Falling foul of the census

I had a call from Newman yesterday, to say that Dubai Municipality had come to my apartment and wanted to ask me some questions about the census. Why is it that mention of the census brings out the guilty schoolkid in all of us? When asked if I lived alone, I had to say yes, even though I have been harbouring fugitives - both friends and family - all year.

Unfortunately, Newman and I forgot to get the story straight on why he was in my apartment. I told the Municipality man on the phone that it was my cousin; Newman said he was a friend. Oops. Needless to say, they're coming back again (and Newman's hiding behind the curtains).

After all, unmarried men and women living together is technically illegal here, yet of course, loads of people do it, whether as couples, or house share enforced by exorbitant rents. And yes, they have been known to enforce this - two couples I know were jailed for cohabiting.