In 1987, we sent a container load of Old Smokey Grills to Saudi Arabia. Preparing all the paperwork, setting up payment (this was before email, and maybe faxes!) and dealing with the export regulations was quite an adventure for us.
We never got a repeat order, and we wondered if we had done any good for our efforts.
Then one day in 1998 we got a letter from England, asking how to buy a replacement Old Smokey, and stating "you asked how I acquired the orginal."
I quote:
"In 1987 I was with British Aerospace working as a fighter pilot instructor at Dhahran Airbase. Almost everyone had an Old Smokey grill and we followed suit. Given the climate in Saudi Arabia, we very often barbecued - all manner of meats with the notable exception on pork, of course - all washed down with copious draughts of home brewed hooch!!!
In due course we returned to UK and the grill was used throughout the summer months until it finally gave up the ghost last year.
Yours faithfully,
C. Mitchell"
So, it's good to see that our efforts paid off, and we made some more people happy.
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