The Makiav3llian Enchantment…

Well, it has been more than 3 months since I moved from Dubai. I still can not believe it that I am living in Al Ain. The thrill of the ride is still strong and I am enjoying it, meeting new people everyday. Hopefully, I will stay for more than 5 years or so and tell the newbies of my misadventures.
To the subject at hand, I just want to share a few changes in the streets I have grown accustomed to. Aside from Maktoum Bridge having the Salik toll gate installed, to be working soon, I have seen some changes in the Muraqqabat neighborhood. WE’ve already had two incidences of fire at the building where I used to live in, it is just a matter of time before the Ministry of Whatever claim our building a fire hazard and will need to be demolished. That building has been there for more than 15 years and it has served us well, now unless the real estate owners do something drastic, what I have just mentioned will become a reality.
Despite the aging of my building, new flats have started coming up. Unfortunately, despite the increase, the prices of flats will remain the same or eventually rise, it is a sad reality but this is how it is. The funny thing though, as I count the number of new buildings that rise, I see a new number of old buildings with new "paint" jobs. It is hilarious to think that some people will do to cover something up. I’ve stayed for more than 3 years in this neighborhood and this is the first time I have seen 6 buildings with new paint jobs. Is there a cover up here? I’ve seen these buildings and we know what they are. Theses falts are dilapidated, having so many tenants andhas the makings of fire violations and health hazards. I mean not all flats there are like this but this is the poisoned apple given to Snow White. Nice and shiny outside but rotten to the core on the inside.
I’ve got a simple principle about shared accommodation that I got from my father, the lesser the people staying the lesser the maintenance. These buildings have so much people making too much garbage, usage of building facilities, installations of dishes and etc., maintenance is really difficult to come by. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a decent place to stay because another "rotten to the core" thing is taking over the realty companies, it’s called GREED. Sacrifice decent human living standards for a buck and a nice "paint job."

My friend Beth and I were actually chatting when we suddenly got talking about salaries. She actually is complaining how bad she felt that her husband is on the receiving end of the short side of the stick, managing around 20 people with outrageous working hours. I was actually assuming a small four digit salary but when she told me how much her husband got, I was a little surprised. I mean my friend and her husband were both earning in the five digit range. So what did this mean to me? At first I was envious about this whole thing, who wouldn’t be? I am earning just enough dough for my family. My wife and daughter’s disposition is understandable and I know my wife tries so hard to bring in extra income, she’s lost so much sleep trying to help me. I am so proud of my wife and how she manages things for me, though she doesn’t know, I just want to keep bringing in the bacon and she enjoy her motherhood or go to work when she chooses. Of course reality kicks in and at the end you suddenly feel that bitterness that comes with other people’s success. Now let me tell you what you can do about it… Well, absolutely nothing because the only thing you should have feeling for is happiness for your fellow man. Bitterness is an ingredient of envy, the best friend of crab mentality… Why would you want to bring this person down? Just because he/she has tasted success doesn’t mean you have the right to bring down the efforts of their work. Yes I feel jealous but at the same time I feel proud of my own success and the others as well. Instead of being a crab, I think it is just better to be happy for them. Besides the numbers you make is just mere status symbol, would you like to be known only because of the money you make? Be happy because there are other people that could be in worse position than you. Besides it is not about how much money you make, it is how you use it to be of benefit to the people you love. Thanks to Rona of reminding me about it’s not the amount you get but who you want to spend it on.

My best friend Dervin finally came back to Dubai after years of torment back home. A guy with three kids and loving wife finally decides to come to Dubai, although I believe he is still in his prime, he lacked major competition and drive back home. The thing about Dervin and I is that I consider him one of my biggest rivals and mentor in the game of IT. Without him I basically didn’t get that drive in my system to actually be better. As much as I would be a best friend, I always kept my positive outlook with Dee, although coming to Dubai with only job experience at hand (he hasn’t finished working with his diploma yet) and a heavy heart, it looked kind off grim since the "gulf experience" he carries was only staying and studying in Dubai from 1988 to 1995.
So after two months Dee was hopeful on his first interview which never materialized. It saddened because it was good deal with a very nice regularization pay but never came through after a lot of promises. Although I told Dervin to take it since he was starting without any "gulf experience." Alas, things didn’t really turn out the way it should. Even the visa change thing didn’t really workout for Dervin when he "exited" Oman, aside from giving me the flu, Dee was suppose exit Oman within a span 8 hours, unfortunately, the total experience cost him 48 hours that will never be given back to him.
Things didn’t really start right with Dee and during his return he told how he got an interview from some company in Dubai Airport Free Zone. He actually started complaining how bad his interview went with the opening comment from the interviewer saying in an nice sarcastic Indian tone… "Tell me more about Dervin?" Dee was totally down for the count with the way he narrated the entire sequence, a three hour wait and less than 10 minute interview, I honestly thought he wasn’t going to last this long. With Dee going out with out an dough and hope, I really felt bad myself since I really couldn’t do a lot now that I am in Al Ain. Now as Harvey Dent said, "The night is darkest just before the dawn." and for Dervin’s case, the darkest hour of his stay may have been that. Then one Monday morning Dee called me and told me he was going start at the same company. As enthusiastic as he was, I was actually relieved, I was sincerely happy for my best friend. As bitter rivals, we constantly challenged each other and there are tendencies that I underestimated Dee, but this time, he delivered! No one lost this round, we both won. Dee gets to work now, support his family and is now officially called an OFW, in which he says the letter "O" with such distinction as if here were in an orgasm. As for me, I got a permanent best friend who I can stick with day in, day out, one that can challenge me and make me more efficient. I’m happy for Dee, and I am happy for myself, I am not alone anymore.