The Disruption of Thomas

by Jos Henry

lucky thing that you stayed with Rajeev at the police station; if you weren't there things could have gone very bad for him.'

  'I suspected as much. I wasn't sure if staying with him would be helpful or if the police would simply find a cell big enough for two.'

  They both grinned at the late peril. Tongue in cheek, Gunther said,

  'I don't think it would have mattered the size of the cell to them. They would have locked up both of you in a small cell and you would have stayed there until an official by chance found out a few days later that you were somewhere in a cell. If he still remembered about you after his evening out with his buddies drinking tea and chewing on khat, then slowly the sorting out might begin.'

  They both chuckled but Tom wasn't at all sure Gunther was kidding. He belatedly became uneasy at the recall of the incident but was happy he'd be remembered as bold rather than clueless.

  As he left Thomas at the airport Gunther said,

  'I'm glad you decided to come, Thomas. I think on our staff and the customers it will have positive results. Me and Sultan we are very confident about the Areltrade/Montech cooperation.'

  'It was worth the trip, then. However, you know … I expected to speak with decision makers. People we visited in the Southern Regions wondered why I wasn't elsewhere fixing things instead of chatting with them. Instead of meeting people who could give us business we worked on problems I don't usually get involved with.'

  Gunther grinned so Tom grinned too but his eyes still questioned; in vain.

  'Guten flug, Tom. Next time we will organize better.

  'Oh; Fahd asked Sultan to send you a package. He said they will need experts on signals and yard bumps or something. Good-bye Tom.'

  He sped off.

  'Thanks for everything; good-bye'.

  'Except for the accident, you orchestrated the whole Abha thing didn't you; ... or did you?'

  Thomas checked-in at the airline counter. After he passed through security he saw Mr. Rodrigo at the other end of the outgoing international passengers' lounge. This time, he sat comfortably in a chair. He looked a bit untidy but no longer depressed. He was outa-here.

  'By golly. And it's not even two weeks since we last met. So, Mr. Rodrigo did get his freedom back from the passport wallah.'

  Thomas felt good at the sight of Mr. Rodrigo free to leave.

  'Have a good life Mr. Rodrigo; be careful where you travel.

  'I hope the package is what I think it is. I guess Fahd wasn't just making idle conversation.'

  Thomas walked towards his boarding gate with a "spring in his step". He was off to Sultan Qaboos's piece of the desert.

  'Gulf Air flight 320 to Manama and Muscat is now ready for boarding at gate 17. Passengers are asked ...'