‘Prince’ Mansour

This story is hearsay, so I’m not sure if it’s true, but it certainly sounds believable. It was told to me by Fahad.

Fahad is from Saudi Arabia, and is from the gentry of that country, so he knows the Royal Family.

He had a friend named Mansour who called himself ‘Prince’ Mansour.

Pulled over for speeding, Mansour would say, ‘I am Prince Mansour,’ and the traffic cop would apologize and send him on his way.

Fahad told ‘Prince’ Mansour that his car needed work, which normally takes at least two weeks and then isn’t done right. ‘Prince’ Mansour was with him when he took it in, and it was ready the next day. Everything was fixed correctly. Even things Fahad hadn’t asked for had been done, and all to the highest standards. And the garage refused to accept payment.

Fahad said, ‘Thanks,’ to ‘Prince’ Mansour.

A few weeks later, the police came for Fahad and took him to see a real prince. The real prince said, ‘You know what is identity theft?’ Fahad said, ‘Yes.’ ‘You steal identity of prince. You go gaol for many years, maybe life.’ Fahad was, understandably, rather frightened. ‘But I never steal identity of anyone.’

‘You take car for repair?’

‘Yes.’

‘You say car for Royal Family?’

‘No.’

The real prince finally extracted the identity of ‘Prince’ Mansour, who was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. Fahad went to plead for mercy, since ‘Prince’ Mansour was a very good friend.

‘OK, for you Fahad, we no send Mansour to gaol.’ Then the real prince slapped Mansour so hard Mansour fell down.

Mansour had a bruise in the shape of a hand on his face for several weeks.

And he has never since called himself ‘Prince’ Mansour.