Having arrived in Jaipur in the late afternoon and unable to find my hotel due to bad directions on the website, I ended up walking around and asking where the joint was. I finally figured out what the directions had meant which led me down the engine repair alley part of town. I was getting near when I was approached by a guy who looked a little older than I who, of course, asked "where are you from?" US. "I like your beard." Uhh, thanks. "How long it take to grow?" Uhh, about a month. At this point, another guy who spoke better English and looked more western entered the equation and introduced himself as Ram. He said he was a "social worker" who worked with poor kids, not rich kids, teaching them music and he was playing a show that night. Would I like to come? Uhh, well, uhh, maybe. Where is it? "Here, I'll give you my number and you call me and I tell you where it is." Uhh, ok. I took down his number and he all-to-conveniently whipped out a tattered 4x6 photo album from his backpack of his travels and his stay in Arizona. This was a major red flag for one D. Sloan III; The ol, hey here's proof I'm cool and not out to scam you scam. His pal was hanging out while we had this convo and I wasn't sure what he wanted or if they had followed me into the alley or were just bisecting the block. Ram said he was interested in chilling with an American and sharing cultures etc., but unfortunately I wasn't buying it, not so much because I thought he was full of shit, which he probably was, but because I had been warned of many scams played on dumb tourists like myself. I bid him adieu and went down the street to my nice little hotel where I had a room on the roof where I could watch the kids fly their kites and watch the sun set.
I got situated and headed out to the main road to find some dinner. I happened upon a hole in the wall with one other customer, a Korean gal who was sitting by herself, who asked if I wanted to eat together. Sure! We ordered and got our food and as we were chatting I noticed at the table next to us was my good pal Ram sipping a lassi in a terracotta conical cup. He joined/some would say, forced his way into our conversation and talked about his travels and once again whipped out his photo album and showed us his travels to Europe and him next to a cactus. In one photo or a bunch of people dressed in orange garb and playing what looked like some sort of traditional India music, my Korean pal asked which was he in the photo. He hesitated and pointed to a guy with a potbelly and explained that he had gained weight at the time which explained the potbelly. The strange thing was that he was in a good shape and about my age and not one to have a temporary middle aged potbelly.
Ram again asked about the show that evening and I said I was going to rest my aching foot (which was true) and that I would have to pass. Then he asked if I wanted to go with him to the Amber fort the next day on his moto and hang out and I was all, uhh, that sounds nice, but I have other plans. He persisted and I finally said, thanks, but I'm really not interested. I got up to leave and noticed Ram's homie who liked my beard had sat down next to him and was smiling. I also realized I was leaving this nice Korean gal with the two dudes I didn't trust, but she got up too...and went over and sat chummily with the dude who so liked my beard. I guess they had hung out before or something.
I got situated and headed out to the main road to find some dinner. I happened upon a hole in the wall with one other customer, a Korean gal who was sitting by herself, who asked if I wanted to eat together. Sure! We ordered and got our food and as we were chatting I noticed at the table next to us was my good pal Ram sipping a lassi in a terracotta conical cup. He joined/some would say, forced his way into our conversation and talked about his travels and once again whipped out his photo album and showed us his travels to Europe and him next to a cactus. In one photo or a bunch of people dressed in orange garb and playing what looked like some sort of traditional India music, my Korean pal asked which was he in the photo. He hesitated and pointed to a guy with a potbelly and explained that he had gained weight at the time which explained the potbelly. The strange thing was that he was in a good shape and about my age and not one to have a temporary middle aged potbelly.
Ram again asked about the show that evening and I said I was going to rest my aching foot (which was true) and that I would have to pass. Then he asked if I wanted to go with him to the Amber fort the next day on his moto and hang out and I was all, uhh, that sounds nice, but I have other plans. He persisted and I finally said, thanks, but I'm really not interested. I got up to leave and noticed Ram's homie who liked my beard had sat down next to him and was smiling. I also realized I was leaving this nice Korean gal with the two dudes I didn't trust, but she got up too...and went over and sat chummily with the dude who so liked my beard. I guess they had hung out before or something.
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