Cultural Observations

You may remember when I had to learn to communicate more effectively with a security guard at the Al Jimi mall in Al Ain. Well, last night, SP taught me a new lesson about knowing your audience.

When we walked up to the security checkpoint at Blossom to see Toby Keith for Phillip's birthday, we got held up with our lawn chairs, which were too tall to pass muster. We tried a couple of genuine pleas, we offered to leave them folded, and then SP (who had walked in with her husband and maneuvered her chair past the gates) walked up and like a champ communicated in a language they could understand:

"That chair is for me. Are you going to make me sit on the ground? Are you going to seriously take this chair away from a pregnant lady? C'mon man."

A bit of stalling, some exchanged glances and, eventually guilt. "Ok," they acquiesced. "But you have to name him after us. Thomas Richard."

"It's a girl," she said.

"What about Thomasina Richardina?"