Chapter 3
"Here, Penny. Put some ointment on the wound, otherwise it could get easily infected", Leonard pulled out a tiny tube from his carryall and handed it over to the blonde journalist. She accepted it and pressed some of the white cream on her arm.
The lector was walking next to Sheldon. "Don't you have to say something?" he asked while panning his head towards Penny.
"Why? It was a panic reaction. The plane threatened to fall" the linguist replied. "It was one little vent and you almost freaked out and sunk your fingernails into Penny's skin!" gnashed Leonard.
Sheldon tried to orient himself by recognising a popular sight of Cairo. But it was harder than he thought.
A huge market took place, right then when the five adventurers had arrived. "I'm so tired; can't we just check in at our hotel?" Leonard finally yammered.
"Yes, we survived a ten hours flight. I know that I always urged you to come with me to Egypt, but I need a cosy and warm bed" Howard added and ran ahead his group.
"Raj, do you have an idea where our hotel is?" The Indian took out the map and browsed through the many stars on it, which stood for the overnight accommodations. Then he nodded and whispered something into Howard's ear.
"We have to cross the market. As soon as we spot a distorted hexagon we need to make a turn to the left."
"Isn't this exciting? Can we make a stop at a date stall? I would love to taste the sweet fruit of the desert" Sheldon ´s mouth started watering when he bent to the filled baskets on a table, smelling at the selection of fresh figs, quinces and grapes.
The young woman behind the shelter, who was covered with a turquoise robe and whose eyes were the only thing the tourists could see made a bow and offered Sheldon a fig.
"No, thank you. See, I read a lot about the hygiene and security measures and they keep us from degust unshelled and unwashed fruits", Sheldon replied and made a step back.
"When in Rome, do as the Romains do", the woman said in perfect English. Visibly amazed the linguist paused. "You speak English? Very impressive", he replied.
"Yes. My father is a British salesman. He moved from Bristol to Cairo in 1966, shortly after he had met my mother. I was born in this city but he was particular about me getting an English as well as an Arabian education. By the way, my name is Amy", she wanted to shake hands but Sheldon didn't dare to return the gesture.
"Oh my, Sheldon you won't ever befriend with new people if you always withdraw", Leonard interfered. "Do not take it personal, Miss. He's afraid of getting the flue and God forbid, he is terribly annoying when he's sick", Howard nodded recognising.
"No problem. I hope you'll enjoy your stay in Egypt. If there are any problems and you need to negotiate with the people here, I'll be glad to help you out", she bowed once more and took care of her next customer.
The five moved forward to a man who offered at the top of his voice his merchandise. Pink, light green, purple, silver and golden cloths were hanging on a rod behind him. He approached Penny.
"Would you like to buy something?" he shouted and frightened the journalist. She laughed nervously as she didn't understand a word and negated. "He asked you, if you're interested in his robes. If I'm not wrong they're made of velvet", Sheldon took one of the cloths between his hands and sensed the fabric.
"It's so soft", Howard snuggled it to his face.
Raj spoke to him under breath. "I know that you also have such beautiful robes in India and that they might be cheaper."
Leonard observed Penny while she beheld herself in front of a dirty mirror, holding an aquamarine scarf next to her body. He came a bit closer.
"It sure would fit you", the lector said shyly after giving her thumbs up. Penny turned around. "It is gorgeous but 356 Egyptian Pounds are a lot", she thought for a moment. "More or less 60 Dollars, my dear", Howard replied who had joined the two.
"60 Dollars? Oh, I can't afford that", she already wanted to put the robe away, when Leonard withheld her.
"Maybe we could pool some money" he purposed and glanced over to his friends. "We're four guys. If every one of us gives 15 bucks or converted 89 Egyptian Pounds", Howard grinned over to Penny "Yes, I'm a mathematician and I love my job. Then this attractive young girl could become the owner of a colorful and shiny dress that would match her eyes perfectly."
Sheldon declined. "Howard, let's just imagine for a moment that there exists the possibility of getting kidnapped by some tomb raiders and the only chance for us to save our lives are exactly 89 Egyptian Pounds, which they would need to a buy a dry spot somewhere in the desert to plant different vegetables. Would you really spend it on needless cloths than save it for real emergency?" he waited for a reaction.
"Hey, it's okay. Maybe Dr. Cooper is right", Penny wanted to calm Leonard down. It was so nice of him to encourage his mates to buy her the scarf, but if they would get in danger because of her she would feel remorse forever, although the idea was more than ridiculous.
The sun was setting down and the five tourists decided to finally look after their hotel. It wasn't so difficult to find it, but a big surprise expected them.
When they stood in front of the hexagonal building they noticed in what condition it was. There was a scaffold, which encased the hotel. The plaster crumbled from the walls and the windows had no glasses. Sheldon tipped Leonards shoulder and pointed direction empty window frames. "Tomb Raiders" he said and wanted his friend to confirm his sorrows. "Don't be silly. We should at least go inside and ask if our booking has been transmitted", the lector insisted, after all they would loose a huge sum.
"No way! It's a ruin, the ceiling could crash down", Sheldon didn't move. He was afraid of entering the hotel, there could be disease carriers every where and he didn't want to spoil his mission by coming down with Cholera or Malaria.
"Alright, then. My Arabian isn't fluently but it will do", without hesitation Leonard walked into the building, searching for the reception desk.
A man was sitting behind it, drinking a coffee and reading the newspaper.
"Sorry", Leonard shouted, while trying to drown out the drilling machine.
"We're closed", the man replied without looking up.
The lector was getting slightly nervous.
"We booked two twin rooms and one single room in this hotel, we transferred the money and we got a confirmation that everything worked out. Now? Where are our accommodations?" Leonard wondered.
"They're getting renovated", the man answered in a cold tone.
Leonard facepalmed himself. Where should they stay for the night?
"Can you offer us an alternative?" he wanted to know. Howard, Raj and Penny had joined him. "Please, we had a ten hours flight, we're tired, hungry and some of us are hurt. Also if it's just one room, we can manage that", Howard looked at Penny. "I, I can sleep in the lobby, if necessary. I'm not so fussy", the journalist added, while avoiding eye contact with the mathematician.
"No chance. It's full" obviously it was the owner of the hotel who spoke to them. The four guys wanted to give up already but then Amy appeared.
She greeted the owner and began to discuss with him about the situation.
"It's remarkable to listen to the sound of this language", Sheldon said. The others turned around. "I thought you wanted to stay outside because of the insects and bacteria" Leonard replied. "Yes, but how many times do you get opportunity to listen to an actual dispute between two Egyptians?" the linguist answered. "Is it because of Amy?" Penny wanted to know. Sheldon ignored her; he knew exactly what she wanted to hear.
After some minutes Amy came closer to the five adventures and shrugged her shoulders. "My apologies, but the owner won't let you sleep here. I wanted to convince him and made up a story, that you're five explorers on your life time mission and that you're about to disclose a secret, but it didn't impress him. I don't know, I could offer you to stay at my place", she waited for their reaction.
"That would be very genuine of you but we don't want to be a burden to you" Leonard smiled a little. "Leonard, a word" Sheldon pulled the lector away.
"We can't accept it. I'm sure she has no doors and then during the night the worms and scarabs will make a five course meal of us!"
"That's enough, okay? If you're so disgusted by every little animal that crawls in the hot sand of Cairo you should have stayed at home" Leonard was angry. Not only did he just lose his hard earned money, he also had to carry along a lunatic an annoying roommate who couldn't adapt.
Amy remarked the discrepancies and addressed the linguist.
"I believe you're a smart man and that the world will be hearing of you very soon. Do you really want to give it all up just because you're not at home, surrounded by your same old furniture and following your daily routines? Scientists, people like you have to break out, they have to make new experiences and getting confronted with new situations, also if it's just sleeping at another place", her soft voice made Sheldon think. Then he closed his eyes. Amy understood him and wanted to hearten him. She had recognised his potential.
"Okay", he simply whispered and Penny as well as the other guys breathed again.