Chocolates

Mina scanned the assorted chocolate bars lining the shelves before her.  “Here it is”, she exclaimed and grabbed a couple of Picnic bars.  She turned to check what Lidia had decided to buy.  Lidia had already chosen a packet of mini Mars bars. 

The two girls headed towards the front registers to pay for their goods.  Just then, Lidia noticed a young boy standing nearby.  He had delicate dark features.  His eyelashes were long and lush.  He appeared to be comparing the sizes of two chocolate bars, and muttering to himself.  The little boy displayed a facial impression of being deep in thought.  He continually lifted his head to the ceiling, closed his eyes, then opened them and repeated his measurements.  The little boy had long silky black hair tied in a bun atop his head, and wrapped with a grey square cloth and an elastic band.  At first glance, Mina thought him to be a girl.  Then she noticed that he wore the local school’s boys uniform. 

She whispered to her friend: “look there, Lidia, at the boy with long hair.  Hilarious!”.  She giggled and leaned on Lidia’s shoulder. Lidia shrugged. 

The girls arrived at the cash register.  They payed for the chocolate bars, and headed towards the exit doors.  Mina caught her pretty reflection in the glass.  She used this awaited opportunity to adjust her veil.  Skilfully, she gathered the loose hairs around her face and tucked them under her veil.  The light silk veil embraced her round face, and fell gracefully over her shoulders and chest.  The doors slid open.  Outside, the wind welcomed the two girls with a blast.  Mina’s veil gathered up her chest, around her neck and head; then fluttered in the air.  A thick braid of rich black hair was revealed under the silk.  She quickly held down the back of the veil with her left arm.  Her long skirt blew up into a bell shape.  She forced it down with the other arm. 

Lidia was busy unwrapping and stuffing a mini Mars bar in her mouth.  She brushed her loose hair away from her face.  Her pink jersey shirt and jeans stood firm against the howling wind.

Ahead on the footpath, an old woman was walking slowly towards the girls.  She was small and hunchbacked.  She carried a large quilted handbag filled with oddly shaped things.  The bag made a clanking noise with every slow step she took. Clank – pause – clank – pause….  The clanking music attracted the attention of the two girls.  They slowed their pace as they walked towards her.  The woman was struggling to keep her feet on the path as the wind pushed her from side to side.  She focused her gaze on Mina.   Clank – pause – clank – pause. 

The old woman was about to pass the girls when she suddenly stopped.  She gave Mina a contemptuous look and hissed: “take it off you silly girl”.   The old woman continued her journey towards the doors behind the girls.

Mina was thunder struck.  A few moments went by before she spoke: “Did you hear what that old hag said? What did she mean by ‘take it off’?” She tried to imitate the old woman’s heavy British accent. 

“Don’t think about it too much,” replied Lidia unwrapping another Mars bar.

Mina shook her head in disbelief: “She was talking about my hijab”, letting go of her skirt and pointing to her chest, “she was telling me to take it off.  How dare she!  Who does she think she is?! I should have answered her back”, her voice grew louder and faster. 

Lidia swallowed the brown sticky goo in her mouth.  She took a deep breath and reasoned: “She probably thinks your parents forced you to put it on or something.”

“No one can force me to do anything!” stormed Mina, letting go of her veil and waiving both hands in the air.  “This hijab is my identity.  She should respect it. No one should be allowed to say stuff like that.”  She screwed her face up in bitterness.

“Well, you were laughing at that boy in the store; the Sikh boy…”

Mina cut in, “you mean the one with the bun … what has that got to do with anything?”

Lidia continued in a weak voice, “You found it funny that he looked different..”

“so?” Mina snapped, “I didn’t tell him in his face to cut his hair or take that hanky off his head.”

“What’s the difference?” retorted Lidia, “you might as well have.  At least that way you would be an honest hypocrite.  Listen Mina, so what if the poor old woman said this to you.  Ignore it.  Smile at her and walk on.  What’s the point of getting so worked up and defensive?  She’s probably going to die soon anyway.”

The wind blew hard. Mina’s veil, skirt and temper swirled up.  “I thought you’re my friend, you witch.  You have no idea.  You just don’t care.  You probably believe that crap they say about Muslims on TV.  I thought you would support me.  You’re just like that old creepy woman.  Go to hell, you and all the bloody Australians.”  Her agitation was growing by leaps.  Her cheeks were on fire and her eyes gave Lidia a fierce angry look. 

Lidia didn’t answer.  Mina looked away. 

The wind took a dive and the front of Mina’s veil fluttered and drooped over her forehead like the lower part of an open beak.

Mina recalled the old woman’s face as she uttered those unforgivable words.  She imagined rolling her right hand into a fist, and punching the old woman between the eyes.  The old woman would fall to the ground.  Mina decided that she would also kick the old woman’s handbag in the air causing all the odd shaped contents to burst out and scatter on the ground in slow motion.  The old woman, surprised and confused would be taken aback by Mina’s response.  She would finally crawl to Mina and apologise.  Mina pictured the old lady’s face looking up to her; tears of regret streaming down her tattered cheeks. 

Mina blinked a few times then continued exploring the ending of her imagined scenario.  She decided that the old hag had received the fitting punishment and repented. Mina pictured herself glowing and beautiful, bending towards the old woman and helping her to her feet. 

The wind resumed action.  Lidia’s thin brown strands of hair came to life again and danced around her head.  She turned to Mina, her face caged by the hair strands: “Mina, are you Australian?”

“What?” cried Mina annoyed.

“You just condemned all Australians to hell.  I was wondering if you are an Australian – so we might all be in hell together anyway and continue being friends.”  She smiled.

“Oh, shut up”, laughed Mina

The girls walked on, chattering and the blue veil fluttering in the wind.  Every so often, its soft material touched Lidia’s floating hair.

Saba Hakim