“ Hello my friends, Welcome to Cairo!” The smiling man said as he peered at us from the doorway of the store where we were window shopping.
“Hello my friend.” I replied looking up from the display of souvenirs for tourists in the window of his shop.
“Come in, come in, there are many things for you to look at many fine souvenirs to take back when you go home.” He said in accented English. He stepped onto the sidewalk and gestured for us to enter his store.
“No thanks, We are just looking, we actually live here in Cairo, really in Heliopolis, and we are out on a walk, we’re on our way to the Khan al Khalili.”
“I have many fine items in my shop, just like you will find in the Khan. Come in, you needn’t buy anything, we are all friends. Are you an American?” he smiled at me under his thick mustache.
“Yes, I’m an American, so is my wife. We have been living here for about a year already, we are teachers at the American School of Cairo, and we love walking around your city.” I remarked trying to move away from the store and get back to our walk.
The store owner stepped further away from the doorway, he was dressed neatly in a starched white shirt, creased black trousers and shiny leather shoes.
“Where are you from in America, I have a cousin in Detroit. Do you know Detroit?”
“No, we’re from Albuquerque, New Mexico and have never been to Detroit.” I replied.
“You are from Mexico, not America? The store keeper looked puzzled.
“No, no, we are Americans, you know, we live close to Texas.” I said as I took LaWanda’s arm ready to step out on the sidewalk and take off.
“Ah, Texas, please enter my shop and let us share a cup of tea, we will talk, you don’t have to buy anything just look.” His enticement punctuated by a bow, a gesture to enter his store and a slight movement to block our passage.
“Alright, just a cup of tea and we will talk.” I said worn down by his persistence.
We entered the shop passing between shelves loaded with souvenirs as he led us to a small sitting area with a coffee table, two chairs, and a small couch that all looked as if they had been plucked from Louis XIVth’s palace. We sat down and a young woman wearing a black head scarf and a full length black dress covering her body from neck to foot entered, her exposed face expressionless. She set our tea on the table in front of the couch and withdrew.
“Many Americans have been here, many famous people. Let me show you.” He opened a book on the coffee table and there were pictures of famous people, I even recognized a few. “Let me show you a some nice things.” He quickly stood up scurried to the surrounding shelves and picked up a small ceramic statue.
“Here is something many Americans like, it is the Sphinx, better than you will find at the Kahn al Kahlili.” he said pushing the statue toward LaWanda.
“No thank you!” she told him refusing to hold the Sphinx, “We are not interested in buying AnyThing! We want to walk around and find the Khan Khalili!”
It was as if she had told him to go to hell. He straightened up, his eyes narrowed and holding the statue, he gesticulated emphasizing his displeasure while he spoke. “Why you don’t buy anything, it is good merchandise, help Egypt, help me, buy from my shop!”
He said something in Arabic and the woman reappeared, picked up our unfinished tea and retreated to the rear of the store. The owner turned his back on us and went back to the doorway ready to cast his line again leaving us sitting all alone on the uncomfortable French furniture.
“Well,” I said, “that sure pissed him off.” We smiled at each other, got up, walked past him in his doorway, and continued walking toward the Khan Kahlili.
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