My Art Is Where the Ohm Is
by
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His beret settled on his head like a huge pancake, and half of his face was still covered in the sand he had evidently been sleeping in. His shirt and trousers, also covered in sand, were a mass of creases and his webbing belt, hanging over one hip, was completely devoid of any polish. His feet, minus socks, were stuck into a pair of grossly oversized, filthy boots that had long since parted company with the laces. I waited for the inevitable request for water or cigarettes but it was slow in coming as the guard tried to fathom out who the wearer of the strange uniform was. In fact, the request never came as the prince, recovering first, yelled something in Arabic and taking two paces towards the panic-stricken soldier struck him repeatedly about the head with the flat of his hand.
She explained that the markings were made when she was a small baby and that she had no memory of the event. She went on to explain that the incisions had been made by a razor blade and that wood ash had then been inserted into the wounds so that when they healed the scars would stand proud. This they certainly did and the scars ran over her stomach like so many varicose veins. It was in fact, a beautiful work of art, if an act so diabolical could be described as art. Quite casually, almost coldly, she then informed me that at the same time her genitalia had been mutilated.
"I was circumcised" she stated.
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About the Book
On being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer the author decided it was time to write his memoirs. He felt that his life as an expatriate contractor was infinitely more interesting than that of many so-called celebrities whose autobiographies filled the shelves.
As a well travelled telecommunications engineer in the oil and aviation industries he has a host of stories to tell. In this book he recounts his experiences in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Libya, and Zimbabwe.
Commuters who bemoan their fate every day may see their journeys in a different light after reading some of the hazardous methods the author has had to use to get to work. Helicopter travel was routine but there was also the occasional landing by seaplane on a crocodile infested river. Being hauled by a crane from the deck of a supply ship to the top of an oil platform or running the blockade of the American Sixth Fleet to get into Libya were just other ways to get to the office.
The book describes the difficulties and frustrations of working with conditions and cultures so different to those in the UK. In Saudi Arabia a Brit would have to accept that for doing the same job he would find himself paid less than a Saudi national or an American. However, he would be paid more than a Filipino or a Pakistani. In Nigeria a contractor discovers that nothing gets done unless he pays "dash" ( bribe) to almost everyone concerned with the project.
The book is amusing but sometimes tragic as the author remembers colleagues who never made the journey home and whose bodies now lie forgotten in some neglected graveyard under a tropical sun. Throughout the book the author keeps the reader informed of his cancer treatment and his later battle with the Health Authority.
About the Author
William Webb was born in London and lived there until joining the Royal Air Force in 1956. He served for ten years as both an air and ground Radar Technician which included a tour of Germany. On leaving the RAF he went on to work for the Royal Saudi Air Force, the Nigerian Air Force, the Libyan Air Defence Command, the Omani Army, and the Middle East Multinational Peacekeeping Force.
He has spent over forty years travelling the globe as a Telecommunications and Airfield Aids engineer/consultant and is listed as an ICAO expert in these fields. His travels have taken him to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and Central America. He has wined and dined with royalty and met such interesting characters as Idi Amin and Colonel Ghadaffi.
His first book was "Been There, Done That, Got the T-Shirt" which is a must read for any would-be traveller or expat contractor.
His latest book is "My Art Is Where the Ohm Is" which is previewed on this website.
He is presently finishing a novel based on his ten years service as a Radar Technician in the Royal Air Force. It is hoped that this will be available later in the year.