Journey’s Edge
Dec 16th, 2009 by Abdul Ghani
The Imam of the mosque, Muhammad Zafran has invited me to dine with him tonight but on the condition that I get plenty of rest before meeting him. This is a condition that I have no qualms in fulfilling, so I submit to the comfort of my futon.
I wake on the call to the sunset prayer, make my ablution and head for the mosque. After the prayer, I leave the mosque before the Imam notices that I am gone. Suddenly, I am aware that I haven’t a gift to take to his home, so I head towards the village shop that I noticed on the way in. There are some cupcakes and pastries on display by the counter. I choose a good selection and reach for my wallet which is not there. I am thankful to find some kyat in my pocket and hope there is enough to cover the cost. I hand them to the shopkeeper who looks at me in bewilderment. ‘No kyat,’ he says shaking his head, ‘only dollar’. I make my apologies and leave the shop. Why would I need dollars? I was told that kyat would suffice for my trip to the market… someone told me, I’m sure.
I walk back to the mosque and find the Imam making his way home. I want to ask him about the kyat and why I can’t use it here but I decide to wait as he appears to be in a hurry. We walk in silence until we reach his home, a humble dwelling resting on stilts above the lagoon. An intriguing combination of seafood and stewed fragrant fruit wafts from the lagoon.
The Imam gestures for me to sit at a low table laden with platters of sardines, salmon and herring, luscious leafy greens and cooked blueberries. The smell overwhelms my senses. ‘Food for the mind and soul,’ says the Imam and with that in mind we embark on our gastronomic adventure…
…My mind is suddenly swimming, I feel out of breath, there is an immense weight on my chest. I am struggling to breathe now. I look around me, my vision is blurry. I close my eyes and I hear the sound of waves. I am in complete darkness, with nothing but the sound of waves crashing in my ears. That same smell of fragrant fruit fills my senses again and I slowly become aware of my surroundings. I look at the Imam who is sitting in front of me now nodding his head reassuringly. I sit up and look him straight in the eye, ‘Why am I here? How did I get here?’