Do I Have Your Royal Word on That?

Imagine my surprise early last week when I received a call from someone, while pretty damn famous and well known here in Bahrain, is not someone that generally calls me. How she, or should I say her office, got my mobile number remains a mystery...but considering who she is Im sure thats not much of a problem...anyways...

Now heres the thing...her office called ME...me. Apparently it came to their attention that I could use some help in my life at the moment as a single mom of 5 kids (important that they are Bahraini kids I might add) dealing with a crappy hand at the moment...remember...THEY called ME. Just so Im clear on that.

Now the lady on the phone was very nice...taking some information from me...asking about our situation etc. No problem. The generosity of strangers has saved me more than once recently....so the phone call itself didnt surprise me but the person calling did (or who she represented any how)...defintely did.

I was still getting over my shock at discovering who was calling me when she signed off with a promise to "help me" and would "get back to me shortly".

Now heres my question. I will not name names here so this is a general sort of question...but when it comes to "get back to me shortly" does that mean different things to different people? How short is shortly?

One week later and I havent heard back from this office. Now ordinarily I would take these sort of phone calls and offers of help with a grain of salt because, believe me, Ive received offers of help, jobs, money...whatever with seemingly the utmost of sincerity...only to discover later it didnt mean as much to them as it meant to me. You would have to be someone desperately needing something to understand that feeling of powerlessness at obtaining that "thing" you need...regardless of what it is. Invariably those offers, while received by me with abundant hope and thankfulness, ended up dwindling away like so much dust. Which resulted in the person offering the help to suddenly be unavailable to my calls and avoiding me when they seen me coming...ok...whatever. Im not going to hang it over someones head if they 'CANT help me...but I surely do wish people wouldnt make the offer if they have no intention of following through....

Hope dashed is worse then no hope at all sometimes...believe me...I know.

Anyhow, back to this office...now I understand that this ladies office is definitely in a position to help me. Its not a question of money or ability on their side...a simple phonecall or recommendation on my behalf and...walah!! ...people would be falling all over themselves to jump and do as commanded...it really would have to be that easy. Some people just have that certain sense of "royalty" about them...if you know what I mean.

Sooooo....Im sort of wondering why a week has gone by and no word back. I might sound greedy and impatient to some out there reading this...and I suppose considering who the office represents I cant help but get a few stars in my eyes about the possibilities (Ive heard in the past the sort of "help" offered by just such offices)...but really...THEY CALLED ME...so its not like I wrote a letter begging for help or used some wasta to get a special favour on my behalf. I wouldnt even know how to go about doing that...seriously. I just cant imagine it would take a whole week for something to be done...whatever that something was. Im just saying...not even a phone call back to let me know "its being worked on" or something....sigh!

Anyhow, I expect this sort of thing from "ordinary" people as they say...because sometimes people offer help with the best of intentions and then realize later they really cant follow through. Ok...I understand. I wont hold it against you if I feel it was a genuine offer on your part...just a little ambitious. Those people that offer with NO intention of following through...well hell...why even bother yourself? I wish you would just keep your promises to yourself...my children and I dont need that sort of wishful thinking in our lives at this point...

but those that CALL ME and offer to help me...and are obviously in a position to do so with no obstacles...then dont bother to get back to me...seriously...WHY? What did you get out of it...or hope to accomplish with that phonecall? Just wondering.

Now, I realize its only been a week...not a whole lot of time passed to warrant my irritation I suppose...but hey...when a stroke of a pen, a phone call, or a "royal" request is made...by certain people in society...it cant take more than...say.... 5 mins...half a day...a whole day??? to get it done...can it?

For myself, seriously, Im use to people and how they can be...dont get me started...but I made the mistake of mentioning the phonecall to my kids...wish I hadnt...nuff said on that.

Like I said...does "get back to you shortly" mean different things to different people?

I shall ponder whether I should practice more patience...or just chalk it up to "shit happens" and be done with it...what do ya think people?