Camel Seen Through the Eyes of Others

Joe, the American, moved to the Middle East.

He had a good job in a bank, lived in a nice bungalow with a nice swimming pool just outside town, and in general enjoyed his new life.

He did not know anything about the local people, though. He would like to get a bit closer to them and their way of life, so he bought himself a camel and rode it to work in the morning and to his home in the evening.

Everything went well for a while, but one morning the camel wasn't there. It had been stolen.

He went to the police to report the matter, hoping they could him get his stolen camel back.

"What was the colour of your camel?", the police officer asked Joe.

"Well, let me think. Grey or brown or green or something. Actually, I haven't really noticed."

"Did it have one or two humps?"

"Well", Joe hesitated. "I haven't really paid attention to that. You know I just threw my saddle over the back and rode it."

"Was it a male or a female camel?", the officer asked in desperation.

"It was a male", came the prompt answer from Joe.

The officer looked at him in amazement. "How come you know the sex of the camel, as you seem to know nothing else about it?"

"Well that's easy", Joe said. "When I ride down high street every day, I see people pointing and hear them say "look at the dick on that camel!!"".

Rationing may Dammage Your Health

Some people are stubborn. Some people are very stubborn and will hold on to their rights no matter what. My Grandfather was of the latter type - I have been told so by several of his ten children.

He died when I was twelve. He was then in his early eighties. It was at the time when people first started talking - although incredulously - of the possible damaging health effect of smoking.

I had never seen my Grandfather smoke and I asked my Dad if he ever did.

- Well, he did when he was young. Then he stopped when your Aunt Augusta was born - it was too expensive. Then he smoked again from the beginning of the Second World War until 1949.

- Was it because of the war that he started?, I wanted to know.

- I guess you can say that, my Dad answered. You see, tobacco and a lot of other things were rationed during the war. You got coupons you had to hand in, when you bought something, and so you could only buy small quantities, especially of goods like tobacco and coffee. Your Grandfather didn't like other people to get what he was entitled to so he smoked while the rationing was in force and stopped when it was over.

- So don't always stand on your right, he warned me, it might not always be for your own good.