So , I Wrote a Note to the King

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

My travails with my contractor over here are well-know. Today I got fed up and dropped a note in the mail to the King. (Address: ‘King Abdullah, Riyadh’) I figure it is fifty-fifty of even getting there.

THen the odds of getting some sort of action might be half again. (Of course ‘action’ could mean me being hustled into an unmarked van.) All the locals say retaliation for writing to the King is forbidden. But they might just be pulling my leg.

In any case, the deed is done and I do not care about retaliation. These people have screwed with me enough.

I will keep you posted.

2

And we should get worried if you don’t post again in how long?

3

You’ve got guts, I’ll say that. Fingers are crossed.

4

So… any chance of trial by combat?
Incidentally,

Would it have killed you to put an HRH (or whatever) in front of that? Kings are all about the ceremony.

5

How do you know he’s not a laid back dude just chillin’ on his throne? He might just be tired of the whole prostration business and might even enjoy a letter addressed to “His Right Coolness, King Abdullah?” If I were king I’d wanna take that sender out for a beer.

Just sayin’.

6

Right, at your friendly neighborhood bar…in Riyadh.

7

Heh. They’ll have pork rinds instead of peanuts.

8

Paul, what did you say in the letter?

9

Paul, we expect a post to this thread from you every twelve hours until you get a response of some kind. Then…yeah, guys in a van, I guess.

And I also want to know why you wrote to the King.

10

Text follows:

His Majesty, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Your Majesty,

I must bring to your attention the misconduct of my sponsor which has caused a great deal of unhappiness to myself and my coworkers.

DIFA, a Saudi company, has a contract with the Royal Saudi Air Forces to provide C-130 maintenance and other support here at King Abdullah Air Base and around the kingdom. They have held the contract for over three years.

The company has not provided health care for over a year. In that time at least two of my coworkers have died of cancer. Their families have not been paid the allowances required in these circumstances.

The company is unable to renew our residence permits. As a result, we have had our bank accounts frozen and have been unable to get visas to take vacation.

They have reduced our travel pay and have consistently paid us late. We are now owed two months’ pay. Our support personnel have not been paid in eight months.

I hope you and your staff can help us in this desperate situation.

Sincerely,

11

Didja sign it Lazlo Toth?

12

Please send me your picture!

13

Good for you, it’s straight to the point and wastes no time w/ fawning.

There should have been a little fawning, ya know.

14

What an awful situation. Sounds like you did what you had to do. Hope you get a (good) response.

GT

15

The odds of the government taking action in response to your request are about 25%?

Saudi Arabia must be the most efficient government in the world!

16

Oh. That guy. I thought you’d written to Elvis…

17

It’s been twelve hours since Paul last posted. Hope all is well! :stuck_out_tongue:

18

Nothing much to report. Over breakfast this morning, I got directions to the Palace, where the King has his weekly audience. I will not go this week, but will wait until next week. Besides, he has a buffet.

Shake hands, get a photo, present my petition. The usual.

19

Oh, good grief. Now I’ve got to say the magic word and turn to you-know-who and zip over to Saudi Arabia to save Paul’s ass.

AGAIN.

That’s TWICE THIS MONTH, and it’s only the THIRD.

20

:rolleyes:

I thought you used to be in the military…

It’s “Shake hands, get a photo, present my petition, go get Danish…”