(A Scene from ‘Loabinfaru’)
He did not know what awaited him. But since the afternoon, Moosa had been getting ready to come to this spot. As the Asru prayer time got nearer, Moosa had jumped into the sea from the odi and taken a bath. Then he had got back on the odi and had poured some fresh water on himself and had got ready to meet Sanfa. He wore a white T-shirt and a greyish sarong with black lines. He also wore an oil based perfume. After he had done his Asru prayer he made a plea to God to protect him from all possible dangers that he might encounter and also had prayed to deliver Sanfa to him. Then before disembarking he had a look at the island. His pulses had quickened. He was overcome by emotion as he realized that he had been getting ready to go to a place without really knowing what awaited him. His uncle had also not been feeling well. And if something were to happen to him the odi would be stranded at this island for a long time. On the other hand, if he succeeded in meeting Sanfa it was a sure sign that his lucky star was in ascendance.
Moosa was feeling anxious as he waited for Sanfa. He was prepared to meet his fate. He looked around. There was no one. There was only darkness on the road. Faint light from the fulhibatthi was visible only from a few houses at the road side. From a distance he could hear a child reciting the holy Koran. Otherwise the only sound that he could hear was the hissing of insects coming from the cemetery grounds. Where was Sanfa? He wondered. Should he just wait here in the dark? Anything could happen to him. If this was a conspiracy, people would now be observing him in the darkness. If so, he might be attacked at any time. His heart started pounding hard. He was now really worked up and frightened.
Then Moosa saw two figures coming in the direction of Hassanbe’s house. Could this be Sanfa and Mariyimabu? Moosa looked at the approaching figures intensively. No, they were not. They were two young men. But before, they came two close to where Moosa was, they took a turn to another road and disappeared. Moosa wondered whether they were out scouting. Whether they would reappear at a closer point.
Moosa was getting worried. More time elapsed. The two young men were perhaps hiding somewhere nearby. But there was no sign of them. Then Moosa again saw two people approaching. Moosa observed in silence. Yes, they were Sanfa and Mariyambu. Moosa gave a sigh of relief.
Never before has Sanfa done this sort of thing. She had never walked along this road at night. She had never taken the initiative to meet a man. Sanfa was feeling very anxious. The sight of the cemetery at the end of the path increased her fear. Mariyambu was quite composed. She was familiar with the road. Then on the other side of the road, they spotted someone. Both of them could make out that it was Moosa in the darkness. Sanfa was not sure whether Moosa would come. Her sister had no doubt that he would come. Sanfa was overjoyed.
“That is Moosa. I did not think that he would come,” Sanfa said.
“I knew he would come. There is no sailor in the world who would not come when a girl invites him to meet her somewhere in the dark.” Mariyambu who was more mature in this sort of thing observed.
“Are you saying that Moosa is that kind of cheap person?” Sanfa asked.
“I am not saying that. All I am saying is that he is human. That he is a man. That they have left their home several months back. So, it is only natural that he would come.”
“We are nearly there. What shall I do? “Sanfa asked her sister.
“I told you. When we come up to him, I will proceed without stopping. You stay and talk to Moosa. Remember, sailors will have very little patience. He may try to touch you. Don’t allow that. If he tries to force himself on you, hit him hard. But if he still continues his advances bite him hard anywhere you can.”
Moosa could now see Sanfa and Mariyambu very well. He was very happy. There was no one else on the road. When they came up to Moosa, Mariyambu said,” I will be back soon.” With that she left them.
Sanfa came near Moosa. Then they walked together to the darkest spot on the road. Neither of them felt that this was their first meeting. They have seen each other at Sanfa’s house. They had thought much about each other, had met several times in their dreams and had become close.
“Did you want to meet me?” Moosa asked.
“Yes.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Yes. To ask you something.”
“Go on then. Ask. Before someone comes.”
“Moosa Didi, I just wanted to ask you whether you are married,” Sanfa said in a quiet voice.
“Don’t be so formal. Call me Moosa. No, I am not married.”
“In that case, do you have a girlfriend?” Sanfa asked after a slight pause. When Moosa did not immediately answer the question, Sanfa continued at a fast pace as though she had rehearsed her lines, “Okay. You have a girlfriend. She must be an Addu girl. She probably would not do any hard work. She would just sit pretty. She would wear cosmetics from England. Her lips would be red and glossy. Her hair would be soft and shining and washed with an English shampoo. She would be as fair as a dhondheena. Her skin would be as smooth as silk. Not like ours. We do hard work. We beat coconut husks and twist the strands to make rope. We boil fish and dry them. Our skin is therefore burnt and roughened up. Even our palms are hardened. To wash our hair we would use ash water and we would apply coconut oil. Our lips would be all dried up. But when we speak only the truth will come out of our mouth.”
Moosa who was listening carefully to Sanfa said, “Stop. I do not have a girlfriend. But the girl who I like has all the attributes of beauty that you have just described.”
“Why is that you have not become friends with the girl you like?”
“I want to be her friend. I even want to marry her. But she is going to marry another person,” said Moosa sadly.
“I don’t think that person will be better than you.”
“She is going to marry the Atoll Chief. He would be much better than I am. Right? ”
“Oh. Is that right? Is she going to marry the chief of your atoll?”
“I am talking about you. The girl who I had in mind is you.” Then Moosa held her hands. Sanfa came closer into his arms. Moosa encircled his arms round Sanfa. This was a moment that Sanfa had longed for. A picture that she had imagined she would be part of.
“Me?” Sanfa asked with surprise. She was so happy that tears welled up in her eyes. But Moosa did not see her tears.
“Yes. The first day I saw you, I made up my mind.” Sanfa was pleased to know that the man she loved also loved her. The man beside her was the man she loved. Her very first love. The man who would be her partner in life.
“The first time that I saw you, I also gave my heart to you. I am not interested in marrying the Atoll Chief. I will not marry him,” she said. Then, as she rested her head against his chest, she felt she had entered his heart. She could hear Moosa’s heartbeat. The sound of his heartbeat seemed to be saying, “I love you very much” repeatedly.
“I love you so much, Sanfa,” Moosa said as he stroked Sanfa’s face in the darkness.
“Then, would you be prepared to marry me?” Sanfa asked happily.
“That is what I want most in the world,” said Moosa as he played with Sanfa’s hair.
“The thing I also want most, is to be your wife.”
“Can I untie your hair?” Moosa asked touching her big hair knot.
“Everyone in the Island talks about my long hair. But I keep it tied in a bun and so it won’t appear too long. Not many people have seen it.” Sanfa then helped Moosa untie her hair. It was really long. The hair had a nice lansimoo smell. Sanfa then entwined her hair round both their necks as Moosa held her really tight.
“What nice hair,” Moosa said.
“It is yours now. I give it to you,” she said.
“I don’t want just the hair. I want the whole of you.”
“Moosa. I love you so much. I give you my whole self. You own me now. You must come to take possession of me. You must marry me.”
“Sanfa, I do love you. The only girl that I love is you. You are the girl I want to marry. It is you who should be the mother of my children. But will your father agree to our marriage?”
“Whether my father agrees or not, God willing, I will not marry anyone else. I will not bear another person’s child. I will spend my whole life with you.”
“I too, promise not to marry anyone except you.”
“I am so happy.” As Sanfa said these words, she removed her silver gohfattarunecklace and put it round Moosa’s neck and said, “This is for you to remember me by.”
Then Moosa pulled free the string of the silver amulet worn round his upper arm and gave it to Sanfa and said, “This is for you to remember me by.”
“What is inside the locket? Is it your heart?”
“Open it sometime and check out. But you must open it with care.”
“Oh! Is it because your heart may start beating wildly?”
At that time, there was a loud noise. Something fell on the road. Moosa and Sanfa separated and moved apart. Sanfa quickly tied her hair. There was no further noise. They concluded that what that they heard was the sound of a breadfruit falling to the ground.
At that time they saw Mariyambu returning. It was a good thing that the breadfruit fell with such a loud noise, they thought. That gave them the cue to move apart. Mariyambu must have thought they did not touch each other. Not much time actually elapsed since she left them together. But even five minutes was long enough time for two lovers to exchange vows and exchange their love. Sanfa and Moosa were able to do that. They had exchanged their vows for their future.
“Moosa Didi. Tomorrow night again,” Mariyambu said mischievously. Then both Sanfa and Mariyambu started walking towards their home. Moosa started walking in the opposite direction. Moosa was frightened to some extent. He thought that the sound that he heard might have been caused by someone as a warning. They might actually be waiting to ambush him. They might beat him up and throw him to the cemetery grounds.