I might not have mentioned that i’m clinically addicted to bejeweled2 on my itouch. I truly am and i admit to needing some professional help. I play with it any free moment i have, and some moments that arent so free.
A few days ago, i leave work and ask the driver to go to a nearby client’s office to pick up a check. When he pulls over bu the building’s side entrance, I cant tear my eyes off my game (it was a crucial few moments) so i ask him to go up to the 1st floor and give them this CD, where the lady will give him an envelope too. So he goes up, and a minute or two later, i hear him getting back in the driver’s seat again. I pause my game and look up, thinking, “that’s odd, that was a bit too fast” only to be confronted with the back of a RED SHUMAGH (saudi men’s head gear) in the seat in front of me!!!!
I was speechless. Everything seemed to be moving super-fast, only i was operating in a sluggish speed. The stranger puts the car in gear while a blurt out (naively thinking maybe he made a mistake and got in the wrong car) “HEY!! What Do you thing you’re doing??!!!” (in Arabic, naturally).
He Ignores me
I yell and bang on his chair “What is WRONG with you??!!” “STOP!”
he starts driving the car, saying “I’m moving the car”
I told him : “you DO NOT get in people’s cars to move them! Especially without permission! if you have a problem with where the car is parked you tell me and I will move it, not you!!! STOP NOW AND GET OUT!” This was feeling so surreal by now…
He grumbles back “if you had any manners you wouldn’t have let him park here” He stops the car (he only drove it a few meters ahead) and gets out.
by then i was fuming, If IIIIII had any manners??!!! so now I’m liable for my driver’s inability to park in an empty area??!! I wasn’t paying attention to see if he blocked anyone, a. I stopped doing that because I’d wind up with high blood pressure if I tried to be a backseat driver. and b, big deal! have some manners I was barely there for three minutes!
All that was in my head, I get a look at his face for the 1st time when left my car, and was surprised to see an old man, in his 60s maybe, with a white mustache and blue thobe. he’s angrily marching towards his Grey CLS -class Mercedes when i get over some of my shock, open my door and yell out “If you have a problem you talk to ME, I move MY car, not YOU!” and slam my door shut. He looks at me like I’m a crazy idiot.
I was so angry, I was shaking, anger receded to be replaced by fear. I realized i was afraid. This could have been anyone, anything, and he treated me like an invalid child that could just be picked up and driven off with. No respect. I was lucky he wasn’t a criminal.
Should i make sure my driver locks all doors if I’m ever left in the car?? I already make sure the back doors are always locked, but i cant control the front ones. I keep on thinking why didn’t I attack HIM??!!! I could have, but didn’t. That would have taught him a lesson. i wish i did. I did fleetingly think i should write his license plate down… but then i was like “why bother? who’s gonna do anything about it”??
I’m thinking of going back there again, he probably works in that office, all i need to do is wait for him to go back to his car again… could i report such a thing??
I dunno. Am i being too dramatic?
Driver Diaries From The Kingdom 
There is nothing more annoying than a person blocking your car while your rushing to catch a meeting or something. Since it doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world, it’s even more frustrating with all the heat and all.
Plus, it’s your responsibility to watch where the driver parks. These idiots come into our country thinking cars are metal donkeys.
In my opinion, the guy was wrong in moving the car himself, but if I was in his position I would have went with slashing the tires with a screw driver. But thats just me. 🙂
hahaha, i know you’re too much of a gentleman to do that. You’d probably knock on the window if you saw someone was in the car and complained, which is the natural thing to do. If he did that I would have moved the car myself. Or gave him permission to do so, depending on how I was feeling about stopping my game.
My point was: Since I’m not driving the car I shouldn’t be held responsible for my driver’s actions. That’s like giving me a ticket if he runs a red light. I didn’t tell him to. And even if i did he shouldn’t listen. If he blocked the guy its not my fault.
Alhamdulillah you are ok. Shame on that man for getting into your car without permission. Anything could have happened, he could have caused an accident in your car and then what?! I think I would have been too scared to give him a good beat down with my purse as you never know what an angry man is capable of. If my husband leaves me and my son in the car whether the engine is still on or not, he always tells us to lock the doors. He is ever mindful of people carjacking, robbing, whatever…even in KSA. If I forget, my son reminds me alhamdulillah. Be careful and lock the car doors insha’Allah.
Thank you. Yeah Alhamdulillah. Its close calls like these that remind you to lock the doors ALWAYS.
Since I have lived in the U.S. my whole life, have driven my own car for 26 years, and am currently teaching 2 daughters to drive; I really like reading your blog. It reminds me that there are real women in this world, right now, on this same day that I jump in my vehicle and go wherever I want, that don’t have that privilege. I have to say though, that your blog also accomplishes your purpose of showing the humor in the situation. Your imagery is wonderful and it’s pretty easy to put myself in your position and see what you see. I think this will be a book that you could sell in the U.S.
Thank you! haha, you never know, I might one day commit enough of my daily drama to paper (or blog) to do so!