EXCERPT:

“The American accent is very famous,” she said. “Like two days ago when I met an American man and I said, ‘Where are you from?’ He said he’s from Canada.”

Amal rolled her eyes.

“He’s very scared … ya know?” she asked rhetorically, as only a teenager could. “I am Jordanian, and I will say I am Jordanian. But you are American, and you don’t have to say you are Canadian.”

“Why do you think they say that?” I asked Amal.

“Because they are scared, and they think we are terrorists.”

This story was first published by Creative Loafing Tampa in November 2007.