MORE THAN JUST PYRAMIDS

After miles of driving when your eyes have adjusted to the stretches of desert and sporadic pyramids, a sense of archaeological nihilism comes over you. You start to wonder about the purpose of life, the futility of existence as you squint, and try to take in the grandiosity of another landmark only to remind you of the temporariness of life on earth. 

The sun was at its height over the burial ground at Saqqara, black hounds glaring at every tourist and stealthily following those who seemed to be carrying anything that left a faint trail of scent. The barrenness of the place spoke of nothing but death. Amidst this, the funerary complex of the long dead King Djoser stood perfectly still, flaunting its very symmetrical architecture; the geometric beauty was overwhelming in itself and then the time of its construction hit you and you were left standing in awe. I decided to capture this moment for posterity and handing the camera to my sister, chose a spot to stand. 

As she stood against a backdrop of emptiness, adjusting the camera, a shape of colours appeared a little far away in the golden sands, gradually taking the shape of small man on a donkey coming towards us. They were a burst of colour together, the man almost as ancient as his surroundings and his vehicle, a reminder of endurance. 

They were a sign of life in the desert and for a moment, made me forget that it was a necropolis. Before I could avert my gaze and go back to my pose, he came towards me, wearing the happiest toothless smile I ever saw and handed me his very Moses-like staff. His weather beaten face, lined with wrinkles, had the most eager and enthusiastic expression. I politely complied and after a few photos when I turned to follow my parents, he stopped me, holding his hand out and nodded towards it. I had no money on me! Even worse, my parents were nowhere in sight. Helpless and deserted, I said "Wait." He pointed towards his hand. I gestured. He rubbed his fingers together. I walked. He followed me. The smile was not helping either. It lost all its exquisiteness and seemed almost eerie. There were too many teeth missing and the beam just wouldn't fade. Donkey and its rider followed me to the funerary complex when the narrowness of the path stopped them and just when I thought my salvation was near my father told me that he would pay him on the way back while my mother giggled away. I sighed and obeyed.

On our way out my sister pointed him out to my father and he paid him but the moment he saw me, he came rushing towards me again. Again. This was when I clenched my teeth, straightened my shoulders trying to overlook the outlandishness of a small man on a long eared mammal and desperately showed him the tall man walking away and the money he was clutching, as if I presented myself as a potential thief, and ran. I ran to the car. It was all too exotic for me to handle. Pyramids, a reminder of my mortality and man-on-a-donkey scam were all too overwhelming…