In Bahrain, some of us who were in the Persian Gulf frequently had our hair cut at "The New Dinar." There, you could have a shave and a haircut for one Dinar. (Currency translation, about $2.67.) The barbers had no idea how to cut a flat top and always did a terrible job. But I always went there. As a client, I would arrive and sit in a leather barber chair. The room was hung with crimson curtains, heavily designed and tapestried. An assistant would serve sweet milk tea in a china cup. The barber would pause and wait while I took a sip of tea, then would resume cutting. After the haircut, the barber would wrap my face in a steamy warm towel and massaged the scalp. It was very relaxing. He would then lather my face and give me a shave. Local music played in the background. It was a real bargain for one Dinar.
I had been to Bahrain on three trips before I was sent during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Tensions between the population and the US Military were increased during Desert Shield. There had been some civilian attacks against military targets and some sniper fire. Nonetheless, I was comfortable going into town and shopping. It was all familiar to me.
On this particular trip to the New Dinar, a father had brought his son who was about 5 or 6. Under their head covering, the Bahrainis wore their hair long and were fully bearded. When the child saw me getting a flat top, he laughed and laughed. So did I. I could see the humor from his perspective, and from mine, too, it really was a terrible flat top. The barber, who was Arab, of course, lathered my face, and stropped his straight razor. He began to shave my face. As he was slowly shaving my throat, he asked, "So.what do think of.Sadam Houssein?"
That was the moment in my life that I learned the definition of the word, "Diplomacy."
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