An Evening Conversation

“Excuse me, ma’am, the museum is closed. I’ll have to ask you to leave.” Alex’s key ring jingled as he walked toward the woman sitting on the bench in the museum’s newest exhibit. It was a sarcophagus and collection of artifacts found in and around a tomb in what had been Persia, on loan from the National Museum of Iran. The woman’s hair fell over her shoulder as she turned to face him and smiled. He stared. Her combination of dark hair and eyes and pale glowing skin was ethereal and he wondered when or if he’d ever seen a woman so captivating.

“I’m sorry,” she said, glancing down with a slight nod, “I’m Samira. Dr. Mohammadi brought me here. I was just enjoying the peace in this place.”

“Dr. Mohammadi is the archeologist in charge of all this, right?” Alex gestured to the glass cases scattered throughout the room.

“He is.” Samira’s voice was quiet.

“Well, then, sorry to bother you. I’m just not used to seeing the doctors out here. They usually stay in the labs in the back.”

“You’re no bother at all. Come and sit with me for a moment. I can practice my English.” She patted the bench and slid over a bit, inviting him. “What is your name?”

Alex hesitated a moment, he needed to finish his round of the museum, check the bathrooms for errant teens looking for a Night at the Museum experience or unhoused folks looking to get out of the weather. But there was something in her full smile and sparkling eyes that drew him in, convinced him to sit. He lowered his ex-linebacker build onto the bench, careful to support his right side and that bum knee. “Alex.”

“Alex, is that short for Alexander?”

“Yes.”

“Ahh, Alexander, Protector of Men. That’s what your name means. It’s a name worthy of kings and conquerors. And here you are, protecting us.” She lifted both arms, framing the room full of forgotten things from a forgotten time. Alex tilted his head, unsure of what to think. She looked at Alex, smiling, and leaned back on her hands, closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose, held it momentarily and blew the air out through her mouth.

She squinted at Alex sideways, “Come, deep breath with me now, Alexander. In through your nose, hold, blow it out through your mouth.” He closed his eyes and leaned back on the bench, joining her in the next deep breath. Alex could smell the cleaners used to mop the floor and wipe fingerprints from the glass enclosures. He could also detect the faint scent of sweet perfume and the earthiness of musty old books.

“You smell that?” Samira asked. She stood from the bench, “Come, let me show you the treasures of a forgotten time.”

Alex stood up and let her lead him through the exhibit. His introverted nature and overnight schedule meant that he spent much of his time alone. This kind of attention was something he wasn’t used to enjoying and he didn’t want to go back to work yet.

“Just a few minutes, then I guess I should get back to my rounds.”

“Come.” She took his hand. 

Alex jumped, “Your hand is so cold.” He could see that she was dressed in a pale, sleeveless linen dress. “Do you need a jacket? I have one…”

Samira laughed, “No, I feel fine.” She pulled him toward a case with carved combs, bracelets, belts studded with precious stones and a large round hand mirror. “See these? Some of the beautiful things a lady would have to make herself ready for the day. Well, she would also need kohl for her eyes and lip stains, but I suppose those wouldn’t have lasted this long.” Alex watched her face as she looked wistfully at each item in the case.

“It’s amazing that these lasted so long without being discovered.”

“They were all buried, well hidden from the outside world, and cursed, of course.” She laughed. “There is always a curse to scare away the casual looters, right?” Alex laughed with her. “But war… war has a way of uncovering the old secrets and making curses seem like the lesser of the two evils, right? So here we are.”

She looked around in silence for several moments. Alex squeezed her hand softly. “I’m sorry, I have to finish my round.”

Samira turned to him and smiled. “So soon? You are kind to indulge me, Alexander, I hope we meet again.”

“I would like that.” he murmured as he released her hand. Alex walked toward the exhibit entrance and scanned his badge at the sensor near the hall. He glanced back over his shoulder at Samira and waved.

*****

“Alexander, is that you?” 

Alex jumped, not expecting to find anyone in the quiet museum so long after closing. “Yes, Samira? You startled me.”

Her laugh was musical, sweet and inviting. Alex walked to the tall sarcophagus as Samira stepped from behind it. 

“It’s so nice to see you again, Alexander, it’s been a few days.” 

“I had the weekend off.”

“Oh, yes, I forget about weekends.”

“Don’t you take the weekends off?”

“It all seems like weekends now. Nothing to do but remember.” She smiled sadly and looked up at the tall sarcophagus. 

“I guess it’s a lot of work to bring everything here and get it all set up, and then not much else to do once that’s all done?”

“Something like that.” Samira turned toward Alex, “Enough about me. Tell me about your weekend, Alexander, Protector of Men.” 

“I guess I did protect the quarterback there for a while. At least, until this knee blew out. It ended everything.” Alex sighed, “I guess my weekend was quiet, I just did laundry and cleaned my apartment on Saturday. Then yesterday, I watched the ball game with my brother and dad and we had a few beers.”

“Oh beer, I love beer. We used to go to the stadium to watch the games and drink beer and wine all day. So much fun.” Samira looked away like she was remembering a happy memory. “Tell me about your game.”

“It was just football, you know, our team lost. It’s been a losing streak all year. The coach will be lucky to keep his job, you know? Everyone is calling for him to be fired.”

“Ah yes, disgraceful,” she said. Then she laughed. “Sounds like football back home. Losers pay the price.” she said as she raked her thumb across her throat.

“I’d settle for seeing him get fired, but yeah.” Alex laughed. “I think our football is a little different from yours; here we call that sport soccer. I don’t know many women who are fans of football and beer.”

“Well, like you said, our football was a bit different, but everyone loves sports and alcohol. That part of human nature crosses oceans, time, cultures, everyone likes to blow off steam after working hard.” Alex nodded in agreement.

“Come, let me show you something.” Samira grabbed his hand. “Look at this.” She led Alex to a glass case full of ancient pottery. “See these?” She pointed to several large vessels. “These were used for drinking beer. These others were for wine. See the scenes etched on the side? Those celebrate some of the best athletes and the sports we would watch in the arenas. The matches would sometimes last for days.”

Alex wrinkled his forehead, “We?”

Samira paused and then laughed, “My ancestors, of course. I get carried away.” She looked back at the pottery in the case.

“I love that.” Alex said quietly.

“Love what?” Samira asked. Alex felt his stomach drop as she took a step toward him and tilted her face up.

“I love that you are so passionate about the history of your country. I love that you love sports and you even said you like beer. I’ve never met a woman like you. You’re so beautiful but so down-to-earth.”

“You are generous and kind. Your wife is lucky to have a man such as you, Alexander.”

“I’m not married.” 

“Not married? How is this possible?” 

Alex was nervous, aware of her face so close to his. “Well, my grandmother is upset. She thinks I need to meet someone and keeps trying to set me up with the women in her church. I guess I’m just not ready. What about you? Are you married?”

“No, I was also not ready. My father though…” Samira trailed off with a tsk-tsk-tsk while shaking her head. “He always wanted to marry me off.”

“I can relate to that. Families always think they know best, right?” Alex laughed.

“No family here now, though,” Samira stepped closer. Her eyes moved to his lips. 

“I should probably go.” Alex muttered. “I have rounds.”

Samira ran her hand up his chest. “You should definitely go, Alexander, but you don’t really want to, do you?”

“No.” he whispered. He leaned down toward her face and put his arms around her. “You’re so cold…”

Samira smiled and took his face in her hands, kissing him deeply. Alex hadn’t kissed a woman like that in so long, maybe never; it made him slightly dizzy. She pressed closer until he stepped back, leaning into the glass case. The support felt good; the kiss deepened, her body against him. Alex relaxed and felt his body weaken, wooziness was almost too much.

“I need to sit.” he whispered into her lips.

“I have you,” she whispered back. Alex opened his eyes and saw something draining from his body entering Samira. He panicked, tried to pull back, but she held firm. “Stay with me, Alexander.” her thoughts echoed inside his mind, “Shhh…”

There was a rush of air like a tornado swirl around them both as she held him. He could hear nothing but the roar of wind and feel the electric buzz like thousands of bees bumping his skin. His knees buckled, and Alex surrendered, blowing away into the wind.

Samira looked down at the dust in her hands and let it fall to the floor below. “Your grandmother is a wise woman.”