An Unusual Christmas Story (Part 3)

   The telephone rang. It was someone from the airline to inform me that hubby was now in intensive critical care. Visiting hours were limited to one hour and that was between four and five p.m. A driver would be by to take me. The kids would have to be watched by the driver so they would need to be ready too. My head was spining. Ready?
  Did any of you notice me mention anything about changing our clothing? Even the diaper changes had been minimized because the supply was going down. There were plenty in our checked baggage. But I had no idea where that was. I decided to call the airline number and see if someone knew where I'd get my luggage. After several call to various attendants it was decided that they would call me back when they had the answer. In the meantime the driver was coming to pick us up for tea with the top airline executive who claimed he wanted to make sure we were okay. It was ten a.m. and we would be picked up at noon.
  I freshened up by taking a very quick shower and then I helped the little ones with their baths. Buddy took his own shower. We had to reuse our clothed as there was nothing to change into. I hoped that would soon change.
  I ordered some beverages and sandwiches and turned on the TV. There was nothing much on. Most of it was in foreign languages so I turned it off and got out the kiddy tape recorder. I  put in the Burl Ives tape, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. It kept the kids quiet for a bit as I fed the baby some hotel milk in her bottle. I had run out of my formula prepared ones. Later I filled a bottle with some watered down apple juice. We had lots of bottled water and we used it. A sign in the washroom clearly stated the tap water was not to be consumed. Now we were ready so I decided to take the kids outside for some fresh air.
  In the lobby I saw that I was being watched. At first I thought it might be because Buddy has Down syndrome, though his features are more normal than some. But that did not seem to be the case. Then I presumed it might be the Snuggly baby carrier, a novelty because not many women were using them. But that didn't seem to be it either. As we reached the front exit a hotel staff member stopped us from stepping outside. I was stunned as I was informed that I was being protected from the authorities. A woman I needed to be covered in a burka before I could be in public . It was the law. I could only go out dressed in my western clothes with a male adult at my side. Well that could be remedied.  I would buy a burka at the hotel shop. I figured I could handle wearing one if it meant I could get outside.
    Purchasing of one ought to be straight forward but it wasn't. The hotel shops are privately owned and I could not charge a purchase to my room. My CIBC visa card was not accepted. They only honoured certain brands from major international banks (in 1985). Traveler cheques required a passport. Mine was at the airport. Well there must be a way I thought. I went back into the lobby to the hotel main desk and asked them to give me some credit in cash. Not possible. Cash for a Traveller cheque? After some discussion it was concluded it is not allowed. No one would bend the rules to help a woman and her kids. I wondered if those rules were different for men? I felt abandoned since they knew of my dilemma. No help was in my reach. So we strolled around inside the hotel. I decided to get some help later when I met up with the dude who was having us for tea.
   Back in our room we waited for the driver. Just after one p.m. we got a call from hotel staff that our driver had arrived but would be delayed because it was time for prayers. Around two he came to our door to escort us to the car. At last we were outside. It was warm and sunny. There were tall palm trees all around,even some grass but only around big properties that were not right at the side of the road. Jedda, a city where many buildings were under construction. I began to talk to the driver to ask about this growth and he talked about the foreign investors that the royals had allowed. I recalled that Bell Canada had huge contracts in Saudi Arabia.
   We arrived at airline headquarters. The office of the gentleman who invited us was very elaborately decorated and furnished. We were seated and the formalities began. Trays of sweets and drinks arrived and we were encouraged to enjoy them. Conversation was just polite chit chat. What was I doing here I wondered? And what was next?
   The driver took us to the King Fahd Hospital for the four p.m. visit.