Another Visit to Faysel

Faysel has been asking me to come to his place for about a week. Since he lost his car last weekend, he hasn't made it to Dubai much. Actually, he hasn't made it to Dubai at all. When I asked, he said he'd gotten another car, but, when I arrived at his place (via bus) he said he couldn't drive the new car, because it had accumulated a rather large number of tickets, and would almost certainly be stopped and impounded by the police if he tried to drive it anywhere. So we got around town by taxi.

When I first met Faysal several months ago, he seemed to have quite a bit of cash, and always ordered bottles of Heineken. Once, waiting for him, I ordered him a pint, but he pushed it aside and ordered his customary bottle. After a couple of months, he switched to pints of Heineken. Now he's drinking double whiskeys.

Since Faysel arrived in the UAE, he has made a daily trip to an ATM and withdrawn the maximum allowed by his bank, which (he says) was US$300, but is now US$500. The UAE on US$300 a Day should be on his bookshelf, but I don't think it is. Yesterday, he spent over US$200 on his double whiskeys.

He started by taking me to an inexpensive bar, where he had about 6 doubles (and insisted I join him, so I ordered an inexpensive beverage). The bill was for about US$60, including my beverages.

Suddenly he said he'd rather be drinking at the most expensive hotel in the Northern Emirates (where I once noted that the price of tea exceeds that of beer).

The hotel is within walking distance from the first bar. The hotel wanted US$10 (for each of us) just to get in, since they had the World Cup on. The sign said, with each ticket, we'd get some free beverages. I suggested returning to the previous bar, which had the World Cup on with no cover, but Faysel insisted on going in, saying he 'knew the bartender' and would get far more than the officially allowed 'free beverages' (which turned out to be one bottle of Budweiser, each, a beer Faysal normally refuses to drink).

After another 6 or so doubles, the bill was presented for US$150. Faysel asked about the free drinks, and was given his two bottles of Bud. He offered me one, but I declined. So he drank both, and we took a taxi back to his home where we had a late supper.

I had mentioned to Faysel a comment posted here about taking taxis back through Sharjah late at night (it was after midnight), but Faysel said he'd take care of things. We went outside and flagged a taxi, and Faysel spoke to the taxi driver in Urdu. What he said, I do not know, but I once again made it back to Dubai without incident. When I asked the driver, 'How much?' he said Faysel had already taken care of the fare.

As I walked in, Faysel gave me a 'missed call,' but when I tried to call him back to say I'd arrived safely (and to say 'Thanks,') his mobile was switched off. It seemed he'd managed to make the 'missed call' with the last of his battery.

Faysel called me late this morning to say he'd been up early for his usual trip to the ATM, then he said he'll be off to meet a ship with a container full of cars later today.

Faysel's final comment to me was that he's spoken to his lawyer, and the lawyer said he can 'fix' all Faysel's legal problems back home, so, once all the cars in the container are sold, Faysel's planning to leave the UAE for good.