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Feb. 4, 2005 I’ve just returned from picking up a person from the Kuwait International Airport. It is not difficult these days for an American to come into Kuwait. If you are a contractor, you have been given a special card that you can present in lieu of your passport. The passport is certainly good enough to get you a welcoming smile from just about anyone. There is no great hassle at the customs booth, security is everywhere except in your face, and they are helpful when you arrive on any “Air France” flight; directing you to the lost luggage area to fill out your paperwork. While waiting for my contact I could not help looking around at the arrivals and the people who were patiently waiting to greet someone. It is always a joy to see smiles on faces of children. There were many children at the airport tonight greeting, mothers, fathers, aunts, and various other family members. In this land of permissible multiple marriage, some of the arriving families were quite large. Father would be the prominent presence with two or perhaps three of his wives towing or pushing or carrying their one or two children each. I have been told, but I have no way of confirming that the average child-per-wife ratio for a Kuwaiti wife is 6 children. Tonight might have been “Ladies Night” at the airport, or there were many wives there to greet their collective spouse. There were plenty of smiles to go around. The Kuwait International Airport “Arrivals” area is one big ‘food court”. You can find every type of fast food and coffee shops abound. I remember reading about a fellow who has made it his life’s adventure to visit every “Starbucks” in the world. I wonder if he’s been to Kuwait recently. Kuwait could easily be the “Home of the Whopper”, but there is a large clientele for “KFC” and “Hardee’s too. Everyone in the world has learned to eat French fries with their fingers; ensuring to lick the salt off those greasy fingertips. I have been to the airport before, yet tonight was especially busy. There didn’t seem to be any real reason for that; just lots and lots of people moving “helter-skelter” out the doors to waiting cars, taxi’s, busses and what have you. There was laughter and greetings without too many grumbly looking faces; though there were a couple of folks that looked like they got off the wrong side of the plane. I assumed they were on the “Air France” flight and that they had been informed their luggage would show up a couple of days from now. Parking is always at a premium, and tonight was no exception. Then, as always, the traffic leaving the airport was giving its best impersonation of “Get me out of here!” It was “mission complete” however. We got in. We got out. We got our passenger safely delivered to the hotel, and now I am here at the keyboard. I hadn’t been in much of a writing mood the past couple of days, but I wanted to jot this while it was fresh in mind. It’s 10:30 p.m. Kuwait time and I’m now, officially tired. Good Night. ------------ About the Author: Michael John McCrae, husband to Linda for 30 years (and counting); Dad to Susan, Thomas, Timothy, David and Benjamin; Granddad (Guy) to Justin and Megan; has contributed over 300 articles to Useless-Knowledge.com. He writes from a politically conservative point of view and a Judeo-Christian cultural background that includes over 30 years of Biblical study. Michael served in the United States Armed Forces from January 1971 until August 2002, retiring honorably after 30 years of duty in the Army. He is currently working as a contractor in support of the Armed Forces in the Middle East. Michael John McCrae is a fellow with an opinion, and a desire to express it. He does that here. He writes an occasional poem too. Email: macswordV@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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