Fridays with Daddy

With the new Monarch came the promise of a better social existence and a less religion-dependant regime. As I look around me I see the changes, I live the changes. I am here hanging out with my friends at coffee shops, not covering my hair, walking in groups in the mall and the religious police can go screw chickens for all I care. I actually cant wait to be flagged down by any ugly looking bearded ignorant. I need to insult someone.

Yesterday morning my father and I took a long drive to the beach, we sat and grilled stake on his favorite contraption. A grill that thrives on newspaper. No coal, no gass, no mess. He adores it. As we were sitting there enjoying the sound of the waves and eating breakfast, a coast guard vehicle passed by. In the old days, a little questioning ( more like harassment) would have happened. That day the Jeep just slowed down passing by us. 30 minutes later it came back. Looks like the driver can’t help himself and went back for backup. Apparently with a calculated excuse to question us. We weren’t surprised. The excuse: Our car was parked the wrong way. The wrong way in the middle of nowhere! Anyway, My father and I had nothing to hide. All we needed to prove was paternity. They asked my dad to show his identification and mine I don’t understand the shock they displayed at the fact that I’m my dad’s daughter! My dad wittingly looking at his name plate and acting all hospitable inviting him them to join us. The coast guards sheepishly apologized and mumbled something about the place we were in being an official watch guard post ( yeah right). But mind you, it’s perfectly fine that we were there.” Just move the car a little bit sir” and they were gone. Tail between their legs.
Obviously, Fathers and daughters don’t hang out like that in Saudi Arabia.