Towel of Shame

I brought shame upon myself, my family, and all those within a two meter radius last night.

Last week I had no water in my apartment so I went to a friends to shower. I forgot my towel. Last night I visited and was reminded about the forgotten towel. I left with the towel. It is purple and moderately fluffy.

I was walking with a friend. After a minute or so he realized what I was carrying. In my hand, in the street. In front of every body! He told me to hurry up and get a bag for it or something. Hide it away. Quickly!

"Why?" I asked innocently
"It's embarrassing for me."
"Why is it embarrassing?"
"It just it. I can't walk with you if you're going to be carrying that." He stopped and I kept walking. I ducked into a shop to buy something and when I came out he was angry.

"You're still carrying that?"
That's a yes.
"Put it in a bag or something."
"Tell me why."
"I told you. It's embarrassing."
"But why is it embarrassing? Are people going to think something? Are they going to say something?"
"It's not done! When was the last time you saw some one carry a towel in Syria? Have you every seen any one do that?"

I have to admit, I have not seen many Syrian walking around with towels. Then again, it's not like I saw many americans chilling with towels in the streets either. But if some one had reason to, why not? There are many explanations: I could be coming home after swimming. Or I could have an irrational fear of catching lice and thus insist on bringing my own towel when I go to a hair salon. Or I could have showered at a friend's house because I have no water - in Jaramana, where we have problems with the water, this is very likely. I mean, I've never seen anyone walking around Damascus with a ceiling fan but were I to see this I would think: oh, he probably just bought a ceiling fan. No shame whatsoever. And a ceiling fan is much more conspicuous and awkward to carry than a towel.

But my friend refused to walk within two meters of me as long as I carried that shameful, shameful towel. I still don't get it.