Chapter 27: Surprise Meeting

It was about six months later, when business was just beginning to boom in the Gulf, that Derek was making one of his regular visits to Head Office for a Partners' meeting. With the very good relationship he had established with the Emir, it was normal for him to fly as a guest of the Emir on Air Kobekistani. This means that instead of a portion of the first class cabin being partitioned off, the passenger gets a luxurious private cabin the size of a small office. A stewardess is, of course, in permanent attendance to cater for any of the guest's needs, and as Derek discovered the first time he had this privilege, that does mean that during the flight he effectively owns her, just as if he were in his own harem.

One of the items discussed at the Partners' meeting was a serious problem in the East Midlands office where an Arab-owned company was not paying their bills, despite being in a thoroughly sound financial position. The staff there were at a loss as to how to deal with the difficulty without losing the client. Derek offered to go there and sort it out.

When he arrived in the Leicester premises he was shown straight in to the office of Richard Robins, the Junior Partner who was in charge of THMA's activities in the East Midlands. They discussed the problem they were having with the client concerned, who seemed happy with their work and who had no apparent financial problems, but who was remarkably reluctant to pay their bills.

"When can I see him?" asked Derek.

"He's due here in an hour or so," said Richard.

"Let him wait in the reception area for fifteen minutes," advised Derek, "And then another half-an-hour in your outer office."

"Is that wise?" asked the Junior.

"It is the Arab way of showing who has the power," advised Derek, "And when he comes in, don't introduce me, and above all, don't let on that I speak Arabic."

Almost two hours later, the customer and his advisor were shown in. Derek was sitting to one side and behind Richard.

"Now Mr. Ahmed, I trust you have come to pay me what you owe," Richard started.

"Oh, Mr. Richard, sir, it is very difficult."

"Well how soon could you pay?"

The visitor turned to his assistant and said, in Arabic, ~See how the dog begs for food. Shall we give him something?~

~No need for that. Let the infidel wait, replied the assistant.

Derek intervened to ask quietly, ~Which of you two camel turds is the least junior, that is if there is any difference between the status of worms?~

The two Arabs just stared at him.

~I asked a question, Derek continued after a pause, ~and if neither of you can answer I can go to the local brothel and ask your mother.~

"Master, it is not possible..." the older of the two started.

Derek cut him off, ~Bring the real master here in two hours with our money, or his name will be spoken with contempt as a man of no honour by the eunuchs in every bazaar from here to the holy city of Mecca.~

Without another word the two visitors rose and left.

"What did you say to them?" asked Richard.

"I asked which of them was the boss, and then politely suggested that the real boss should turn up after lunch with the money. How much do they owe us?"

"Just over ten thousand pounds."

"Have someone prepare another invoice for one day of my time at Senior Partner rate, one day of yours at Partner rate, and a first class return airfare from Kobekistan. We'll give them that today. Now let's get some lunch."

After a very pleasant and leisurely lunch, from which the two men returned quite late, there was a much older Arab waiting in reception.

Derek greeted him with, ~As-salaam alaykum.~

~Wa alaykum as-salaam. That is more polite than you were with my son today, the old man replied.

~One is not always polite to disobedient children, replied Derek gravely.

The old man sighed, and turned to Richard, saying, "I apologise for the delay. My son exceeded his authority by failing to pay you and he will be chastised for that," as he handed a cheque to Richard.

Richard recognised that as a face-saving formula for the old man and was happy to go along with him.

"I'm sure it was just a mistake on his part," he said.

Derek then chimed in, "And this will show him how costly his mistake was," and handed the old man the invoice.