“Ew! I’d rather hold it in all day than sit there!” I complained to Dad, giving him my best “yuck” face.
“Okay, suit yourself,” he said with a funny smirk, like he didn’t believe me.
But you know the saying — “when you gotta go, you gotta go.” Short of relieving myself on Biblical remains, I didn’t have any other choice. I quickly learned to hold my breath and pee like lightning.
I could tell Einstein wasn’t too thrilled with my attitude. On one of the very first days I unknowingly committed a cardinal sin of archaeology: I picked up a rock. I remember turning it over in my hand, wondering how long it had been lying there. Definitely centuries — maybe even millenniums.
This would be a cool souvenir for Marla, I thought, and I dropped it into my pocket.
A second later, he was at my side.
“Hey Mack, what are you doing? Put that back.”
“Why?” I frowned. “It’s just a rock.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Honey that might look like a regular old rock, but it’s not. Everything here is a valuable piece of evidence from the past. That rock might be part of an ancient wall, or it could have writing on it with information and names.”
I took it out and looked at it again. It looked just the same as any ordinary stone you’d find in a public park or in someone’s backyard.
“Yeah, okay Dad — whatever,” I said, letting it fall back down to the ground with a loud plop. He sighed and walked away. I knew he was frustrated with me, but I didn’t care. After all, it was his big idea to drag me out here in the first place. I’d much rather be back home hanging out with Marla and buying gum from Nasir than digging through piles of old sand.
But everything changed the day I made my first big discovery. It was about a week into the trip and I was sifting through what must have been my hundredth pile of dirt when I felt something hard between my fingers.
“I found something!” I gasped, pulling it from the dirt and dusting it off with my brush.
A surge of excitement shot through me as I realized what it was. A pottery shard. But not just any old regular one: this was a large, fully intact piece. I held it gingerly in my hand like an egg, marvelling at the idea that I was the first person to touch this thing in two thousand years. After we washed it, we found that it had writing on it, too. Apparently, that was a pretty big deal.
“Great job, Mack!” cheered Dad. “Somebody get this girl an ice cream!”
I could see the pride in his eyes. You know, the look parents get like “one day you’re going to grow up and be just like me.” I have to admit, I was proud of myself, too. I walked around feeling like the Queen of Archaeology for a while. But the very next day, somebody else had an even bigger find and knocked me off the throne. It was a stash of ancient silver coins found wedged under a loose stone in one of the floors. News of the find buzzed through the site as Dad gathered everyone around to have a look.
“A stash of coins hidden under the floor. Can anybody imagine what they were doing there?”
We all took a moment to consider the possibilities, but nobody spoke up.
“Well,” he continued, “if it was just one coin, we would conclude that it was dropped accidentally and forgotten. However, an entire hoard of coins suggests that somebody put them there deliberately. The question is, who? Does anybody want to put forth a theory?”
He paused again while we all looked at each other nervously, wondering who was going to speak first.
“Don’t worry, there’s no wrong answer,” he laughed. “Which is exactly what I find so fascinating about archaeology: it’s all a big puzzle. Our task here is to rebuild lost civilizations. How do we do that? By using these ancient fragments from the earth, a bit of history, and a dash of imagination.”
Dad’s eyes sparkled as he spoke. I don’t think I’d seen him this alive since before Mom’s accident.
“So, how did these coins get here?” he asked again, holding one up for inspection. “Let’s take ourselves back to Biblical times when this dirt beneath our feet was a thriving metropolis. Maybe a slave was secretly pilfering them from his master. Or perhaps a desperate merchant hid his savings from the menace of an approaching army. Or maybe a housewife was hoarding money to keep it safe from her gambling husband. Whoever it was, they hid it here not knowing they would never see it again. Not knowing they’d hidden it so well, their stash wouldn’t be found until thousands of years later — by us.”
It was incredible. For a split second I felt transported back in time. And I wasn’t the only one. I could tell that the others were feeling the magic of Dad’s vision, too.
“You see, the people who lived here were just like you and me,” he went on. “Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, students, teachers, and tradesmen. They worked under this same hot sun every day and gazed up into the same starry sky as you do every night. And this site is the time capsule they’ve left behind. Everything we find is a clue to decoding the details of their lives.”
Cool! In that moment, the whole archaeology thing finally started to make sense for me. I began to understand why a couple would honeymoon here instead of Hawaii. And why a sixty-five-year-old woman would spend her life’s savings to be here. It was probably the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. There were ancient cities buried under our feet. I remember thinking that a person could get lost forever out here in the desert.
After that day, I knew it was true.
Chapter 13
Lately, Nasir’s ears were always on alert.
He heard the traffic noises suddenly grow louder — he knew that meant the door to the store had opened. Pushing the carton of toilet tissue onto the nearest shelf, he ran out of the stockroom to see if it was Mackenzie. It wasn’t. Instead, a young mother struggled through the narrow doorway, pushing a stroller with a newborn baby. Usually he would have run to help. Today he just sighed and turned his face away, trying to hide his disappointment.
Where has she gone? he wondered. It had been two weeks and three days now since he last saw her. He wasn’t sleeping well. He often woke up in the middle of the night with his body covered in a layer of damp, sweaty worry, his head jumping with questions.
Has she gone back to Canada? Did he say something to offend her? Maybe she’s become sick?
Leaning over the counter, he picked up a package of her favourite gum and held it tenderly in his hands. He thought about the day he’d touched her cheek and how soft her skin had been. And the way she’d smelled. It was so sweet and fresh … like a ripe peach. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, remembering. The baby in the stroller began to cry. His eyes flew back open.
Stop being so stupid, he scolded himself, tossing the gum back down. Forget about her! There’ll be other girls.
The traffic roared again and his head swung towards the door. His hopeful heart rose in his chest, but fell back down when an old, balding grandfather hobbled into the store.
He sighed again.
The problem was, he didn’t want another girl.
Chapter 14
Can you guess what the first thing I did when we got back from Tiberias was?
Unpack my suitcase?
Nope.
Take a long shower?
Uh-uh.
Call Marla?
Wrong again.
Run down the street to buy a pack of gum from Nasir?
Exactly!
Okay, I admit I was a little bit obsessed. But it’s not like I’m some kind of crazy stalker or anything — I just needed to see him.
So imagine how my teenage heart soared with joy when he looked happy to see me, too. Happy, and quite a bit relieved.
More than anything, I wanted to run over and tell him where I’d been and apologize for leaving without saying goodbye. But I had to stop myself — I knew he wouldn’t talk to me while there were other people in the store. I glanced around; there were two other customers cruising up and down the well-packed aisles. Parking myse
lf next to the potato chips, I gave them all the hairy eyeball and silently willed them to get out.
Five minutes later I got my wish. I hurried up to the counter before anybody else walked in.
“Muck-and-zee! Where have you been?” Nasir asked, flashing me that great white smile.
“I went on a trip with my dad to Tiberias — an archaeological dig, actually.”
“Oh, really?” he replied, his smile fading a little. “Did you find anything?”
“Yeah, a few pottery shards, a bunch of coins, and some old bones. It was cool.”
“Cool,” he echoed. Those eyes of his were practically glued to my face. I’d almost forgotten how intense he could be. Suddenly, I felt a little bit warm.
“Well … uh, anyway … I’m back now,” I managed to squeak.
“I’m glad. This whole time I was worried you were buying your gum somewhere else.”
“No way, I wouldn’t do that,” I mumbled shyly. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on my lip. I prayed he wouldn’t notice.
“Listen, I shouldn’t be doing this,” he whispered, leaning a little closer.
I turned and looked over my shoulder; there was nobody else in the store.
“Doing what?” I whispered back. “And why are you whispering?”
“I want to talk to you. Do you want to meet me after work? I get off early tonight.”
I was suddenly so hot, my clothes felt like they were melting.
“Oh, um … sure!” I said quickly, before he could change his mind.
“Great. But don’t come here — meet me at Emek Refaim at eight-thirty. I’ll be waiting in front of the Aroma coffee shop.”
“Okay.”
Behind me, I heard the door open and a new customer walk in. Nasir reacted with a startled jump and then immediately turned away and began fiddling with the cash register. I hurried out of the store, not daring to say goodbye. I spent the entire walk home wondering how on earth I was going to get Dad to agree to this.
It wasn’t until I got to the apartment that I noticed I’d completely forgotten to buy any gum.
Chapter 15
Nasir pulled his last clean shirt down over his head then ran a hand through his tousled hair. He’d been saving the shirt for work tomorrow, but now tonight’s date was way more important.
A date! he thought. I’m going on my first date!
His stomach churned with nerves as he thought about the night ahead. He’d never done anything like this before. Would he hold her hand? Would he touch her cheek again? Would they kiss?
Nasir grabbed on to the edge of the sink to steady himself. He’d never kissed a girl before and his stomach felt like it was being turned inside-out just thinking about it. Maybe he and Mackenzie would just talk instead. But what would they talk about? Would they have enough to talk about? She might not know about soccer, he thought. What sport do they play in Canada? Isn’t it ice hockey?
With shaking hands, he dabbed on a small splash of cologne from a bottle he’d borrowed from the store. After making sure the lid was screwed back on tight, he glanced around the tiny bathroom for a place to hide it. After a minute, he lifted the top of the toilet tank and carefully deposited the bottle inside. Nasir knew it wasn’t the best place for cologne, but with no room of his own, he didn’t have much choice. With one last careful look in the mirror, he hurried out of the bathroom. He was worried if he spent too much time getting ready his parents might become suspicious.
Dinner was over. Amar and Sameera were in bed and Rana had just fallen asleep in the rhythmic rocking of Mama’s arms. Baba was sitting on the couch, crunching watermelon seeds and watching his favourite Lebanese news program. Nasir knew this was his chance to leave without attracting too many questions.
“I’m going to meet some friends — won’t be out too late,” he said. Avoiding the usual kiss, Nasir made a hasty exit out the door in the hopes his parents wouldn’t detect the scent of his cologne. He felt a pang of guilt as he made his way down the stairs — but it wasn’t enough to make him change his mind. There was no way he could tell his parents the truth about what he was doing. Sneaking out to meet a girl was bad enough … but the fact that she was a Western girl made it all that much worse. Mama and Baba would never, ever approve.
This wasn’t the first time Nasir had ever lied to them. He loved his parents very much and he wanted them to think that he honoured the Islamic ethical code of being a truthful and honest person, but he didn’t want to live the life they were planning for him. He didn’t want to carry on praying five times a day, every day, for the rest of his life. And he definitely didn’t want to be forced to marry a Muslim girl that he didn’t know and didn’t love. He didn’t even want to stay in the Middle East. His friends at school were full of idealism for the Palestinian future. But Nasir was more of a realist than them. He wanted to live in a place where there was a promise of a better tomorrow. He want his son to grow up with a room of his own, not a lumpy couch for a bed. He wanted him to hold a soccer ball in his hand, not a shovel. He wanted to follow Ziyad’s example. He wanted to choose his own future. And he wanted it to be with someone like Mackenzie.
Just the thought of her brought a silly grin to his face. He’d been so relieved to see her today. He really hadn’t known just how much he’d missed seeing her until she walked back into the store.
He arrived at Aroma a few minutes early. He knew he would probably attract too much attention if he tried to wait right in front. They’ll think I’m a suicide bomber or something, he thought, shaking his head. Already he could see the security guard posted at the door checking him out as a possible threat. Tonight, of all nights, he wasn’t looking for trouble, so he walked a safe distance away, squatted on the curb, and watched the crowds of people pass around him as he searched the faces for Mackenzie.
Chapter 16
“You’re going where?” Marla practically screamed over the phone. “With who?”
“Shhhh … keep your voice down,” I pleaded. She was so loud I was worried that Dad might hear her through the walls. “I’m meeting Nasir at Emek Refaim,” I whispered, hoping she would get the hint and follow suit. “I told Einstein that I was going to your house. I need you to cover for me in case he calls.”
“But I thought he didn’t let you out at night,” she said, sounding suspicious. “Isn’t seven o’clock your curfew?”
“Yeah, normally it is, but I whined and complained that I haven’t seen you in three weeks. I think he felt badly, because he gave in pretty quickly.”
“I don’t know — I don’t like this at all,” she clucked in my ear.
“Thanks for your concern, Marla, but I already have one overprotective parent. I don’t need another.”
“Fine, but you and Nasir are both going to get hurt,” she warned. “You do realize that this can only end badly, right?”
I couldn’t believe she was giving me such a hard time about one lousy favour.
“Fine, whatever,” I snapped. “But will you cover for me?”
There was an unnaturally long sigh on the other end of the phone, followed by a pause, and then finally a small, reluctant “Okay.”
“Thanks Mar! I owe you!” I chirped, hanging up the phone and running to get dressed. I had no idea if this qualified as an actual date or not, but I wanted to look amazing anyway, just in case Nasir had any doubts about how much he liked me. Digging through my closet and dresser, I scrambled to find something that he hadn’t already seen me wear. But, considering how often I’d been in his store over the past three months, that was next to impossible. So in the end, I finally settled on my favourite blue T-shirt — the one I was wearing that day he touched my face.
I was hoping it would be lucky for me again tonight.
“Bye, Dad!” I called out over my shoulder as I ran out the door.
“Goodbye, Mack,” he replied, his voice following me down the hallway. “Be back by ten! No later!”
Nasir was waiting for me on the curb
in front of Aroma, just like he said he would be. It was so bizarre to see him out in the real world that it took me a couple of seconds to recognize him. I could tell he had made an extra effort to look nice. He had on a fresh shirt and he smelled faintly of cologne — which made his usual scent of laundry and toothpaste even better.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” I squeaked, so nervous I sounded just like a munchkin from The Wizard of Oz. “What a beautiful night,” I added, clearing my throat and hoping he’d never seen that movie before.
If he had, he didn’t mention anything. He just smiled awkwardly and started walking. We walked up and down the street for what seemed like miles. It was so nice to be out at night. The air was fresh, the heat of the day was gone, and the neighbourhood seemed to come alive after dark. The shops and patios were open, the sidewalks were crowded, and the cafés were jam-packed with people.
We talked the entire time. Now that we were away from the store, Nasir seemed like a different person — more confident and definitely more relaxed. He told me that he was sixteen, he lived with his parents and three sisters, and he went to a mostly Arab high school in East Jerusalem. He told me how passionate he was about soccer and how he’d once considered playing professionally. And he told me how never in his dreams did he ever imagine meeting a girl from as far away and exotic a place as Canada.
There was that word, exotic, again. I lapped it up like soft ice cream on a hot day.
“So, you’ve lived in Israel all your life?” I asked, eager for more information.
“Yes … I was born here in Jerusalem.”
Mackenzie, Lost and Found Page 7
