A week ago I was returning home from the hospital in the early hours of the morning. As I walked down the long hospital main corridor I passed a few members of the nursing staff possibly on their way home for a much needed break, I encountered a member of the cleaning department who greeted me in a polite manner whilst merrily cleaning away and as I exited the hospital I encountered a few Saudi colleagues who were taking a small smoke break to calm their nerves down as they mentioned. I left them behind and continued strolling down the paved sidewalk. After a few minutes I realized that I was completely alone as there was not a soul around me to be seen. I stared up in the sky and ogled at the sight of the gorgeous moon in front of me. Whenever I stare at the moon I always think about my dad simply because whenever he looks at the moon he always recites a prayer in praise of the Almighty for creating the moon with such splendour and perfection. Whilst engrossed in the beauty of the moon I suddenly became startled at the screeching sound of a car that abruptly stopped near the entrance of the compound.It was a black caprice with black tinted windows. I heard the door opening and suddenly a western woman emerged from inside the car. She was hurling foul and abusive language at the top of her voice and then slammed the door behind her. Her abaya was open and underneath it she had adorned a tight,body fit black and silver short dress.When the compound guard heard her shouting and screaming, he naturally ran up to her to see if everything was alright. She then followed him to his small guard post. Suddenly, she decided to hug the guard.He was a bit shocked and moved away. Then she whispered something in his ears. The expression on his face suddenly changed and all I heard him saying was La La...NO NO...As I got closer to the two of them, he suddenly noticed me making my way to the compound. He came up to me to enquire about my health and if I required anything. I could not figure out why was the woman sitting in the guard post room. I thought that something must have transpired and may be she required help. So I asked him if everything was alright. He looked at me with a grin on his face and said in Arabic:"This lady is crazy. She asked me to kiss her and to accompany her to her apartment. Naturally I said no. But now she is refusing to go home.These western women are cheap and disrespectful".The compound security guard is a young, well groomed Saudi gentleman in his early twenties.He hails from a very respectable family as I was given an opportunity of meeting his parents. He respects me as a sisterly figure in his life and always comes to me if he requires assistance in his English language course that he has taken up part time.The compound guard accompanied me until the bench near the swimming pool. He then scampered off to get me some water.
So many thoughts ran through my mind. Middle Eastern people have always considered western women as being loose and immoral. Of course this is a pure generalization and can not be applied to everyone for in every society you get women who belong to both ends of the spectrum. On the other hand do you really blame the society for thinking in this manner if the few Western women you do encounter behave in this ludicrous manner. He returned with the water after a while and then we both heard the sound of car coming inside the compound. It was the head security guard on duty and his presence certainly caused the woman to leave the guard post cubicle.She scurried off down the road making her way home as fast as she possibly could and certainly left both of us watching with stitches of laughter............
