In Le Rouge du tarbouche (2004), a young male narrator-protagonist named Abdellah recounts a visit he and his mother pay to their cousin Malika in Larache, a historic town on Morocco's Mediterranean coast. Malika's husband had deserted both her and their five sons shortly after their move to Larache where she is happily pursuing a new life away from her former in-laws who “lui pourrissait l'existence au bled” [were ruining her life in the small town of the homeland] (45). Like in other chapters of his novel, queer Moroccan author Abdellah Taia juxtaposes the bled against many spaces – often urban and cosmopolitan – that house universities, students, professors, and writers, and in this particular case, an independent Malika and her naturally elegant, refined, and handsome sons. Abdellah (aged 13) admittedly becomes enamored with Malika's eldest son Ali (aged 19) who was studying French literature at the university and was “beau comme un dieu berbere” [handsome like a Berber god] (45). Perhaps sensing this attraction, Malika suggests one day that Ali give Abdellah a tour of Larache, its streets, its souk, and “la tombe de Jenih” [Jenih's grave] (47). Abdellah is unfamiliar with this saint and expresses interest in discovering him. He had learned about saints from his mother, M'Barka, but nothing about this particular figure: “Je ne connaissais pas ce saint: Saint Jenih. M'Barka m'avait fait aimer depuis tout petit les saints, leur tombeau et leur baraka” [I didn't know this saint: Saint Jenih. M'Barka taught me from a very early age to love all the saints, their tomb(s), and their baraka (knowledge/ blessing/luck)] (47).

The reader quickly learns that Ali is just the first of several elements in this chapter of the novel that help Abdellah discover Larache, and, more significantly, construct a queer Maghrebi French language of sexual discovery for himself, which continues to emerge throughout this episode with Taia's protagonist. Abdellah and Ali embark on this sacred flânerie through the empty streets of Larache during the holy hour of lunch and Abdellah senses the city's “vie cachée, ses secrets, ses mysteres” [hidden life, its secrets, and its mysteries] (47).