History Lesson

I love culture and learning about it. I enjoy history and try to look at it with a dispassionate eye while appreciating the grandeur as well as tragedy of the human experience. When I stand in front of ruins, I can spend a long time just staring at them, my mind filled with scenes and images of those ancient times. Archeology and anthropology are our attempts at decoding the signals of humanity across time and space. So, you can imagine what immense respect and reverence I have for ancient places.

Having had the fortune of visiting some ruins that were of utmost importance to the development of the American continent, I was thrilled to visit the many areas, rooms, and courtyards of this grand place. I marveled at technology, the architecture, the materials, and all the other wonders necessary to maintain it. I tried to imagine the men and women who inhabited this place centuries ago. Astonishing!

I was exploring one curious chamber in this place when a young couple entered the room, and after looking around, they asked me in American English if I had a pencil.

Indeed I had a pencil. In fact, being a stationery geek, I usually carry a fancy Faber Castell pencil that comes with an integrated pencil sharpener and extender, so I was very much overjoyed to show it off. I pulled out the pencil from my bag and handed it to him.

To my astonishment and surprise, the couple proceeded to write their names on the ancient wall with MY pencil. Are you kidding me? Frigging kids! And do I look like the kind of dude who would approve of these shenanigans?

Happy with their masterwork on the centuries-old walls, they handed me back the pencil.

"Nice pencil!" said the guy with a happy-go-lucky grin.

"Thanks!" I said nearly speechless.

Was I supposed to scold them and give them a lecture about not touching other people's property, and especially their historical landmarks?

Looking around at the walls, I just pocketed the pencil then wishing them a happy trip, I exited the room and carried on my business.