Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Talking to a Wall


H ubby just got back from a trip he took with his brother "A" up to a small town in northern Saudi Arabia about 800 km away from Jeddah called Diba or Duba, or something like that. Trying to get information out of my husband - a man of very few words - is literally like, for lack of a better description, pulling teeth.


Me: So tell us about your trip, dear. What is Diba like?

Hubby: It's small.

Me: Well, describe it.

Hubby: It's like any small town.

Me: Wait! Wait! Too much description. Gee, I can't process all this information at once. Overload, overload! Well, what did you do while you were there?

Hubby: Nothing.

Me: So you went all the way up there for nothing?

Hubby: "A" had some business.

Me: What kind of business? Family? Real estate? Monkey?

Hubby: Just business.

Me: So what did you do when you weren't doing business?

Hubby: Not much. We were invited to eat at different people's homes.

Me: Whose homes?

Hubby: Family members.

Me: So you went to visit your brother "A's" oldest daughter Fatima?

Hubby: Yes.

Me: So it was her husband's family you met and ate with?

Hubby: Yes.

Me: What is her husband's name?

Hubby: It's not important.

Me: Does Fatima have kids?

Hubby: Yes.

Me: How many?

Hubby: It's not important.

Son: How come I've never met Fatima?

Me: I haven't either. She's Mohi's sister - they are "A's" oldest kids from his first marriage to that crazy woman Samia. What ever happened to her anyway?

Hubby: How should I know? I don't keep track of my brother's ex-wives.

Son: (sarcastically) I think she got killed in some freak lawn mowing accident. So how much did this trip cost you, Dad?

Hubby: Nothing.

Son: How can that be?

Hubby: God provides.

Me: Well, since "A" picked you up to take you to the airport, there was no gas expense or airport parking fees. Then you both flew standby on "A's" employee privileges, so no money was spent on airline tickets. "A's" son-in-law probably picked you up from the airport, so no car rental. You probably stayed for free at his daughter's home, so no hotel costs. You ate all your meals with different family members, so food was free.

Hubby: I love it!

Me: And you obviously didn't spend any money buying us any cheesy dust magnet souvenirs while you were there, so no money wasted there!

Hubby: What? Every time I go somewhere I'm supposed to bring you back something?

Son: Well, it would be nice to let us know that you at least thought of us while we were stuck here with no where to go and nothing to do for a couple of days.

Me: Now Adam, that's not true. Remember, we went to your orthodontist appointment while Dad was gone.

Son: Oh, right! We had to get up at 7am because the driver Dad arranged for us was supposed to pick us up at 7:30am, so we would be the first ones there, so we wouldn't have to wait. Except it didn't quite work out that way.

Hubby: No?

Me: No, we got downstairs at 7:20 and the driver didn't come until 8:15am. We had to call him three times before his wife finally answered the phone and said that he would be there in 5 minutes. Except it was another 20 minutes before he arrived. I don't think he would have shown up at all if we hadn't called. And all the while it was getting warmer and warmer and we were harassed by gnats and mosquitoes the whole time. We finally got to the orthodontist's at 8:30am and then the doctor didn't even arrive there until 9:15!

Hubby: Well, that's the way things are done here and you just have to accept it.

Me: I'll never get used to it and I'll never accept it. Grrrrrr...

Son: Yeah, we had loads of fun while you were gone, Dad. NOT!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and all from Saudi Arabia!

35 comments:

  1. He needed a wife like you to make him talk hehe!

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  2. Haha! You guys are funny!

    Happy New Year dear Susie to you and your family!

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  3. Happy New Year Susie, Adnan and Adam!
    I check your blog every day and enjoy reading the responses too.

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  4. Hi Susie,

    You guys are too much. Happy New Year.
    Jessie

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  5. He sounds like my husband. He has a twin in Key Largo...LOL. Susie, wishing you and your beautiful family a happy and healthy New Year.

    Love,
    Yoli

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  6. Come on, Susie - he's a man!! I love it when my husband spends about an hour talking to my mother-in-law and after he hangs up, I ask, "Well, what did she have to say?" His comment is always, "Not much, really." Later on when I find out that someone had a baby or someone spent some time in the hospital, he says, "Oh, didn't I tell you that?" It's aggravating. I just think you are a real trooper for allowing your hubby this time in his native land, but it sounds like you and Adam long for the States. Have a great New Year, special lady!!

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  7. My dh does this too.Must be part of the male genetic code.

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  8. Definitely a male way to answer questions, the title suits the post so well.

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  9. AA- Susie,

    Great post!!!

    I now have a new hero....Susie's husband! Can I come and learn at the feet of this amazing man?!?

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  10. I love how you take pictures of your poor son in what I affectionately call the "torture chamber". Too funny. And your husband's responses put even my father and brothers to shame. Quite a feat :) Just be grateful that he isn't one of those with a motor mouth who never shuts up :)

    And happy new year to you and your family

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  11. Ah, nothing can beat a good in-depth conversation with your loved ones.

    Happy new year to you and Adam!
    I suppose Adnan would deem i: not important.... ;)

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  12. Hi to Everyone and Thanks for your Comments!

    To Naeem - I will NOT tell my husband you said that - I don't want to encourage him any more than he already is!!!

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  13. Is that where the term 'the strong silent type' came from. Happy New Year.

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  14. I wouldn't stand all that long through the conversation :) hehehe

    Happy New Year

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  15. haha...too funny! I really enjoy your blog Susie, you write beautifully and your photos really add so much. I expect to be in Jeddah in the near future insha Allah, so maybe we'll get to know each other in the interim. As for your dh...LOL...all I can tell you is "sabr KATHEEEEEER"!

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  16. I stumbled across your blog this evening and I must say it's very funny and the pictures of the country are beautiful.
    I'd like to connect with you through email if possible. My Jordanian boyfriend is living in Jeddah and I am here in the states. I've learned many things about his surroundings just reading your blog...thank you!

    Happy New Year!

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  17. Smiling Hello from Istanbul:)
    Interesting page. A part of the world that I've not been yet.

    Will be back soon to read regularly.

    Peace~

    Nihal

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  18. Susie: I love your before and after photos. thanks for info on the trip, at least the parts you could glean. I can relate to the conversation.
    Have a great 2009 my friend.

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  19. Wow, thanks for coming by my blog for Skywatch. I discovered this here blog of yours. I like how you write. I'll be back!
    Happy New Year to you folks in Saudi Arabia.

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  20. Hi Susie, like your visit to the dentist,lol, great post.

    A man of few words eh, ( but with a lot of meaning).

    Thanks for your visit and kind comments.

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  21. Hi Susie, I've read your posts several times and always find them fascinating. I have a blog for adventurous women and plan to introduce my readers to you and your blog in the near future. From time to time I run a Q&A post with adventurous women and am wondering if you would be interested in taking part. Happy new year!

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  22. Hi Susie,

    I got your e-mail and want to let you know that I responded from my Yahoo account, user name rpms_shs. I don't want to get lost in your spam filter.

    Michaelle

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  23. Wow! I hate having to play 'twenty questions' when asking about some thing!! Drives me nuts! You have more patients than I, dear lady! Happy New Year to you and may this new year bless you beyond! : ))
    VB

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  24. AA Susie,

    You just described the same "conversations" I have with my husband! Drives me crazy! Happy New Year to you and your family! Peace, Tina

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  25. This is funny. "It's not important." Totally makes me laugh!

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  26. Susie you have not posted in a while. Miss you girl.

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  27. MRS SUSIE!!!! hiiiii its kamishaaaa!!! ^_^ i just noticed that all your emails were going to my aol account! i could've sworn i gave you the one i had on yahoo! Im going to put this under my favorites!!!

    i miss you guys!!!!
    -love kamisha ^_^

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  28. sounds much like conversations with my husband...lol.

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  29. What adventures, Susie. Your husband's trip sounds exotic and fattening!

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  30. Hi Everybody - Thanks again for all the comments!

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  31. Hi I am a first time visitor, came over from Gutsywriter. This post is hysterical, I am looking forward to getting to know you.

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  32. ha ha ha - very nice write up

    it depicts that you love your hubby very much - dont want to leave him even for a short time :)

    do you couple quarrel atleast once a year :P (atleast just for fun)

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  33. Tell your husband he needs to cut back and not be so talkative. Seriously. He's a big talker, that one!

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  34. Hi Susie, I came to your page only yesterday, so it's rather late to be responding to this blog. I am not a Westerner or a Muslim and don't live in either West Asia or in the West, but I must confess I can't relate to a man who talks like that and who tells me what's important - no offence intended, I'm sorry for any hurt feelings. But it's amazing to know from the responses above how many women around the world, regardless of cultural origins manage to relate to such men! Perhaps this explains why I am single and I do admire all these women including you, especially because I can't be like them.

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