World Trade Center Association has an annual general assembly they hold in different cities, and I occasionally attend as part of my current job. This incident took place when the event was held in Dubai where all delegates stayed at the same 5-star hotel.
One morning I went to the gym and returned to my room still in my sport gear of trainers, shorts, T-Shirt and a white cap completed the ensemble. I also had my earphones in but had switched the music off when I entered the lift from the basement level. The lift stopped at Ground floor level and two well-dressed young Arab girls joined me. The following conversation ensued in Arabic, which I will translate for your convenience:
Girl 1: Are you seeing Ahmed while you are here?
Girl 2 (quietly): Shush, there is a man with us in the lift!
Girl 1: Don’t worry about him; he is an old foreign donkey with earphones!
They giggled and I almost joined them. When we reached their floor, the door opened and they began to leave. I said (in my best Arabic):
God be with you young ladies!
Needless to say there was a lot of squealing and giggling as they vacated the lift. I was cheered up for the rest of the day.
