# So , I Wrote a Note to the King
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 2, 2006, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008 "2006-08-02T11:47:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/1 "2006-08-02T11:47:47Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/2 "2006-08-02T12:10:25Z")
And we should get worried if you don’t post again in _how long_?
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### Author:  [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/3 "2006-08-02T12:14:50Z")
You’ve got guts, I’ll say that. Fingers are crossed.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/4 "2006-08-02T12:19:09Z")
So… any chance of trial by combat?
Incidentally,
> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> (Address: ‘King Abdullah, Riyadh’)
Would it have killed you to put an HRH (or whatever) in front of that? Kings are all about the ceremony.
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### Author:  [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/5 "2006-08-02T12:43:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#):
>
> Would it have killed you to put an HRH (or whatever) in front of that? Kings are all about the ceremony.
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’.
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/6 "2006-08-02T12:57:51Z")
> [@Mindfield](#):
>
> 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’.
Right, at your friendly neighborhood bar…in Riyadh.
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### Author:  [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/7 "2006-08-02T13:32:42Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> Right, at your friendly neighborhood bar…in Riyadh.
Heh. They’ll have pork rinds instead of peanuts.
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### Author:  [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/8 "2006-08-02T14:07:33Z")
**Paul** , what did you say in the letter?
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### Author:  [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/9 "2006-08-02T15:52:10Z")
**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.
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/10 "2006-08-02T16:14:28Z")
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,
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/11 "2006-08-02T16:15:57Z")
Didja sign it [Lazlo Toth?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Novello)
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### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/12 "2006-08-02T16:23:53Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> Didja sign it [Lazlo Toth?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Novello)
Please send me your picture!
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### Author:  [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/13 "2006-08-02T23:38:08Z")
Good for you, it’s straight to the point and wastes no time w/ fawning.
There should have been a little fawning, ya know.
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### Author:  [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/14 "2006-08-03T00:34:52Z")
What an awful situation. Sounds like you did what you had to do. Hope you get a (good) response.
GT
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/15 "2006-08-03T00:37:22Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> …I figure it is fifty-fifty of even getting there.
>
> THen the odds of getting some sort of action might be half again. …
>
> I will keep you posted.
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!
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/16 "2006-08-03T01:16:30Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> (Address: ‘King Abdullah, Riyadh’)
Oh. That guy. I thought you’d written to Elvis…
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/17 "2006-08-03T04:11:53Z")
It’s been twelve hours since Paul last posted. Hope all is well! 😛
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/18 "2006-08-03T12:37:57Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/19 "2006-08-03T13:15:01Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-wrote-a-note-to-the-king/367008/20 "2006-08-03T14:23:23Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> 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.
:rolleyes:
I thought you used to be in the military…
It’s “Shake hands, get a photo, present my petition, _go get Danish_…”
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