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King’s home, a couple blocks away. Mrs. King had both an Indian cook
and a houseboy and they quickly prepared a very nice breakfast. Our
new home was furnished by Aramco with very heavy, commercial-type
china. Mrs. King kept an extra set of nice china of her own and she very
graciously loaned the set to Jean to be used until our own things would
arrive by sea in a few months. What a lady she was!

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secretary, four American job analysts and four Indian clerks. Each of
the American men was older than I was and had been in Arabia four to
six years.

The air in Arabia was unique. Nearly all the time it had no smell
whatsoever. It is true that in April when all the oleander hedges in town
were in bloom there was some fragrance, but at other times, there was
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Children are remarkably adaptable. Little blond Richard at age
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When we took the kids to the beach, they could walk on a hot sidewalk
with no great problem. (Admittedly, crossing the asphalted main street
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possibly hot and shoes were required.) Jean watched over the children
when we were outside fearing the possibility of sunstroke or heatstroke,
but this never occurred. We all salted our food heavily or swallowed salt
tablets as a routine precaution. The kids ran and played and rode their
bicycles and did very well. I was surprised that Jean, after a few tries,
refused to join the bridge clubs. She spent her time with her children
and with me.

About March 1950, Jean and I went on a day-long trip to Ho-
fuf. This was the largest city in the province and still contained high
walls with only a few entrances. We went on a bus that was a converted
Kenworth truck chassis. It took almost three hours each way. Very few
Caucasian women had ever been allowed to visit there – ours was the
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dresses, they were nevertheless without veils and it was possible to see a

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