Morocco: The importance of kissing bottom

Days had come and gone and we were STILL waiting for the building permits for our land in Morocco.  How could that be?  The city would send back our plans asking us to make a little correction here and there that I swear were already incorporated into the plans.  Something, yes something, was not adding up.  It appeared that we had to work a little harder….  It appeared that a little back scratching, a little groveling, a little pleading were in order.  It appeared that flattery of the most shameless, shameless kind was required.   Maybe something along the lines of: Oh Thee, distributor of the Marrakech building permits, brave and powerful one, hallowed be thy name…..Or perhaps it needed to be a little more like this:  Oh you handsome, handsome Marrakech Building Permit Distributor.  Do you know that you look just like Omar Sharif?  I bet you people tell you that all the time, don’t they? (eye lashes batting)  I can tell you, it definitely was not like this: Mr. Marrakech Building Permit Distributor, good morning Sir.  We are asking for our building permit. We have fulfilled all the requirements and the deadline has passed.  We are asking you to do your job, just as we have done our job.  So if you wouldn’t mind stamping right here and signing right here, we will be on our way.  Because you see, we had tried that last one and it had resulted in a blank stare combined with absolutely zippo action.

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No, no, no.  We had to be much more cunning than that.  Intermediaries needed to be hired and compliments needed to fly in every which way. We had to become the human embodiment of the adjective saccharine. So yes, dear friends, I confess -- that is exactly what we did.  And guess what happened after we implemented this little strategy of ours?  Well whaddya know, our Moroccan building permit arrived on our front doorstep.  Gee willikers. 

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It appeared we were ready to start building. 

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(But I tell you, if I see Mr. Marrakesh Building Permit Distributor one night with his car broken down, on a highway in the Atlas Mountains in the middle of nowhere, in the pouring rain, looking woebegone and drenched to the skin….I am putting my foot down hard on the gas pedal and speeding right by him, without a moment’s hesitation….And if you listen closely, you might even here me sing:  ooh, ooh, witchy wo-man, see how high she fly-eye-eyes…. ooh, ooh, witchy woman, she’s got the moon in her eye-eye-eye-EYES…..)

Comments

[Anna]

Not only is this important, it is an art! The funny thing with flattery is that as a recipient of flattery, even if you know it is untrue, it still works! I say, bring it on, pour on the cream, top it up with cherries.

[An Indian in America]

I totally echo what Anna has to say. To add, Advertising is one of highest form of flattery which is an industry worth how many trillion dollars ??

[Liosliath]

Oh yes, ja'aba. (not only monetary!) Glad he finally came through!

[Maryam In Marrakesh]

Anna and Anrosh, I know you are both right...And clearly flattery works...But aaaack!!!!

Liosliath - ah don't think it didn't require monetary persuasion...Things are never easy or simple. Believe me, this house building in Marrakesh is not for the faint of heart..

[Liosliath]

Oh, phooey. Speaking as one who has passed out a lot of ja'aba (ok, my husband has, mostly), I hate doing it. It definitely takes an iron will and loads of patience, excellent qualities which you obviously possess! :)