+ The merchant turned to a customer who wanted three crystal +glasses. He was selling better than ever…as if time had turned back +to the old days when the street had been one of Tangier’s major +attractions. +“Business has really improved,” he said to the boy, after the +customer had left. “I’m doing much better, and soon you’ll be able to +return to your sheep. Why ask more out of life?” +“Because we have to respond to omens,” the boy said, almost +without meaning to; then he regretted what he had said, because +the merchant had never met the king. +“It’s called the principle of favorability, beginner’s luck. Because +life wants you to achieve your Personal Legend,” the old king had +said. +But the merchant understood what the boy had said. The boy’s +very presence in the shop was an omen, and, as time passed and +money was pouring into the cash drawer, he had no regrets about +having hired the boy. The boy was being paid more money than he +deserved, because the merchant, thinking that sales wouldn’t +amount to much, had offered the boy a high commission rate. He +had assumed he would soon return to his sheep. +“Why did you want to get to the Pyramids?” he asked, to get +away from the business of the display. +“Because I’ve always heard about them,” the boy answered, +saying nothing about his dream. The treasure was now nothing but +a painful memory, and he tried to avoid thinking about it. +“I don’t know anyone around here who would want to cross the +desert just to see the Pyramids,” said the merchant. “They’re just a +pile of stones. You could build one in your backyard.” +“You’ve never had dreams of travel,” said the boy, turning to +wait on a customer who had entered the shop. +Two days later, the merchant spoke to the boy about the display. +“I don’t much like change,” he said. “You and I aren’t like Hassan, +that rich merchant. If he makes a buying mistake, it doesn’t affect +him much. But we two have to live with our mistakes.” +That’s true enough, the boy thought, ruefully. +“Why did you think we should have the display?” +“I want to get back to my sheep faster. We have to take +advantage when luck is on our side, and do as much to help it as it’s +doing to help us. It’s called the principle of favorability. Or +beginner’s luck.” +The merchant was silent for a few moments. Then he said, “The +Prophet gave us the Koran, and left us just five obligations to satisfy +during our lives. The most important is to believe only in the one +true God. The others are to pray five times a day, fast during +Ramadan, and be charitable to the poor.” +He stopped there. His eyes filled with tears as he spoke of the +Prophet. He was a devout man, and, even with all his impatience, he +wanted to live his life in accordance with Muslim law. +“What’s the fifth obligation?” the boy asked. +
+ + +