I am taking the unusual step of relating a personal story which underlines the difference in the attitude to ‘Age’ in the Eastern and Western worlds. I trust that it does not bore you:-
In the late eighties I was in Qatar working for an Arab Contractor building the “New Women’s Hospital”.
One Thursday morning (the start of the weekend), I was driving in the Hospital grounds when I collided with an old Bedouin gentleman driving a clapped out pick-up truck.
There was never any question of who was to blame, - it was obviously me because I was guilty of being in his Country. I had no argument!
It finally came to a meeting in the Police Station where all parties were sat around a large table and I had the benefit of an interpreter from my office.
Towards the end of the proceedings which had taken place in Arabic, I was asked to stand up and shake the old fellow by the hand. This I obviously did.
As soon as we were outside of the meeting I asked my interpreter “What was all that about?” Apparently the old fellow had said:-
“I am an old man with a white beard ! and he (pointing at me) is an old man with a white beard, we should have no quarrel !”
The matter was settled!.
I should add that in those days, my beard was prematurely white as it was bleached by the sun !!.
Seriously, if any other Resident, and there must be many, who has a short (publishable) story about their past experiences, we would love to hear it.
Don’t worry about the subject, if you have found it interesting enough to remember for all these years, it must be interesting enough for us to read !
(James