Travels with Mickey: Kuwait

In January 2003 a US military contractor (software engineer) was ambushed and killed just outside Kuwait city and his colleague was severely wounded in the attack on their SUV. (The second gulf war would begin in March and last over 8 years at a totally unnecessary cost of thousands of American and Iraqi lives)

I happened to be working there at that time. I was in my hotel room that evening when a security alert was slipped under my door. It was a warning/reminder from the US consulate to Americans working/living/visiting Kuwait to be aware and vigilant, as this was not the first fatal attack in the region.

I didn't think much of it but the next day when I arrived at the class I was teaching, a couple of the students mentioned it and even asked me if I would feel more secure when I left for the airport that evening if one of them drove me, as opposed to taking a taxi. 

This was the kind of generous and caring gesture I had experienced and come to enjoy in many parts of the world and is the motivation for sharing this story. I thanked them but said I didn't feel at risk and didn't want to impose. (The previous day one of the students had invited me out to smoke a hookah or shisha (water pipe) (a common activity in restaurants and clubs) I declined because I had recently quit smoking, but in retrospect I wish I had gone.

So the day and class ended and we said our goodbyes. I went back to my room to have dinner and wait for it to be time to leave. The flight was around midnight. 

At 9:00 PM or so the phone rang. It was one of my students checking on me and once again offering me a ride to the airport. 

Now one of the lessons that I have learned over the years and I have to continue to relearn, is to let people help, even if I think I don't need it. It's especially difficult for guys who think they are showing weakness by accepting help or that they must constantly be managing things on their own and be the helper not the helpee. In reality accepting help is a gift to the person offering it. 

I digress here as I am reminded of an old song by Bill Carlisle entitled "No help wanted?" My dad used to sing it around the house. The response to the song's query, "Do you need any help?" is "I can handle this job all by myself." Full disclosure, the "job" he is "handling" is his new girlfriend, and he doesn't want/need any help from the other guys around. But I took it's meaning in a more general sense.

So, I said sure I'd appreciate a ride to the airport. I waited at the appointed time and place in front of the hotel and my student arrived. He went straight away to the passenger side door and just as I thought he was opening it for me, out stepped his father. A handsome, proud gentleman dressed in a suit and tie. I was pleasantly surprised and have seldom felt such unexpected warmth, courtesy and respect. 

My student introduced us and as I spoke no Arabic, a smile and handshake had to suffice. Perhaps the father had come just to say hello, or perhaps as additional security should we run into any problems. It didn't matter; he put on a suit and tie and came with his son to accompany me to the airport in the middle of night.

Epilogue

I have been fortunate to experience a wealth of  kindness and friendship from people everywhere on this planet, and it reminds me to pay it forward at every opportunity.