"From Princesses to Peasants....

I also dealt with interpreters, accountants, Embassy Officials of different countries.

I got to know the sharks and the kittens of the Middle East. I got to know a whole mini Middle East society.

I talked to body guards (with their guns) and to Heads of State, who would come to see us after hours....when we 'mere women' were told to remain in our office, as the Ruler of Oman did not want to see us.
Of course, I always made sure I walked straight into the waiting room, and said good evening to them all....

I bartered, I argued, I cuddled, I uplifted, I offered my shoulder to cry on.

I had Princesses giggling in my office, because men were outside...and I dealt with the deeply unhappy beaten wives, who spent their summers 'doing Europe' searching for the cure from an illness they didn't have, because the illness was the beatings they had to endure. Their summer appointments were their one respite.

I spent Ramadan at the Saudi Health Office, patiently trying to explain to the crooked regime there that yes, they did owe Mr.Phelps Brown well over £100,000 for patients seen in just a few months...and I rebuffed the 'You show me some honey, and I'll show you the money' request from their bastard of a slimey Chief Accountant....

I was friends with Bassim and Hisham who always looked after me when I disappeared into the Embassies...and I worked out pretty fast that the Kuwaitis were lovely people, as were the Egyptians...The Qatari's pretty much did as they were told, the Libyans were pretty darn loopy and papered their Embassy walls with Harley St. bills which they never did pay...The Saudi Health Office eventually rumbled their crooked accountant...and years later he was returned to Saudi, in disgrace...Dr. Juma Bilal and Dr. Solomon, both heads of the United Arab Emirates Embassy were also friends of mine..Juma in particular was a real sweetiepie, who went out his way to inform me that the Saudi Health Office were telling lies about the doctor I worked for..

The womenn called me 'Habibi' and loved the fact I wore kohl on my eyes...and we'd laugh and joke, or mop up tears, whatever needed doing in their lives....

I learnt also that most Arab men felt that most Western women were/are sluts...and treated them accordingly. I never flirted with any of them, never gave them cause to treat me with anything, other than respect."
and you say you can build a new high speed railway for 33 billion.
can you tell me who will win the 3 .50 at kempton tomorrow.
you have five runners,here they are.
        43-22-        
Ajjaadd

b g Elusive Quality (USA) - Millstream (USA)

4, 9-13 (28) (Katy & Lol Pratt) (Drawn 2)
        

T Powell

S Drowne
2                0302-        
American Light

b g Statue Of Liberty (USA) - Break Of Dawn (USA)

4, 9-13 (26) (Tick Tock Partnership) (Drawn 5)
        

D M Simcock

M Lane (3)
3                        
Slap And Tickle

b f Exceed And Excel (AUS) - Common Rumpus (IRE)

4, 9-8 (Lucky Seven Stable) (Drawn 3)
        

S C Williams

W Carson (3)
4                63-        
Fair Passion

b f Trade Fair (GB) - United Passion (GB)

3, 8-7 (65) (Angie Conway / Whiteman Partnership) (Drawn 1)
        

D Shaw

Hayley Turner
5                3833-        
Texas Queen

b f Shamardal (USA) - Min Asl Wafi (IRE)

3, 8-7 (12) (Mr M Channon) (Drawn 4)
        

M R Channon

C Catlin