Delivery anyone?

Over a cup of coffee with a few friends tonight, and as all Lebanese usually do, we commenced a ‘nag-ful’ conversation about the various ‘deviant’ aspects of the society; issues such as our outrageous nightclubs, all the way through to politics (being Lebanese, politics is always an issue to be discussed over coffee, a drink, lunch/dinner and sometimes in intimate settings).

As our discussion evolved, a 25-year-old dude who was with us told me one of the most outrageous things I might ever hear in my life. Delivery… but not just any kind of delivery; prostitute delivery! Yup, here in Lebanon, we offer prostitute delivery. And mind you, there is a password you would have to know in order to receive your order. Here is how it all works:

There is a certain mobile number you dial; on the other end of the line, a very seductive female voice answers. You use the password to identify that you are not a member of the police, or someone who has too much time on their hands to make a prank call. After the password, you are questioned about your preferences: blonde, brunette, red-head; big breasts, average size or small; feminine, tomboy-ish; tall, short; age range. After you have submitted your order, you give them the delivery address along with your mobile number, for further validation. You end the call with a ‘thank you’, hang up, and wait for up to half an hour (depending on which area you reside); then you get a missed call to notify you your delivery had arrived. You meet your “order” on some street corner and then take the whole “plat-du-jour” up to your apartment to savor on the delicacies. Hotel rooms are not included or accepted. The fees start at $100, but with some negotiation skills and tactics, you might be able to reduce it to half the amount.

Prior to tonight, I had thought – or rather, hoped – that the society had reached rock bottom on the moral degradation level. I guess I was wrong…