Air Force Dining Out- September 2012

Spencer and I went to the Dining Out of the Air Force.  It is Air Force’s equivalent to the Balls that other forces hold.  I have to mention that they are not as fancy.  It is more for the Air Force members to put their faces out there and make a good impression upon their superiors.  We sat next to Spencer’s tennis buddy, whom I won’t name per his request.  I won’t even post a picture of our table for his sake. 

The last event I went to was in DC in some significant building, but this was just in the ECC, that place where we frequently go out to eat for lunches and dinners.   

I spent the previous weeks looking frantically for a dress to wear.  I bought two dresses at the time, one I wore to the wedding I attended and the other to save for this occasion.  I have to mention that it is difficult to find something long enough, with sleeves.  It is such a struggle! 

The evening was formal with the presenting the flag, national anthem, and talking about the empty table set for the fallen soldier which I find quite touching and sad.  During that presentation one man openly wept.  He must have lost some close to him.   Because of recent events, the poorly made film of the prophet Mohamed and repercussions in the nearby Islamic countries, our guest speaker did not come.  Rather we had one of the Leaders of the base speak.

 (Side note:  Saudi did not have riots, no one even really spoke of it except amongst the workers.  It was upsetting to us all that offense would be taken on such a poorly made film and by an Egyptian American.  A few weeks after later, during one really frustrating day at work one nurse speaking of the mentality and attitude of the locals asked me what year it was on the Islamic calendar. I responded 1433. She then said forgive the people here for their rudeness, insolent and primitive behaviors they are a few hundred years behind.  I had to laugh, but truth be told the behavior of families and patients here is astounding. I am not your servant, don’t demand and speak down to me.  An example of what I deal with regularly, when a patient has a resistant strain of organism it is protocol that a specific form of isolation be enforced to maintain and not pass the organism around.  Sometimes we have to wear a yellow gown; and washing hands upon entering and existing is normal procedure but here asking them to wear a yellow gown is like asking them for their first born child. I repeatedly ask them and they just stare at me, few respond ‘okay, okay’ and never do it.  A few have complained that it makes their hands sweaty, or it is hot.  But for the women they wear an abaya over their clothes anyway so what would a yellow gown matter).  

Then Spencer and I made out way up to the dance floor.   We had a good time but I wasn’t excited about dancing the night away.    I enjoyed dancing with Spencer, it was fun.  We haven’t had a chance to dance together previously.    

It was fun night to do something other than the normal evening.  I rarely wear make-up and do my hair. This event gave me reason to look beautiful for my husband.  Sometimes if we go out to the city, I wear the abaya, and little else.