"An eye for an eye" was the expression used by my mother as we went out of the Main gate to the Amir Jawuli's Palace. "So help me, if you even think of embarrassing your Father tonight, I will show you what Saudi justice is all about!" This from my own mother, who as far as I knew had no reason to deliver such a sermon. I mean what could happen at some old Arabs house where I was being forced to go and eat.

I knew all about the fact that a camel feast was some kind of special winding,but after all, I felt it was way out of line to make me put on a suit that was way too small and made my butt stick way out and high water pant legs that might have covered my knees, but I doubt it. And worse, a BOLO tie? Where did that come from. I later found out that a mother, using both hands may strangle a first born with ease with one of these. A fact she denies to this day as not being why she made me wear it..I, however, wanted to appeal to the Supreme Court on the issue and demanded she prove she was my Mom, to which she simply said. " I'm not, we found you among some camel droppings and felt sorry. So shut up and sit !"

The Emir, one big sucker I thought when I saw him, was being introduced to a bunch of Aramco big wigs and when it was Dad's turn, he introduced me as his "sway wahed walid fe maufy muk" The Big Arab had on a black thobe and black robe with gold trim. I found this interesting and grabbed part of it to see if I could get some of this gold. He looked down at me, from about forty feet high I thought and with a simple gesture froze my blood. He smiled.. He then told the story about defending his cousin King Abdulazziz Ibn Saud and how a spear was thrown clean through his body, to which I in total disbelief said something to the effect, "HA !" Well the room dropped about forty degree's, I saw Mr. Barger, My Dad, Mr. Zadorkin and others all looking for tent flaps as we were all seated around this large area that was covered with rugs. The Emir, with what looked like the crack of doom on his face called me over. So what else, Mom pushed me to him and he did something which I heard later was common and he had a lot of fun with it, but you can imagine the shock effect on a 12 year old. He pulled up his shirt and there was this terrible long scar and he showed us all where it had another on his back. He then told me, "See that door. STAND THERE AND WE SHALL SEE." Well, as I peed down my leg the Emir and many others doubled up with laughter. All except Mom. I think she actually wanted the spear thrown...

So now here comes the food. Great trays full and three large ones with baby camels on them, heads and all. This one fool kept filling my little cup with the most awful drink. Later found out that was coffee and if I had not pointed it at the server each time, I thought to get rid of it, he thought to fill it, I could have stopped drinking this stuff. I had already poured five or six cups into Mom's purse, How would she know? I thought it was neat that they had cooked a baby camel and wondered if it was real. Without a thought I lifted the leg and tail part of one, why? Who knows, and it came off in my hand. I yelled and the Emir almost died with tears streaking down his face. I thought I had torn off a leg and didn't really know what I was doing. Mom's first smack of the evening was heard by guards in the desert who rushed to the tent. The Emir waved them away almost unable to control himself.

So I dig in, hey ,this is great. Fruit, rice all kinds of stuff. The came the big moment. The Emir was going to award the eyes of the three camels to the honored guests. I was flat out amazed and my eyes were as big as saucers as they carved out the eyes and the Emir passed them to Mr. Barger and two other big shots. Little to my knowledge the Emir was having the time of his life with my antics. He saw what I had done with the coffee and had ordered one of the servers to get a small tray and put two black olives in some milk. This he then proceed to tell all was a "special"set of eyes for the young man of so many questions. I damn near died. I was going to eat an eyeball..Not me, no way, Fi A'mana' La , adios, good-bye baby. Mom being her normal self, gave me a look that stuck my butt to the floor as if I had been glued down. The Emir sent over this tray and my stomach is heaving.

The damn things were looking at me for crying out loud. The room became as still as the desert night and I knew my stomach, by now full of camel and fruit and rice was not staying where it was supposed to. However, knowing that Mom had plans far beyond those camel eyes if I caused any more trouble, I took one and gamely popped it into my mouth. I never even tasted it, for as I bit down my whole meal came up and into Mom's purse and lap. That blew the top off of Mom and the Emir was shaking uncontrollably and I distinctly remember Tom Barger grinning like an old Bedu. They were all in on it and when Mom got done with me, I think I had a camel eyeball where the sun doesn't shine and I should be allowed home sometime around the millennium.

Yet, let this not end on this note. I also have eaten of the eye and done so several times. It is indeed a little hard to do and the best method I have found is to swallow whole and fast and then rice in a hurry.

The Emir Jawuli was as good a friend as we Americans ever had in Arabia. Many of you may not know this, but for many years, in the early days, when ever there was an outing of scouts or whatever, out in the dark of the desert about forty feet apart we were always surrounded by Bedu warriors charged with our safety. The King had ordered it and Ibn Jawuli carried it out. It was many years before even Aramco knew about this.

I got to know the Emir over a period of time, and his passing to be with his King was a sad day. Aramco and America had lost a friend.

Mike Crocker (DH65)

Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 14:11:45 -0500