High Life

Wednesday, 11th March 2009

Takeover time

Gstaad

I stood outside the hotel lobby watching the snow blanket the parking lot, turning it into an almost pretty sight. I had been playing backgammon inside with a large and rowdy cast of characters, some of whom, like Floki Busson, mother of Arpad, and Leonida Goulandris, are veterans of the great games of the past. Others are of more recent vintage, like John Sutin, who read about the 300 Spartans long ago and applies their theory of no surrender to the game.

Having watched Sutin accept a double that even Hitler in the closing days would have dropped, I went outside for a breath of air when the caravan arrived. Five long cars filled to the brim with flunkeys born under a bluer sky than that of northern Europe. The problem was that the precious cargo they were guarding and flunkeying for had taken off his shoes. Two on each side of the car were busy putting them back on but they were having trouble. It seems the precious one was asleep and kicking them off the moment they had managed to slip them back on his little tootsies. The doormen, all three Spaniards and very nice, were wearing their blank, Roman Abramovich expressions.

Then, finally, it was time for the little s**t to emerge, and I watched dumbfounded as a ‘little s**t’ did emerge and was hustled up the stairs and into the lobby. The ‘ls’ was around 20 years of age, tiny and dark, and dressed badly, like young people dress nowadays, boutique-like, or Prada-lousy. He was accompanied by his enormous entourage up to the sixth floor — which had been taken up in its entirety — and upwards to the penthouse. I immediately made discreet inquiries about who the ‘ls’ was. He was Saudi and the son of some big shot. And that’s when the penny dropped. That’s what the first Gulf war was all about. To ensure that little and some not-so-little s**ts from that wonderful country could come to Gstaad, take over whole floors, and flood the lobby with their hangers-on. Bravo, Storming Norman, I thought to myself, for making it possible. Thank God, no members of my family died in that holy cause. But just imagine if some American or British parent who had lost a son in that crusade to make Kuwait and Saudi safe for s**ts had been standing where I was. Just imagine what would have gone through their minds. Not that any parent of the kind I just mentioned could afford Gstaad.

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Anon

March 12th, 2009 10:22am Report this comment

'This is the best news I’ve had since you know what happened in May 1940 around a place called France'

A child could write better prose than Taki. What hold does Taki have over the Speccie?

David Short

March 12th, 2009 5:22pm Report this comment

Anon, he has never cashed a Spectator cheque and I have a feeling the new management feel 'privileged' to go to the Savoy with him...

M. Hristov

March 13th, 2009 4:31pm Report this comment

I suppose Taki likes to see comments about his sympathies being trotted out. When you are that rich who cares about a few dead people. Who cares about history. Who cares about morality. He must feel above all that. He must laugh at the idea that it might affect him.

Taki, I remind you that we are all mortal. Something that you would have found out if you had decided to criticise the arrivistes of the 1940s, the murderous Nazis. Instead you can make do with the children of a few elite ex-soviet 'communists' who were able to take advantage of extreme capitalist views, foisted on them by the neo-cons, to make serious money.

Now they've gone you have to attack the Saudis. Petty, petty, petty.

No more Anti-Semitism, please. It is not only morally indefensible but vulgar, vulgar, vulgar. Not to mention extreme bad manners.

Christian W

March 13th, 2009 9:40pm Report this comment

I for one like the mix of high life, critizism of noveau riche and non-PC comments.
Though I wouldn't mind a little less antisemitism and skip stuff like calling the invasion of France a good thing.

Otherwise, keep up the good work!

Morgan Kane

March 15th, 2009 1:05pm Report this comment

All the money, yachts and Anderson & Sheppard blazers in the world can't deodorize the stench of an ex-con with the Weltanschauung of an SA street thug and the face of a greasy waiter.

ALKAN KIZILDEL

March 15th, 2009 5:18pm Report this comment

Taki,self-styled arbiter of fashion and a member of the highest(!) ranks of European Aristocracy is ranting about uncultered Arabs as usual.
He should do well to remember that his ship owner compatriots used to lick the a... of the Saudies. I also wonder how his compatriots looked when they first arrived at Ellis Island in early 1900s ? Taki should also remember the immortal lines of another Greek albeit one from a very different mould than Taki,Constantine Kavafy:
“ And now, what’s going to happen to us without the barbarians ? They were, those people, a kind of solution “
(Waiting for the Barbarians)

ALKAN KIZILDEL

March 15th, 2009 5:34pm Report this comment

Taki,self-styled arbiter of fashion and member of the non- existing Greek aristocracy, is as usual ranting about uncultured Arabs and Russians...
"Paulus's gallant sixth Army" makes me laugh: in reality a horde of murderers...“ Taki would do well to remember the immortal lines of Constantin Kavafy, a Greek fom a very different mould than Taki: " And now, what’s going to happen to us without the barbarians ? They were, those people, a kind of solution “