Gas Station Incident

Rant:

So there I was after a whole morning of running errands at out neighborhood gas pump, filling up on gas.

Me:  Asalaam alaykum, 50 dirhams special please

Attendant:  OK (puts the nozzle into the gas tank and heads off to serve other client)

After 10 minutes attendant comes to my window, "50 dirhams please" I check the meter and sure enough it indicates 50 dirhams has been pumped.

I hand him a 100 dirham note, and he gives me back 50 dirhams in change.

Me:  Shukran, Thank you!

Attendant:  Welcome! (walks off to another car)

I drive off and I don't get 8 metres before I hear a loud clanging noise, I look back and I see the attendant's confused look turning into horrified comprehension when he realizes he did not remove the gas nozzle and pipe from my car's tank.  I can understand this happens sometimes and so I wait for him to come over and check for any damage to the car or the pump.  But sadly, this is what I hear coming from his deceitful mouth "Madam, I told you "one minute" why did you drive off".  WTF!  I am 1000000% sure that he said nothing of the sort and I told him so.  He walked off and left me there wondering what's next?  The supervisor came and said "It's your fault for not checking that the nozzle is out of the tank"  WHAT!!  How on earth can I see the nozzle on the right side of the car from the drivers seat?  All I saw was the price indicator showing 50 dirhams had been filled into the tank, so I paid it and do I now have to come out of the car and check that the nozzle has been removed?  If he said "One minute" like he claimed then why did he then walk away and not actually go to my car to remove the nozzle??


 It was clearly his fault, at least partially, but he behaved like a complete ass and insisted that I drove off on my own accord, whereas had he apologized we could have come to some compromise.  The accident  police (known as 'Sa'ad' they come to handle minor accidents) came and literally forced me to accept blame and make my insurance pay, he sympathized with him knowing that his job was on the line. I found out later that I can make a report of negligence and he will probably lose his job, but I don't want to do that. Now I have to run like a maniac to get the insurance to pay and reclaim my driver's license.  Actually soon after that the real police came and the poor attendant's face turned ashen, he knew that he was in for it, but I didn't make a fuss because of Allah, I am not vengeful but the injustice of it all makes me mad.  What should I do now?  Maybe I should make a statement so that he can get a warning, his negligence could cost someone dearly.  It was horrible seeing someone lie like that!  Ruined my whole already mucked up week. All I can say now is Alhamdulillah for everything.....at least the car wasn't damaged.

Dirty Hoes!!

Warning: 18Plus

I was chatting to a UK friend of mine the other day and this subject came up.  He told me that in the clubs in London, people often have sex right there in the dark corners or in the bathrooms.  This is what he said.  Whaaaat!  I haven't seen this in all my long gone partying days in Nairobi, and we partied a lot!! I don't know what it's like now, maybe some of my younger, still partying friends can enlighten me? 

My late brother was the DJ at what was then known as "Visions" and there were a couple of burly bouncers who took care of any over enthusiastic shows of affection before they got out of hand.  I DO remember seeing young couples snogging in the corner at the famous Carnivore but thankfully nothing more.  Maybe this was going on but I didn't see this as I was always busy dancing my night away.  There were always prostitutes there trying to hook up with "clients" so they could leave and go do it in some seedy hotel room or quickies in the cars or whatever.

The question is this: when we see a woman selling her body for money then we can define her as a prostitute, but what do we call the women who just feel like getting some and go trawling in  clubs for it?  Maybe she's in between boyfriends, or divorced or whatever so she sees nothing wrong in behaving like many men do.  If she needs it, she goes out and she gets it, without getting paid, or paying anyone.  What is she called?   Can she be termed a whore if money doesn't change hands? Some people may even think she has a right to fulfill her needs as she sees fit.  Is it not just a basic need like eating and sleeping?  But on the other hand, aren't we women emotional creatures?  And is the driving force really just a physiological need for sex or an inner desire to feel loved and wanted?   Sometimes a woman (or a man) just needs to be held.  Maybe this is the closest thing to a cuddle they can get?  I do feel sorry for these women and I am not one to judge, that is Allah's Supreme right.  All I know is loneliness is a terrible thing and I pray that we never get desperate enough to allow our bodies to be used just to get some short lived male attention. 

By the way,  I have a bone to pick with some of  you men: C'mon! step up and pick up the slack, there are so many good women waiting for you, and why do you always prefer bitches anyways?  That's another post for another day once I've read THIS book by Sherry Argov....

Men at Work

Asalaam alaykum.

So I'm hammering out this post at work in between mouthfuls of green tea. It's not that I don't have real work to do, it's just that I need to rant about this crazy dude working here.

He is so weird for so many reasons. I recently caught a glimpse of his raggedy, greying ponytail when he was adjusting his ghutra on the top of his head. He plays videos in his office and sings old Yemeni love songs in a loud, thick voice, bashing his palms on his desk in time to the music. When his friends visit his office, they have a blast, laughing and joking loud enough to blow your eardrums. 

And....He stares at women.  If you happen to meet him in the corridor, he loses his composure, then recovering, he will puff up his chest, broaden his shoulders and stare. He will even turn around to look at you from from behind.  It's horrible!  It's scary because he has very big, red eyes. I hate being stared at like that! I don't have to deal with him professionally, his work is not even remotely related to mine, but his office is directly opposite mine.(I call mine an office but really it's just a large cubicle).

My sweet friend called me for a natter the other day, and as I was quietly giggling at a joke, Mr. Big Eyes stepped out, scowling.  He walked right past my office straight to his secretary in the next office.  I heard mumbling for a few minutes and then he walked back to his office and slammed the door.

Then his secretary called my extension and apologetically told me her boss asked her to tell me that I was laughing too loudly, not appropriate behaviour for a woman in the office, and if I laughed or talked loudly again then he would report me to my boss. 

Really???!!??  Now as I remember I was talking softly but I was worried so I asked the secretary if she had heard me laughing or talking? 

She said, "No, I didn't even know you were talking on the phone!  That guy is a jerk, we all hate him!  He likes women to smile and laugh with him, and you ignore him. Just give him a smile every now and then and keep a low profile for a while until he finds something else to be a jerk about!" 

Whaaaaaaat....??!!??

So now I'm being made to feel like I'm a mannerless fishwoman who doesn't know how to behave in public because this guy needs attention?

My job is very important to me so I've been doing my best to talk very softly since then, but I will not smile at him. I refuse to pander to his fading sense of masculinity.

Meanwhile I'm thinking of blowing this picture up and putting it up on my wall. Heeheehee!

Forever a Foreigner.

Rant..


Women here have little control over their own lives.  For example, I need written permission from my husband to work or buy a car,  even if you are buying it with your own hard earned money.  Every time I renew my driver's license, I need his written permission.  This is for those like me who are on their UAE husband's sponsorship.  I don't know if UAE National women go through the same.


I have been on his visa for the past 15 years.  He has applied for my nationality twice already, and twice they lost the file.  Now he has to apply again, and, understandably,  he's reluctant, he thinks "What's the use? They're going to lose it again".  But my life is here now, my kids are growing up and getting an education here, I want to belong and contribute to this country. Am I going to live on a visa for the rest of my life?  I love UAE, but I wish these things were easier.  It's not easy to bring up my UAE child as a foreigner. 

Abaya + Exercise = No Stares?!?

Asalaam alaykum folks!  


The weather is fantastic right now in Abu Dhabi and my kids tell me that I have put off outdoor exercising for most of the year, and now there's no excuse. So on with our trainers and off to the Corniche we will go (maybe tonight if I feel up to it..or after the New Year..).


Now, I've been walking along the Corniche on and off for ages now, so I've seen it change and move further and further outwards as they reclaim the sea.  It's beautiful really! Greenery, beaches, a bicycle/rollerblading track and a nice stretch to walk or jog on, with the sea on one side and the Abu Dhabi skyline on the other.  Abu Dhabi Corniche is a really happening place, boating, jetskis, concerts, WOMAD, Ya Sallam (Formula One), if it's in Abu Dhabi, chances are it's on the Corniche!


A very nice place to get fresh air and exercise except for one thing....the gawkers!!  Oui mes amis! They sit around on the benches so thoughtfully provided by the Baladiyah, and wait for any woman (or man, or just anything at all) to pass by so that they can stare and feast their beady little eyes on OPP (other peoples' property). I've even seen some do worse but I don't want to scare you.  


I am an abaya wearer, alhamdulillah, but I still feel their eyes on me as I walk past them trying to control the jelly action as much as I can.  I try to ignore them because confrontation is of no use, trust me, I have tried. So I just move on fuming on the inside at their utterly disgusting looks. I'm fully covered,  so all you who wonder if it's the way you dress, wonder no more, it is just the disease in those peoples hearts that makes them stare at someone's sister, mother, daughter or wife in such a lecherous manner.  


How can you remove that sickness from someone's heart? You can't, just stay safe.