Boomerang!

Rushing my way into Bombay Bazaar, I searched for the renowned gown shop I totally forgot the name of. There were two more days for my sister’s son’s wedding, and I still hadn’t purchased my attire.

“I’m an awful aunt, I’m an awful aunt, I’m awful aunt” I told myself repeatedly. I stopped hunting and caught an auto rickshaw that drove me to the nearest bridal wear showroom. Standing right behind the glass, I saw a mannequin wearing the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It was a turquoise lehanga that featured a hot pink hemline embellished with golden embroidery. “That is so mine!” I gushed. Without any second thought, I ran into the shop and asked the sales lady where the dress was kept. She looked around and fearfully said, “I’m sorry ma’am, but someone just took the last piece into the dressing room.” My heart sank. I ran toward the dressing room and saw the young girl who wore that dress walk out one of the stalls. She looked down and walked towards her mother who was jumping for joy. “Oh you look so beautiful!” her mother hugged her and said. “I can’t believe you’re getting married already…” Her daughter smiled slightly. I walked into the last stall, locked myself in and sat on the little chair. To be honest, that dress looked even more beautiful on her and it made me want to cry. The girl started to sound reluctant by the way she spoke. “Maa… why do we have to do this? It’s not li-” the girl’s mother cut her off, “oh don’t you worry, my munchkin. Papa and I are even happier to see you get married!” I took careful heed of their conversation. “But maa… it’s just that I’m… I’m not ready for this...” The mother didn’t respond. “…please try to understand,” the daughter continued. “But why, beta, what is the matter? Is it something he said?” the mother started to worry. “It’s not his fault, maa! It’s not anybody’s fault! It’s just that… you got didi married when she too was eighteen and… you know what happened! I’m sorry but I’m just not ready for this.”

Photograph by Mafaz Rouf

I heard sounds of the daughter stomping her feet up to the stall next to mine. She locked herself in, changed her clothes and walked out the dressing room. I unlocked my stall door and came out feeling sorrowful for the poor mother. As I walked out, I saw the lehanga thrown on the floor. I immediately grabbed it and hugged it and jumped in excitement! I ran to the cashier, purchased the dress, and rushed back home. With all the due respect and sympathy I had for the mother and daughter, I was equally overexcited about my new dress. I wore it and it fit me perfectly! As I admired each and every angle of it in the mirror, I got a phone call from my sister. I wondered why she would call so late. “Hello?” I asked. “What is the matter?” to which she responded, “Umm… I have some depressing news. The wedding has been called off. The girl isn’t ready to get married.”

The Omniscient

"Yet another super dull day," I thought to myself, as I slowly made my way toward my desk, sipping a freshly brewed dark roast coffee to keep me up all night. I worked evening shift at a 3-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur as the surveillance system monitor. Obviously, it wasn't a very pleasant job. I decided to play some of my favorite tracks on my smartphone and hummed along as I aloofly observed people walk in and out the hotel on the screens from time to time.

Photograph by Hiba Aydeed

I would have summed up the night as any other mundane night, if it wasn’t for the teenage girl who came along. She was clothed in bright colors - a red tank top with a black full-sleeved inner, blue leggings, green socks and well, turquoise flip-flops! I don’t know what she was thinking when she was dressing up, but she had definitely caught my attention. I mean, c’mon, she was a human rainbow and I would have to be blind to not notice her! I could tell she was a Muslim because she wore a hijab which, by the way, was brown in color. I continued to focus on where she was headed as she walked into the elevator and stood modestly - facing downwards - until the two other men got off at their floor. Just as the elevator door shut, she started dancing and whipping her "hijab" back and forth like absolutely nobody could have possibly been watching. (I knew she was crazy!) She stopped only to pout for a selfie on her phone and as she was filtering it on Instagram, I could tell by the sudden change in her expression, that she’d noticed the board behind her that says, "You are under surveillance!" Her eyes had popped out and her cheeks turned red. She walked out the elevator with a face of embarrassment.

Every time I think about her, I laugh hysterically. It was not only a humorous experience I had encountered at work, but also one that taught me a lesson: Even if you are alone, someone up there is definitely watching over you.

I've Always Chased The Horizon

Photograph by Musarrath Aydeed

But uninvited, comes the sunset as always, gracefully tramping over my sandcastle of hope. To look around, and find nowhere to go, I lay back on my boat and gaze at the stars... until a brighter sun rises, with a more vibrant horizon, that I'd row towards... all over again.