Cell Phone

Last Thursday I took a taxi to visit my friend in Abdoun. I navigated to the regular drop off point, got out of the taxi, and went to phone my friend when I noticed that I had left my cell phone in the taxi. The taxi was now gone. Bummer. I did a little positive self talk and decided that I needed to find a phone quickly to call my own phone and see if the taxi driver would be kind enough to return to the place where he had just dropped me off.

I spotted 2 women on the opposite side of the street. I found some boldness deep inside and asked the women if they had a "mobile" that I could borrow. I explained the story and they had compassion on me. I called my phone and there was no answer. The kind younger lady redialed my number and the taxi driver answered. All of the sudden she started speaking arabic really quickly and forcefully while pacing back and forth on the street. She would frequently make eye contact with me, smile, and return to arguing with the man. In my limited arabic I pick up the following.... America girl.... American embassy.... police... she will pay.... American embassy...

She finally hung up the phone and said (through a laugh) that he would be back in 10 minutes. Apparently she told him that I worked for the American Embassy and that they had called and said that he must return my phone or they would call the police.

She then continued to stay with me, invite me into her aunt's home, invite me to dinner, and offer any and every service that she could. Even dental service. It turns out that she is an oral surgeon, and a pretty big deal in Jordan.

So, the taxi driver returns, and he is not very happy. Dr Maya told me to pay him 5JD for his time, so I went to the pharmacy that was near by to get some change. While I was doing that, she talked to the taxi driver, got my phone, then took the money from me and returned it to him.

I am so thankful for Dr. Maya and Jordanian hospitality. This is one of the many reasons why I love this country.