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Chapter 14: Desert Boycott
 By Jim Caple |
Previously at 24 College Avenue: Former housemate and State College point guard Jill Thomas accepted dual citizenship from the Prince of Mubai to play for the country’s national team in its attempt to medal in the Olympics. Unfortunately, while she, fellow guard Chardonnay Knight and center Camila Brabrickovich are on a road trip, the country’s mullahs reassert religious authority in the country and restore fundamentalist law. Jill has been arrested for inciting a riot at an Olympic pre-qualifying game. . . .
Jill stared at her watch, the one she had earned when State College went to the national championship game, watching the second hand sweep around its face. Every revolution brought her flight another minute closer to departure, every 60 seconds brought her closer to home. And the hand simply did not move fast enough.
“Come on,’’ she whispered. “Take off. Take off. Take off.’’
Jill had spent three weeks in a Mubai jail cell, fearing for her life for much of that time. She had been arrested for assaulting the police officers who were accosting the girl at the Olympic pre-qualifying game. Under the new fundamentalist laws, females were not allowed to attend sporting events and the punishment was multiple lashes. Jill had rushed to the girl’s aid, pushing the officers aside and then leading her away from the court. She didn’t get far. Security reinforcements blocked their escape, arrested Jill and took her to jail.
The verdict was almost instantaneous. Guilty. The announced sentence was equally swift: 100 lashes. The Prince of Mubai, who was intent on using sports as a tool for tourism, also pleaded with the mullahs to pardon Jill but they would not listen. They resented the Prince’s western lifestyle and planned to depose him as soon as possible. Nor were they persuaded by the moral outrage of dozens of nations. The mullahs were the law of the land in Mubai and any outside protests only strengthened their resolve. They did, however, decide to hold off on the lashing until the world media grew bored with the story and turned its focus elsewhere.
And then the women of Mubai organized their boycott.
Unless the mullahs released Jill and also lifted the ban on females attending basketball games and other sporting events, they announced they would withhold sex from their husbands.
The men of Mubai did not take the threat seriously at first. Refuse sex with their husbands? They did not think it possible. They assumed that the threat of a whipping would quickly put their wives on their backs but such was not the case. Even when the occasional wife was put to the lash, the protest only intensified. No sex meant no sex. Within days, there was open rioting in the streets.
The mullahs quickly found themselves in a most vexing position. On the one had, they needed to maintain their moral authority, and letting an American off the hook could cripple their standing. On the other hand, they enjoyed sex. And with sex now added to the storyline, the media was going nowhere, so the spotlight would remain focused on the them.
After a couple weeks, the mullahs gave in. There were too many complaints from their followers. And they enjoyed sex too much. Jill, they announced, was free to go without the lashing as long as she promised to quit the team and leave the country, an option to which she readily agreed.
Within a day, Jill, Chardonnay and Camila had booked a flight to Frankfurt. While all three wanted to play in the Olympics, they could not bear to represent such a country. The two teammates sat in the row behind Jill as they all waited anxiously for the plane to take off.
And then came the Air Mubai pilot’s announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m afraid we’re going to be delayed a moment longer before our departure. Nothing serious, just a minor mechanical problem that won’t take but a minute or two to repair. So sit back and relax -- we’ll be on way shortly.’’
“@#&%,’’ Jill whispered. “Will this flight never leave?’’
She turned to ask her teammates this question, only to see the Prince of Mubai standing above her.
“My brave young player,’’ the Prince said, leaning down to kiss her hand. “Let me once again apologize for your incarceration. It was a terrible mistake.’
“Damn right it was,’’ Jill said, yanking her hand away. “And that’s why I’m leaving.’’
“So I have heard. I truly wish you would change your mind though. You have given us a tremendous opportunity to qualify for the Olympics and we need you for the next, final step.’’
“Get yourself another girl,’’ Jill snapped. “After the way your country treated me the past three weeks, there is no way I’ll wear your jersey again.’’
The Prince took the seat next to Jill. “In the desert, we learn not to be so hasty with our decisions. A trader who passes up one well in the morning will very well regret the decision by nightfall.’’
“Yeah, well, I’ll be back in America before evening. So if you’ll excuse me . . . “
“You do not understand,’’ the Prince said. “If you’re worried about the mullahs, I can personally guarantee your safety. Believe me, there is nothing left to fear in that regard. As I assured you before, the mullahs increase and lose their moral authority periodically. Their capitulation in your case caused their approval ratings to plummet overnight. They no longer are a threat in any way. It will be years before they attempt a comeback.’’
“They can overthrow you in a decade or next week – it doesn’t matter to me,’’ Jill said. “I’ll be reading about it safely in America because I’m leaving on this flight.’’
The Prince frowned.
“You realize that I own this airline, do you not? And that I could order the plane to not depart? For that matter, you realize I control all air traffic in or out of Mubai? I could ground all flights for as long as I wish.’’
“Fine. We’ll take a car. Or a boat. Or a camel. Anything that will get us out of here.’’
The Prince gestured to a security guard, who hastily arranged for a chair to be placed in the aisle next to Jill. He sat down and looked at Jill with a wounded expression.
“It pains me to hear you say that. I have such glorious plans for Mubai. I wish it to become a western oasis, a regional symbol for peace and progress in a land of war. To show that there is another path other than the narrow, old one the fundamentalist would have us follow. But you already know this; we have discussed it many nights. And you also know how you can help me, Jill. You and Chardonnay and Camila. Think of the public relations impact we could have if you lead Mubai into the Olympics.’’
“Funny, it didn’t seem like such an oasis when I was sitting in that cell wondering when the big, hairy guy with the whip and the black hood would knock on the door.’’
“I am prepared to reward you quite handsomely,’’ the Prince said, switching tactics. “Consider your salary doubled.’’
Jill merely grunted.
“Consider it tripled.’’
She shook her head.
“Quadrupled. And that goes for your friends as well.’’
“What part of no do you not understand?’’
“Name your price. I’ll give you a blank contract.’’
“Sorry,’’ Jill said. “I know you’ve always been on my side and I really do wish you well with your goal, but I just can’t stay here.’’
The Prince sighed. “Very well. I had hoped this would have been easier. But if I cannot persuade you, perhaps another can.’’
He nodded to the security guard, who smiled and left the plane.
Next: Meat Market
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