"You Dropped Something"
Petra is one of the New7Wonders of the World. It is only natural people from all over the globe come here. At times, the place can be hectic. One tries to dodge both tourists and locals.
People working here constantly approach you: “Do you want a picture in the most beautiful spot in Petra?” “Do you want to ride a camel?” “Do you want this, do you want that?”
“Avoid eye contact,” the tour guide tells you. One tries to be indifferent and answers “La, Shukran” (“No, thank you,” in Arabic). I didn’t even notice I was probably being rude.
I hear someone telling me “Hey, you’ve lost something!”
It looks as if I have everything with me. He points to the ground, but I don’t understand what he is pointing at. He looks at me in the eye, and says: “It seems you dropped your smile.”
I can’t help but smile. I apologize to him, and he smiles back. His face glows.
“Can I take a picture of you?" I ask.
“Sure!”
Do not avoid eye contact. We all want to be recognized.
+© Anna Raisa Favale