uniforms were lined up on the top of the building, an old villa, but not to offer any kind of security or even crowd control. They were there cheering on the protesters, their hands above their heads, some waving their shirts in the air.

It became clear after a while that Tahrir was saturated, and marchers were backed up all the way to Medan Galaa, right in front of us. We walked up to Tahrir St. (not Tahrir Square) to a rooftop cafe at Tonsy Hotel. Tahrir St. still had the feel of a party, with people decked out in national colors on their way to or from the demonstrations. At Tonsy, CBC was on and the well-groomed female anchor had left the news to urge viewers to go out to protest. These are revolutionaries! she kept saying, These aren't felool! These are regular people! Please, please, go to the streets!

Tomorrow Tamarrod has called for another millioniya march, and many protesters are still camped out at Tahrir and the Presidential Palace. After that, there will be 24 hours left in the countdown to the coup...