My companion in the Middle East was a small paper cutout of Flat Stanley. For those who have never encountered Flat Stanley, he is a character in a delightful children’s book who travels the world through the mail enabled by his flatness. Creative teachers assign their young students the task of sending Flat Stanley to someone, preferably out of state, so that Stanley can have adventures and report back to his owner. My then second-grade grandchild, Eleanor, lucked out as I was about to embark upon an extensive tour of the Middle East and Stanley, flat, small, light, taking up very little room in my fanatically lightweight luggage, was welcomed to join me.

He proved invaluable as a door-opener, ice breaker. Who could resist holding a small, paper doll in front of a pyramid, outside a souk, at the top of a mountain. Many encounters were with people who had no idea why they were being asked to hold him and pose for a photograph but were quite willing to do so. It was a bit like traveling with a small child except that he was hassle-free, never crying or shrinking in fear of strangers, never hungry and, that essential requirement, light.

Early into the trip, my group was visiting the Great Sphinx of Giza. I whipped Stanley out of my backpack for the duty photo in front of the famous statue. Much to my surprise, a fellow traveler whipped out his Stanley and a friendship was formed. Six degrees of separation in action. We had many joint photos with our charges. They seemed to enjoy having a partner and I felt less ridiculous.

The two Stanleys journeyed through Egypt, sailing on the Nile, visiting Karnak, riding through the dunes on a camel, taking the early morning convoy to Abu Simbel and wandering through the rebuilt-stone-by-stone temples. They also climbed Mt. Sinai, basked in the sun on the Red Sea. I had to draw the line at snorkeling. My Stanley was already showing signs of wear and adding water was out of the question. The last photo of the two Stanleys was taken in Petra, Jordan looking down upon the Treasury (popularized in the third Indiana Jones movie.) It was the perfect time of day, sunrise, and they were the first pair into the site.

Eleanor’s Stanley went on to Syria, a safari in Uganda and Kenya, played with the baby elephants in Nairobi, sat on the beaches of Zanzibar, but those are different tales for another time. Both made it safely back to their owners and into their classrooms laden with amazing tales of exotic places. Best friends forever.