My January 15, 2024 blog ended in the following fashion.
Me: I shall write later of the amazing staff in this hotel, rescuing me from dropped AirPod yet again.
This is now later. I sent an email to the manager of the Royal Beach Club. The email was entitled Kudos to two RBC employees.
Kudos is a praise or praise and honor received for an achievement. I shall just copy and paste from the email.
Me: Learned from a recent copy of the Bahrain newspaper that you are also the manager of the RBC as well your responsibilities at the Ritz. I am therefore sending this email to you praising two RBC employees. All of the staff are very good workers but two were exemplary.
During my days at the Ritz I would go to the indoor pool for leg exercises and occasionally water aerobics. Sreedharan would great me with great enthusiasm, providing me towels, water and, for some inexplicable reason, two bananas. Motivation for exercise can be difficult, but Sreedharan’s happiness in seeing me and serving me, made it possible to reach my goals.
Another employee, Hisham served an incredibly valuable service. I was in the jacuzzi, merrily exercising to the music in my AirPods. One fell out, dropping in the water. I ran to Hisham in dismay. He calmly told me that the jets in the jacuzzi would be turned off making retrieval possible. It was such an effort, I am so thankful for all those who were able to turn off the jacuzzi. Miraculously the AirPod was located. I dove under the water to retrieve it – thought I would drown. I emerged but the elusive AirPod remained. Hisharm dove into the water fully dressed, emerged with the AirPod in hand. I was SO thankful. He was able to get dry clothes, thankfully. I returned to the water aerobics class – the best ever. The Instructor is so positive, provides the best of instruction and is so encouraging. Do admit that I overdid it. All of my over stressed muscles ached the next day. I am now in Khobar – drove over the causeway. Sunny arranged the transportation. I shall return to the Ritz to claim my baggage (sent there accidentally actually) and renew acquaintances. Not sure when – I am enjoying the simple life here in Khobar. Thanks, Alexis
This is day three in Khobar. Day two was spent sleeping because, somewhere and somehow, I caught the virus that is circulating in these parts. Honoring and respecting my immune system I rested, drank plenty of fluids, used the remedy suggested by AMA and provided by Mustafa. This morning, miraculously, I awoke to the call to prayer. This is why it was miraculous. A wonderful Ritz employee suggested an App, had some problem with downloading it but finally was able to do so on my Canadian phone. Usually I awake to my iPhone alarm set to Fajr prayer time but in my sleepy, sick state must have forgotten. The App woke me up. It seemed that Allah (SWT) had arranged all of this (and probably did). Offered my thankful prayer, then finished the prior blog, then dressed and went down to breakfast.
One cannot imagine a scene more disparate than the breakfast at the Ritz. My Khobar crowd consists of working men including great numbers of Saudi National Guard. When I first checked in to the hotel I was commenting to staff about the photos on display in the lobby.
Me: There is MBS again. I missed his personage in Bahrain. I am a great fan of his but am a little disappointed in what he is not doing about Palestine.
At exactly that moment in walked a group of Saudi National Guardsmen. I smiled wanly and saluted in respect. For a moment I thought they had come to get me.
This morning I was in the elevator with two Saudi National Guardsmen.
Me: What way is this elevator going?
They: Up.
Me: Then I will join you because I am going up too. I love your country.
They: Saudi Arabia loves you!!
I know it sounds unbelievable but I always tell the truth. This from an exchange with AMA.
He: Do you need medical attention?
Me: No dear!! I am doing okay. I am better, not my usual best. Hahaha
He: Did you go to KACC yesterday?? If so did you enjoy?
Me: No dear, I was sick and am not altogether well. But I did read about it. You are not remembering my messages. But no one is perfect. Hahaha
He: Now we are back to the attack. You are OK. I read them all.
Me: You love me in the attack mode. Admit it!!!
He: It is the cheerful side of you, isn’t it? Close to your character.
Me: So very true. Very complicated. Your are very wise. It is sad to think about why. So we shall not. Just to say my healed character, not my abused character.
He: Almost all of us have gone through some sort of abuse and it may or it may not have healed. The most important part is perseverance. Do not look back. The only change you can do is within you.
Me: You are so wise. I totally and thoroughly agree. I will tell you of perseverance next time I see you.
Now onto a thoroughly different topic. This somewhat in the past, but not thoroughly. I opened two very different Instagram messages this morning. .
One was liking a response that I had made to a reel some time ago in the past. I had said:
Me: Thank you for this history lesson!! We Muslim women should NEVER be forced to wear OR NOT wear a hijab. At this moment in Canada I do not.
Here is the link to the Instagram post about a courageous Turkish woman who insisted on wearing her hijab when it was not popular in Turkey.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsPArI6tFUy/?igsh=M3ZoOXZnNWJyem5j
But another Instagram message said the following.
He: Do you remember the waiter Ibraham from Medinah.
Me: Perhaps not fondly but I do remember him. Why? I pray for all that they have peace of mind while fulfilling their destiny.
Strange this should appear for the following reason, I met Ibraham in my beginning days at the Oberio. He initially became my ‘grandson’. But his behavior became increasingly troublesome to me – causing me distress, lack of support and sometimes disrespected. In other words, it had become a toxic relationship. Wondered about his character, I was reminded of a trait of psychopathic men, it provided by Wise Man.
Researched the topic, wrote this but did not publish it to the blog at the time. It was called: Psychopath: What is My Responsibility as a Muslim .
Met an individual. Became quite close to someone but it has now been revealed to me that he is a psychopath. He is on the staff of this hotel and I am deliberating what is my responsibility, what is my role, as a Muslim.
I am familiar with psychopathology. This young man is not the first psychopath I have ever encountered. During my previous encounter I had employed the services of Wise Man, formerly spoken of on this blog. Wise Man, an extremely scientific psychiatrist, described the characteristics of a psychopath. They almost intuitively knew how to please a person, ingratiate themselves. earn their trust. But they also knew almost intuitively how to hurt a person, they also seemed to intuitively have this ability. Since they psychopaths have no empathy (or remorse) they can be quite deadly. Wikipedia provided more insights.
“There may be repercussions in this environment. Academics on this subject believe that although psychopathy is manifested in only a small percentage of workplace staff, it is more common at higher levels of corporate organizations, and its negative effects (for example, increased bullying, conflict, stress, staff turnover, absenteeism, reduction in productivity) often causes a ripple effect throughout an organization, setting the tone for an entire corporate culture. Employees with the disorder are self-serving opportunists, and may disadvantage their own organizations to further their own interests.[224][page needed] They may be charming to staff above their level in the workplace hierarchy, aiding their ascent through the organization, but abusive to staff below their level, and can do enormous damage when they are positioned in senior management roles.[225][page needed][226][page needed] Psychopathy as measured by the PCL-R is associated with lower performance appraisals among corporate professionals.[227] The psychologist Oliver James identifies psychopathy as one of the dark triadic traits in the workplace, the others being narcissism and Machiavellianism, which, like psychopathy, can have negative consequences.[228][page needed] According to a study from the University of Notre Dame published in the Journal of Business Ethics, psychopaths have a natural advantage in workplaces overrun by abusive supervision, and are more likely to thrive under abusive bosses, being more resistant to stress, including interpersonal abuse, and having less of a need for positive relationships than others.”
How fascinating this all is. My first task it seems, since I do have a loyalty to this organization – is to discover if this individual has any authority over anyone at this moment. That should not be difficult to ascertain. The second is to discover if he has any effect. If his immorality is shared by others, or tolerated my management. It should not be too difficult to ascertain that as well. Goodness knows I have problems of my own, goodness knows I have better things to do but as a Muslim I do have a responsibility when it comes to evil. As I understand there are three levels. The first is to leave or do what can be done on your individual level to stamp it out. The second is to speak out against it. The third is to ‘ have it in your heart’ ; to recognize it. That is the least preferred, according to the Quran.
Therefore, the Instagram comment brought me back to my time in the Oberio. I am relieved to report that I did find a solution. I spoke to Ibraham’s supervisor, learned that he knew of the psychological disorder and knew Ibraham possessed it. He also told me this. He said that it was a behavior trait of many Saudis. I was rather surprised to learn this, but it made sense. It made sense because in a closed population, over time, a character trait can become genetic.
I was assured that Ibraham would have no authority over others. That was reassuring, because he could become a threat, or a danger if that were to take place. My peace of mind returned, as I had fulfilled my responsibilities as outlined in the Quran.
The timing of this was strange and frightening as it appears that it is now my responsibility to provide more details concerning the destruction of the toxic relationship described in my January 17, 2024 blog. The man had me fooled because he was a psychopath. The signs were there but I chose not to see them. I was not ready to see the awful truths. .
On a more hopeful note, AMA just sent a TikTok reel which I am unable to pass onto you. Instead you shall just get the correspondence between the two of us. The reel spoke of flowers, bees, electrical currents. It was truly amazing.
He: Did you know this? Subhan Allah for great creation and on the endless wonders of his design.
Me: I did not know this. It is endlessly amazing to see the wonders of the Creator’s design and to feel the Creator’s influence in your life. Subhan Allah.
Tall Mustafa came to my rescue. I asked him about the exact location of King Abulaziz Cultural Center.
He: Well you can see it from here if you are tall. I will take a picture and show you.
He did. From my seventh floor room I can see it on the horizon. It will not be a perfect photo but you get what you pay for – anyway you pay nothing for reading this blog. Hahaha
