Echoes of the Sands

 

Echoes of the Sands:

Tales from a City by the Sea in the Seventies

Denzil Jayasinghe
·

The city shared its name with the state in a sandy land kissed by the sea. Days meant counting money for a foreign bank, while nights unfolded in a lively dance through brightly lit lanes.

Sun-soaked streets were crowded with more brown faces than locals. White-robed natives, Indians dressed in vibrant movie-star hues, and Pakistanis adorned in brown Salwar Kameezes created a vivid tapestry. Women were rare, hidden beneath black burkas, leaving the streets and bazaar to be ruled by men and boys.

Amidst friends and jingling Dirhams, he strolled carefree as if tomorrow were just an ordinary day. The side streets turned his brown shoes into a white canvas, telling tales of his unrestrained wanderlust.

Tea boys in flared pants offered Lipton Tea from trays at a mere 50 fils each. Shopkeepers welcomed customers with chilled RC Cola and refreshing ZamZam. Despite the heat, the city evenings felt routine, shops humming with the comforting melody of air conditioners.

Storefronts showcased stereos, cameras, radios, sarees, and clothes. Apartments sat above, while eateries nestled in between, serving delectable Indian, Pakistani, and Lebanese flavours. A crowd gathered near the shawarma shop, where savoury delights were priced at a modest two Dirhams each.

After enjoying shawarma and RC Cola, he entered a jeans store that sold Wranglers and Lee jeans. The Iranian shop assistant, clad in nomadic pants, asked in Persian, “چرا سبیل نداری” — “Why don’t you have a moustache?” Puzzled, he responded, “Well, when facial hair doesn’t sprout, what can one possibly do?”. The shop assistant chuckled, “Fair enough,” as he continued browsing. Embarrassed, he vowed not to return to that shop.

With friends, he entered a bar filled with men of different backgrounds: Western, Arabs and a few Indians. Ordering Fosters, he gulped one down and went for a reorder. A man in Arabic attire, resembling a businessman, approached when he stood near the bartender for his refill.

The Arab smiled and tapped on the lad “Do you like to work for me? He smiled as if he had known the lad for ages.

“I can offer you a job. Come and work in my office? I can pay you well, Dirhams three thousand a month”.

The lad knew what the man was after. He thought, ‘How could one offer a job just like that on mere first looks?

He politely declined. “No, I am working in a bank, I don’t need a job”.

Subscribe to my stories https://djayasi.medium.com/subscribe

Dubai
Stories

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Child of Curiosity

Image
A Child of Curiosity How inherent inquisitiveness became a key driver in learning experiences. Denzil Jayasinghe · B orn in the mid-20th century, I am a product of the post-World War II era. My parents, who were teenagers when the war commenced, married in the 1950s. As a representative of the baby boomer generation, I was born under the astrological sign of Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac. My birth took place at Zoysa Nursing Home, a renowned institution in Colombo, Sri Lanka, around 5 in the morning. Sri Lanka, known for its tropical climate, is a beautiful island nation south of India. This climate appealed to me, and I sought similar weather in my twenties, spending them in Dubai, where the winter resembles an Australian summer. Raised by religious parents, I held them in deep affection. However, the church teachings posed a paradox for a young mind, instructing one to love God more than one’s parents. I initially adhered to the Ten Commandments and other societal norms in ...
Read more

Demons and Devotion

Image
Demons and Devotion: A Family’s Pilgrimage Denzil Jayasinghe · “Demons and Devotion: A Pilgrimage to Tewatta”   is a short story by Denzil Jayasinghe about a family’s pilgrimage to a holy site in Sri Lanka.   The story follows Denzil, the eldest son, as he reluctantly accompanies his devout parents on this journey to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Although initially sceptical, Denzil reflects on his childhood faith and his family's hardships.   However, the pilgrimage turns unexpectedly when an encounter with a priest who claims a demon possesses Denzil creates tension and leaves him angry. T he air hung heavy with a solemnity that felt out of place for a silver wedding anniversary. Denzil’s father, whose pronouncements held the weight of scripture, declared, “We are going on a special trip to the holy place of Our Lady at Tewatta. This day, showing God’s blessings, will be a private event for our family.” On a recent arrival for a two-week holiday in Sri Lanka...
Read more

Shattered Innocence

Image
  Shattered Innocence A story of a needle Denzil Jayasinghe · “Shattered Innocence. A Story of a Needle”   by   Denzil Jayasinghe   is a short story told from the perspective of a lad who discovers their   father injecting insulin . This discovery shatters his innocence as he grapples with the reality of his   father’s diabetes   and the fear and uncertainty it brings. The story explores themes of family, responsibility, and the challenges of facing difficult realities. T he pre-dawn light filtered through the window, casting a pale glow over a scene that shattered my world. We were lost in the quiet routine of getting ready — me for the apprenticeship, my siblings for school, and my father for his work. I wandered into my parents’ room, searching for the familiar black comb. What I found wasn’t the comb but a sight that froze me in my tracks. Father, stripped down to his white undies, his usually strong face creased with worry, was doing something… di...
Read more