CONSISTENCY, if one is to define it, is repetition without loss of an unvarying degree or intensity. Whether it is an art or science is open for conjecture. And while there are positive tributes that arise from being consistent, there is always the other side.

Salem was recently recounting to us his wedding reception thrown in his honor at his father-in-law’s house. The food was catered by Al-Bilad Hotel in Jeddah, and was simply stunning according to Salem. And even though Salem was nervous among his new family, the sight of such glittering displays of mouth-watering delicacies relaxed his palate enough to make that evening memorable and enjoyable.

Well, that may be nothing new to those of us who frequent Al-Bilad Hotel or other such fine establishments which offer time and again high quality, good prices, and excellent service. They have studied the art of attracting repeat customers with gracious effort rather than with mountains of marble and brass, and a surly attitude behind the counter.

There are other such establishments, products, or services in this city that have also elicited favorable comments at communal gatherings. Establishments such as IKEA or Sawary Supermarket hold high esteem among their repeat customers. Japanese electronics and vehicles are also consistently an issue of positive mention with their “no hassle and always operational” approach.

The friendly Yemeni at the neighborhood puncture shop is an artist himself. Through fast and efficient service and at digestible prices, he would put a lot of franchised auto maintenance centers to shame with their seemingly “no care” attitude and inflated estimates to customer grievances.

And while there are other venues of constantly positive impulses to our senses, there is indeed another twist to this art. It is common and fairly spread out over several boundaries here. Take flight reservations for example. Travel agents and airline booking clerks are notorious for screwing up your flight plans or vacation dates.

Garment stores also follow a consistent approach of eagerly taking your money, but refusing to pay you back in kind if the product is found to be later defective. And most if not all warranties on consumer products here are remarkably consistent: They’re not worth the paper they are printed on!

And if you are mad enough to pursue this issue with the Ministry of Commerce or the Chamber of Commerce, let me warn you that they are consistently unhelpful.

Or how about the surly frown one is greeted with when approaching the arrivals immigration clerk at Jeddah airport? You’d think with the consistency of such a grimace across several immigration officials that this is a part of their job description. Smiles don’t usually cost money.

Or how about the nightmare on our roads! What makes it an art is that quite often it is practiced by our road maestros right under the nose of a traffic cop parked a few feet away. He must be having more important things on his mind to bother with such trivial matters like traffic control.

Or our public service bureaucrats, an unfailing bunch of individuals who are on this earth to ensure that your life will be an eventful one. They do that by the crafty use of several barriers that impede rather than provide impetus to any of your questions or demands. They are here to serve, and serve themselves they do indeed. Theirs is truly a disguised and little studied art.

And for those of you traveling this summer, there is also the art of making you sweat buckets and detoxify your body at the sauna referred to by some as the airport terminal. Over the past four summers, those in charge have displayed remarkable consistency in ensuring that the temperature is just high enough to let your sweat spores open.

Oh yes indeed. There has to be an art among all this consistency. But how about us who are not into such forms of art appreciation? Where can we go to escape it?

— Tariq A. Al-Maeena, [email protected]