Sunday, September 28, 2008

Good Things Happen, Too...

Honestly, it is not only just BAD that happens, here. Occasionally good things happen, too. It would be unfair of me to tell of only the awful aspects of what my life sometimes seems like - IS LIKE - without reporting the good, as well.

Late this afternoon DH and I went downtown. I know, I know, I know... Absolutely detest going down at such a late hour, but really I do NEED bleach. I also need file folders. Thought I could kill two birds with one stone. Of course, that didn't happen. We have a new Jarir Mall that is only about a quarter open. They have a huge new Panda Hypermarket there. I've already blogged about going there once before. Like I said - wanted file folders which Jarir carries - only the new Jarir is not even open yet - and wanted bleach and took my chances that the Panda Hypermarket would have some.

As we were driving downtown, DH pointed out a dog running along a fence in the distance - a fence which surrounds one of the Saudi Armed Forces base's. I wish DH wouldn't have even said anything, because I will spend the rest of the night just thinking about that poor hungry dog. Don't you know, we pull into Jarir Mall which is still under construction, and I see ANOTHER dog! I cannot remember seeing stray dogs - I've seen none - downtown, ever. In the desert we've seen many - but not downtown. So, now I've got to worry about two starving dogs tonight. [It isn't enough that I have got to feed all the stray cats...]

Anyway, we go racing into Panda - the mall is about to close for prayer - the 5:30 prayer - and the security guys are telling everyone to go quickly - no problem. Need bleach. Just bleach. THERE IS BLEACH! [Have you EVER known ANYONE to get so excited over bleach?!? Probably not.] I grab two gallons - one in each hand - pass one of to DH - and head for the checkout - which is lined up back through the aisles as everyone is trying to get out of Panda and get home to prepare their Iftar dinners. DH and I are standing in line and he says, "I'll be right back." Fine. No problem. He hands me the gallon of bleach he was holding and he disappears. A man [obviously Saudi, dressed in a thobe and sandals - his head covered in a guthra] with his cart laden with food stuff and three humongous bags of rice gets in line behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him rearranging his cart. I don't give it much thought. A second or two later he taps me on the shoulder and invites me to set my bleach in his cart so that I do not have to stand in line forever holding onto a gallon of bleach at the end of each arm.

There. That is my "good." [More tomorrow! Just YOU wait!!!] But I really just think that that simple act of kindness spoke volumes and I so appreciate that he made such a gesture. Thank you, Mr. Saudi, whoever you were, standing behind me in line at Panda early this evening, for making room in your cart so that I could set my bleach down. It was kind of you and just very, very sweet!

[No. It does not count that several minutes later, after DH reappeared, Mr. Saudi accidentally ran into DH's ankles with his cart - it only happened because nice Mr. Saudi was trying to maneuver his cart out of the way of someone else who was trying to get to another line with one of those "car-kid-carts" that take up far too much room! Mr. Saudi lightly tapped DH on the shoulder as if he was trying to say he was sorry for the ankle-nudge but didn't quite know how to say it in English.
We forgive you for that, Mr. Saudi. We know you did not mean to do it and we will not hold that against you.]

8 comments:

  1. loads of dogs up by holiday Inn. I was once chased away by a pack of 'em when I went to close to their territory. (that is why I gave up walking lol) The pack was made up of desert dogs and pets that were abandoned by Westerners after the attacks. They tend to eat well, compound garbage is lush with scraps.

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  2. thats the thing with arab men - they are two extremes. either super nice and sweet (and usually mistaken for hidden agendas) OR complete and total dickheads if you would excuse my russian.

    have faith woman - our men are not all bad

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  3. Don't even know where the Holiday Inn is, NZ. [Did not want to know there were stray dogs - and I MUST assume are hungry... Glad compound garbage is lush with scraps. The dog I saw at Jarir was fur and bones! Obviously doesn't know where to go eat.] Don't disagree that Westerner's left their dogs - many left pets in May of 2003 after Oasis - but it was not American Westerner's. We can take our dogs home without the quarantine, etc., whereas many other countries don't make it that simple.

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  4. 3anooda - never for a second considered that the man had a hidden agenda. Just thought he was being nice and considerate. He knew my DH was there with me. I've met both - the nice and the total asses. I know they are not ALL bad.

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  5. See, it's those suprise moments that give me hope!

    I'm glad you found your bleach.

    And about the dogs - well, the police here shoot them in broad daylight sometimes. :*(

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  6. Holiday Inn is off of that same highway that you get to Dhahran mall. Just heading towards Dammama rather than Bahrain. Can't see where scraps are going to come from at Jarir plaza, well not until they open up some resteraunts at least. We see wild dogs all the time, some look better than others. The pack that took a dislike to me was surrounded by several compounds with overflowring trash containers and several schools.

    You could tell they were abandoned by westerners by the breeds. They weren't pure desert dogs one was a collie. I couldn't believe it. Europe has to be the worst for quarantine and most won't go through it.

    Mr. Man has a pack of dogs at his office site. One just had a litter. They aren't starving and are a tad bit aggressive which Mr. Man isn't happy about. "they'll chase you when you go for your car" I have to laugh.


    L- that would totally freak me out. I can see not liking dogs.. but comeon.

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  7. Yes, I have bleach, L_O. Oh Happy, Happy Day! [Cannot even think about the dogs just getting shot. That makes me ILL!]

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  8. There needs to be some sort of "checks and balance" system, NZ, for people bringing in dogs. If you bring one in - it MUST be taken out - no matter how difficult the procedure might be. If you are NOT going to be responsible for taking your pet out, you shouldn't be allowed to bring it in. [If your pet passes away here, then you need to be able to prove it somehow... There has got to be a way.]

    I was more content not knowing about all the stray dogs... I'll be carrying dog food around now, along with the cat food.

    I have contacted PAWS about our three stray kittens. Hopefully we can get them trapped...

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