Strangers-turned-friends

Alluring waterfront, lush-green surroundings, chirping birds, melodious music, walkers’ track, tempting eateries…name it and Sharjah’s Al Majaz park area has it all. Morning walkers naturally find the place a captivating never-miss attraction.

I jogged for a few minutes at the spot and decided to do some warm-up exercises. After a couple of push-ups, twists and turns on a concrete bench, I closed my eyes and breathed in.

I was thus lost in thoughts when I heard some noise from behind. Three youngsters surrounded me and started joking about my aerobics. Impulsively, I looked at my purse and key, which I had kept on the bench. They were intact. I realised that the boys were merely looking for fun.

With age comes maturity and I have aged enough.

I decided to make friends with them and demonstrated some exercises that I knew. I then introduced myself as a journalist and said if they could show some trick for an action photo, we would carry it in our newspaper. They did with much enthusiasm.

“Il youm kalaas. Ashuufak bukra,” (Enough today, rest tomorrow) I told them in broken Arabic.

They gave me a hug and disappeared with the words “Mas salama.”