Making Memories in Jordan

Making memories in Jordan

Waking up from the soft bed and taking off the fluffy white duet took every bit of will power in my body. My body was sore from all the flying from the south of Asia to the west of the Arab nation. But it had been my dream to revisit this wonderfully serene and picturesque country. The glory of Jordan struck me very, very deep when I last visited it ten years back with my parents. I had a two weeks off work, so I planned to take my dream adventure journey to Jordan. Thus, here I am in Hotel Torledo all alone enjoying my bubbling bath in room no.247.

The hotel itself had changed a great deal since I last came. A decade can do a great deal to things, excluding me of course! Since I had downed a mug of coffee during my bath I had enough caffeine kicked stamina to skip the five Jordan dollar coffee the hotel bar offered. And mind you, one J.D. is two hundred and fifty LKR ONLY! One thing that Jordan had not changed about itself was its climate. The sun in Jordan was so merciful towards you unlike that in Sri Lanka. Though it was sunny even in the evening it was never scorching. The cool breeze accompanied by the sunlight at the right temperature somehow persuades you to take a scroll through the clean roads that boasted of the luxurious country.

Since I was more than ready to explore the country I so loved, I set out. The fact that every single house in Jordan was built of limestone not only gave it a beauty but a look of unity too and suddenly I remembered the words of our tour guide ten years back, “The richness of a house is not measured by the look of it but by the people who live in it.” Wise man, now must be an old man. Had I forgotten about the friendliness of the natives of the country, I should have been ashamed of myself and surprisingly that was another fact that still remained in Jordan! Also, never forget that a tan skin along all pearl whites never fails to attract!

The evening was so pleasant that I decided to scroll a little further into the city. I know that Jordan is most famous for its Dead Sea. Yet I always wondered why people never admired it for all its glory. For more than the Dead Sea the citadels, tombs, mosques, palaces and simply the cities itself were breath taking. I remembered that Firas Circle was the closest shopping area to the hotel, so I thought to go window shopping and get acquainted with the style of the present Jordan. There wasn’t much to witness though, the same American style as with most countries that had been governed by America at least for sometimes.

I had no idea of buying souvenirs or gifts. All I'd planned to do was to enjoy the luxurious Arabian cuisine, taking memorable stills, sleep peacefully and most important of all revive memories. Yet my shoes seemed to have a different idea and right when I passed the second floor of the mall my converse planned to come off. "Really? You wanted to make me spend four thousand bucks instead of two, didn't you?" annoyed I asked my shoes but the audacity of it! It kept quiet! As the only way to teach it a good lesson was to dump it in the bin and buy a new one to replace it, I entered a shoe shop on the second floor.

The dollar sign that shined in the owners shop told me that he had identified me to be a tourist. So much for being tan! “Salam Madame, all kind shoes we have. What you want? Heel high?” It was evident he was eager to sell off his most expensive stuff to me. Hah! He never knew the bargaining skills of Sri Lankans! One plus point of knowing English when you speak to person who doesn’t know it, is, at the end of the day you win the argument, thanks to the language of course.  And as my owner brother was a native Arabic speaker, I had more points in my hand. “I want a converse” “Colour Madame?” “Dark blue or red?” “We have all Madame, we have all! He climbed up a ladder and brought three pairs of my perfect size. Wow, so he checked me out without my knowledge? Smart but man he’s hot too, just lacking a little in the muscle area. I chose the red one and asked for the prize and there it was. The dollar signs from his eyes put into my hands.

“Twenty dollars?” I gasped. All those torture from drama class has found some use finally. “A normal converse costs only ten brother, I asked a couple of shops before and since they said twelve I came to you expecting justice and see what you do to me!” I hung my face leaving the shoes on the stool nearby. “No, no Madame, this originale. Fine, fine white price Madame, fifteen. Best price Madame.” “Eleven brother, fair price for you and me, I buy converse all the time!” “No fair Madame, cost eleven, sell eleven where profit?” Oh, I know the profit you make my man! “Ok brother, I’ll see another shop. Thank you.” “Why Madame? Wait Madame, Twelve, twelve then!” I shook my head with my best smile and he fell for it and I win! “Have a nice day brother!” “Nice day Madame.” I don’t know if he meant, “You too” or “Nice day indeed after you shattered all my high hopes”. But that man, made fat profit and I knew it from experience of buying converses. So he had no reasons to be sad and nor did I.

I sat near the bin that I had dumped my shoes to where my new ones and thought about its life time. Born somewhere, used in Colombo and resting in collision in Amman. “You should be proud to have had an owner like me though I never washed you often, I never left you feeling lonely.” And with those consoling words to my shoes I departed from the mall. But after about half an hour of fidgeting did I realize that I was lost inside the mall. It wasn’t a big deal all I had to do was get the direction from somebody else. The first people who caught my eyes were two guys, probably teenagers laughing at something they were seeing in their mobiles. I stood in front of them but they were too into their phones. So to get their attention I “hey”ed them.

I don’t know what they expected from that foreign accent but I surely didn’t expect what was in store for me. I actually smiled at them started asking about the exit but all the morons did to me was see each other and give a look over. Suddenly one boy wiggled at the other and started whooping. I was really disgusted with their show that I really wanted to puke. But it seemed like the other one got his senses back and he started speaking something in Arabic. “Superb, I should have known that these two were idiots when I understood that they were hitting on me mistaking my size with my age. Not all slim girls are teenagers morons!” I said them (all with a smile plastered to face of course, I didn’t want to be arrested for affronting a native. Did I now?).  Suddenly, I heard an uproarious laugh behind me.

On turning I saw a man about three to four years older than me laughing at us. On sensing that we were seeing him, he composed himself but when his eyes landed on me he set off again. Then it all registered to me. So this gentle man was eavesdropping my words? “Awesome you’re going to explore the Jordan Jail this time.” I congratulated me. After he really composed himself, he came up to us and spoke to the boys in a beautiful Arab accent and I took this time to check him out. Chiseled pearl face, dark brown hair, black denim trousers, plain white T-shirt, black jacket (unzipped), simple but stylish black watch, black ankle length converse and a black helmet poised on his hips. Okay, so he was a dream of every girl’s “BOY IN BLACK”. Suddenly the “boy in black” turned towards me and that’s when I remembered that he was here to put me in jail and if he catches me checking out him, he might add more charges.

“Hello, my name is Zaid”, ‘boy in black’ spoke and the guys left after giving me a sorry look.  So English knowing “BOY i……” no let’s call him Zaid. “Hello” “Sorry for the trouble my natives caused you Miss.” “Shana, and no I’m fine with it unless you won’t put me in jail for insulting your natives”, I elucidated my worry. He laughed again. He had a nice laugh, not that I noted. “Me and my observations!” I was starting to get angry with myself and then Zaid started “No Miss. Shana why would I ever? Actually if those guys had understood what you told them it would have been useful for them” then I realized, “You didn’t translate did you?” “Of course not but I can help you if you want anything.” He smiled. Sweet fellow. The world need more people like this. So, I asked him the direction for the exit. He said that was leaving the place too and asked me to join him. Since I had no other option I did. “So how come you know English? You a foreigner too?” “No, I am a proud Jordanian. I studied in UK. Completed my masters in interior designs. So you from Miss?” “Sri Lanka”, I said with a smile and while I was thinking, “No doubt he has the awesome British accent”, we got to the exit. It was dark and I knew I had to get to the hotel before eight or I’d have to feed on the leftovers of the buffet. “Thank you Mr. Zaid. Pleased to have met you”, I said to the “Boy in black” and left him with a smile.

All the way back to the hotel I mused over what had happened today evening and I couldn’t help but feel happy with the memories I had made for one day. Whatever happens in life, let them be funny, irritating, terrifying or even annoying, later would surely become a golden memory that you would treasure for the rest of your life. The dinner was splendid as ever in all Arabian cuisine with the olives, kebabs, tandoori, rotti and Jordan’s special halwa. When I entered my room I saw that the house keeping department had done quite a neat job by replacing all the mess I had left. After changing into my PJs I hit the bed with a smile. For though I was exhausted from all the adventure, I felt warm and happy. “Maybe I should ask boss if they had a branch in Jordan.” was all I thought before I entered the widespread arms of mother sleep.

Author: Badurdeen.Fathima.Ayesha