Role Ambiguity at the Souk Almubarkiya

A few evenings ago, Beth, Jill, and I (all ladies of a certain age), when to shop around the Souk Almubarkiya. This is a huge souk. It is a maze of little shops chock full of *everything*. My inner crow was in heaven. There were piles of copper coffee pots, stacks of different types of rope, heaps of suitcases, racks of abayas and dishtasha (with accompanying underwear), poles of prayer beads, and masses of scarves. And so much more, all piled up and tended by enthusiastic men, and occasionally women, who would call to us as we passed, "Welcome Madame" or "Please Madam" or "Here Madam". We stood out as "not from around here" as we strolled through this garden of material culture. Men with trays of fruit drinks cruised the alleys in case anyone got thirsty. Once we got lost and wandered through a men's coffee area. That was awkward.

However, Debra and I went back the next day. Debra wanted to get an abaya and a sheyla, and I went along for company. However, I was made uncomfortable by the content Madaming, so I put on a sheyla to try to hide, after a fashion. It totally worked. Nobody Madamed me. When I stopped to look at something, nobody came over to pressure a sale. It was much more comfortable to shop this way.

Well, Debra went into one corner to purchase an abaya, and I was helping out. I held her bags (if you know me, you know I was totally "hands free" myself), and I offered helpful advice. I held her skirt down as she tried on abayas so there would not be some kind of inappropriate show. After she made her purchase and was ferreting in her wallet for cash, the shop keeper folded up her purchase, put them in a bag, and briskly handed me the bag with a curt, "For Madam." As we walked away, I puzzled a bit about about that interaction, and it occurred to me that he must have thought I was her maid! It was hilarious. Here is my photo of me being Debra's maid. I guess that's why nobody bothered me at the souk. I didn't look like I had any money to spend. Here is the photo Debra took of me in my role as her maid.