The Emirati

Hussain is in his 50s and a regular visitor of our office. He only comes whenever his new utilities bill arrives. He is an Emirati and a dear friend of my boss ever since they were kids. They practically grew up together. I suspect Hussain is using their friendship to get money from my boss to pay his utilities bill.

My boss, being a sheikh, is naturally well-off compared to Hussain. I don't know much about his background since we don't really talk. He doesn't speak English, for one thing. What I heard from my boss was he has a son who is now working and making lots of money. He refuses to give him money because of this. Besides, Hussain can always ask his son to pay his bill. Old habits die hard, I guess.

But today, he was forced to talk to me because the Indian office boy who knows a little Arabic went out to pray and my boss' personal assistant was on leave. The only people left were the receptionist and myself.

He went to me and gave me a copy of his SEWA (Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority) bill for the month of June. He said (and this much I understood) that Ijaz (the office driver) asked for the original as instructed by my boss and so Hussain showed me the original bill but gave me a photocopy. What I understood from him was he needs the original to pay SEWA that's why he can only give me the photocopy. That's his only business for coming to our office so he could've left right away but, he has this reputation of lingering and talking incessantly.

Talking to him was stressful. I felt like I needed to decode the words that came out of his mouth and make sense of it all. He was looking for my boss' PA and I told him that she is sick. To this he said, "I pray her [his hand pointing to her desk], Inshallah!" So I said thank you. Then he got his phone and showed me the picture of his son in a car (all grown up and working now), and another picture of his son holding a baby girl. He said that she is his "grandson-girl." Next he showed me the picture of my boss and he said that he is his friend. He kissed his phone three times and told me to tell my boss "many salam salam." Salam means "hello" in Arabic.

Before he left, he said again "Photocopy give you" and so I said "Yes, I have the photocopy." Then he said "You believe me I give you photocopy." I replied with "Of course, I believe you! I'm holding it, look!"

If I have recorded our conversation and let you hear it, you'll probably feel frustrated because of the jumbled words, his sense of distrust to you, and how it goes around in circles.

I just wanted him to leave me so I told him to come back tomorrow so he can speak with the PA and I will give her the photocopy. Then he said, "Susan, you are nice. You will help me, ok, please?" Naturally, I said yes. Then he kept repeating he always prays for my boss and he will pray for the PA. He told me if I help him, the One above will bless me. He kept ranting with these things and I just nodded my head and say thank you...just so he would already leave!

Finally, he stood up and headed to the door. He paused and said thank you and "Tomorrow." I said, "Yes, tomorrow." He walked away and after a few steps came back. This time, he was asking me to call the office boy. I told him I don't know his number. From the look on his face, I'd say he thought I didn't understand him. He was starting to sound upset and kept saying telephone number and pointing to the office pantry. I asked him "You want Waqas' number?" He grumbled with "Uhh." So I told him "I don't know." He got upset again. This went on a couple of times more. To end it, I told him to just come back tomorrow. He mentioned that he'll have dialysis tomorrow and "call me" and was pointing to the pantry. I just nodded and kept saying yes to everything he said.

Finally, he left.

I don't really understand those kind of local people. The government gives them allowance. When an Emirati works for the government, he is even given a plot of land and an allowance to build himself a house. He is given two years to build the house or else he forfeits the land and the allowance. Never will you see a local here living in the streets. They are well-kept by the government. They get all sorts of allowances. It was reported that the locals comprise only 20% of the entire UAE population. The rest are expats (Arab expats, Indians, Westerners, and other Asians). The expats work their butt off and pay all sorts of fees for the benefit of the locals. Then I see people like him asking for charity.

Will my boss give him money to pay his bill? Not right away. Eventually, yes. How about my salary? He'll release it when he wants to. It's been over two months now since I got my Feb-09 salary and I'm still wondering when I'll get my next pay check!