Deceived

Manuel sat with his eyes
carefully monitoring his surroundings.
Noon came just in time
arriving before the second batch
of shopkeepers pooled into a
single file line.
They overstock their
booths, marketing to
con-men and con-women from various
parts of the world.
He sits. He stares. He keeps
his things close.
He doesn't trust tourists.
He has his reasons.

A shopkeeper notices his
glare.
He questions him in the
frozen position--bent on
wanting to learn more.
Manuel closes in and says,
"Keep your friends close and
your enemies closer, my friend."
The shopkeeper turned to
leave, feeling ridiculed without
an invitation.

Deceived

Oblivious to him, the booth
he set up just ten minutes ago
was ransacked by those same
con-men and con-women he
offered his goods to.

Shooting Manuel a worried look,
the shopkeeper saw his lips mouth,
"You've been deceived."