Making Chit-chat at the Christmas Party.

“Well, I spent about 15 years working in the middle east. I needed a break after that.”

Oh, what were you doing over there?”

“Well, back then we called it logistics. But I was in The Kingdom for a long time helping set-up some of the first computer systems. And I got to put the first computer system in Iraq that later used in the Iran-Iraq war. Ha ha.”

Ok.

“And let me give you some advice. If you are ever in that part of the world, make sure you know someone who can get you out of trouble.”

You mean like a fixer?

“A fixer, exactly. You need someone local who can help you out when things go bad, because when things go bad in the Middle East they go really bad. Trust me, after you’ve seen your first beheading you’ll realize how important this is. I had friends who were in the Iran hostage crisis. I had friends who were ‘guests’ of Saddam for several months. I’ve been arrested three times in my life, all of them in Saudi Arabia. And if it weren’t for my fixer, I might have stayed there for a long time.”

Ok, well that sounds like good advice.

Later in the conversation…

“Oh I love Thailand. I almost moved there permanently.”

Yeah I really liked it too. I actually thought that Laos was even more beautiful.

“Hah, last time I was in Laos they were shooting at me. I haven’t been back.”

Um, I didn’t think we had any troops in Laos.

“Oh I wasn’t soldier.”