HAIL, 23 August 2006 — A power outage at a local hospital here left a woman waiting for an elevator so she could get to the maternity ward, the Al-Watan daily reported yesterday. The power cut couldn’t have come at a worse time since the woman was in labor. Hospital staff had to deliver the baby on the floor of the hospital hallway thanks to the fact the elevator wasn’t hooked up to the hospital’s backup generator. After the power was back on, the woman and baby who was born without any complications, were taken to their respective wards.
Tease the Monkeys at Your Own Risk
TAIF, 23 August 2006 — The baboons of the resort city of Taif have a reputation. They can be fun to ogle and feed, but have a mischievous disposition to those that don’t play by the unspoken rule: Feed us, don’t tease us. A woman learned this rule the expensive way when she thought it would be cute to pretend to toss food at the monkeys, the Al-Watan daily reported yesterday. After a couple of minutes of this, one baboon managed to sneak up behind the woman and snatch out of her hand what it thought was the goods. Instead of a banana, the monkey had taken the woman’s stylish and expensive cell phone. The animal then proceeded to run away up the mountain with its hi-tech booty, leaving the woman the punch of her own joke.
Carnappers Hold Vehicle for Ransom
MAKKAH, 23 August 2006 — A Saudi man may have become the first in the Kingdom to have his car held ransom, the Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday. When the man discovered that his car had been stolen, he immediately informed the police. A short while later, he received a call from a stranger saying his car had been kinda... er, carnapped. The criminals did provide excellent customer service, providing the man the convenience of a bank account number where the ransom money could easily be deposited.
Finicky Father Fusses Over Wedding Invitation
JEDDAH, 23 August 2006 — How dare the groom put the bride’s name on a wedding invitation! This is what a father was thinking after he discovered his daughter’s name printed for all the world to see on a wedding invitation, the Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday. After making all of the arrangements for the wedding, the groom was informed that — thanks to his utter lack of respect — the father of the bride called the wedding off. After a lengthy bit of sweet-talk on the part of the groom, as well as a promise to destroy the old invitations and order new ones, the finicky father relented and allowed the wedding to proceed.
Young Idiot Crashes Hijacked Car
HAFR AL-BATEN, 23 August 2006 — A young idiot decided not only to steal a car, but also to take it for a high-speed joyride, the Al-Yaum newspaper reported yesterday. After inviting his friends along on his gauntlet of stupidity, the youth wrecked the car and found himself in the hospital — and in a heap of trouble with the law, thus helping prove the concept that the least stupid among us are more likely to succeed in the trials of life.
