Life & Tigimber*
She plopped on the plastic chair as her father plodded around, swinging a stiff, ink drenched canvas bag. He had bought her a new spear; she reached out and carefully grabbed its smooth, wooden middle, smiling to herself as she remembered the flimsy plastic one she always ended up with when she was younger. Finally, he said, “Ha, Mishaina?”**
As she arose from her seat, her father’s dowdy swim trunks dropped an inch of her waist. She bent down and pulled her socks up, recalling the stinging itch of the boots’ harsh interior. Clutching their spears, the pair silently trudged through the soft sand towards the temporarily bare gulf. They passed the beginner’s zone, where a handful of children scampered barefoot, in search for colorful seashells and small sea creatures to play with.
As the two veered leftward, the water slowly crept toward their knees. She glanced at the miniature sand dune to her right and laughed when her father reminded her how it was her safe haven; as a little girl, she would often squat on the ephemeral island and impatiently wait for her father as he ventured deeper into the sea.
When the sun bowed down, she held the oil lamp as her father gingerly brought it to life. Soon enough, the game began; multiple squids smoothly propelled themselves, coyly displaying their vivid, ribbon-like veins; mighty, coral crabs with brilliant blue edges mimicked their movements, bucking left and right whilst defensively snapping their pincers. The occasional “Ew7ara” would be spotted lounging on its belly; the last time they caught one, however, the fish almost broke her father’s spear as it writhed and squirmed under his fork’s pressure.
After walking for two hours in the still, humid airs of the sea, her flimsy General Electric shirt was drenched with her sweet, salty sweat that dripped from her neck onto her chest. After wrenching a few fat oysters, she looked at her father, her face glowing with perspiration that had gathered into demure puddles under her eyes and over her lips’ ridge. “Ha, Radaina?”***
PS Jessie's Girl
*Spear fishing
**"Shall we get a move on?"
***"Shall we return?"
at 7:48 AM
19 Comments
Awww, how cute :) I never went tegimber :( Just lay down on my dads oversized belly while we both watched American Football (me obviously too young to understand anything) in matching dishadeesh ;P
cute story i enjoyed reading it
7tenths: Never went?!?! I still go whenever I return back home! Tsk tsk tsk... :P
Laialy: :)
now thats quality time with dad
how old were u
Temetwir: Last summer...
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God Erzulie, I can't tell you how thoroughly I enjoy your writing. These anecdotal pieces of yours have this certain atmosphere to them... it's like you capture this transient moment in time but breathe an intenseness into it that is breathtaking.
I also love the little descriptive details you focus on:
"her face glowing with perspiration that had gathered into demure puddles under her eyes and over her lips’ ridge."
-beautiful!
(and subtly sexy ;)
I also admired the way you started and tied up the piece with the only two lines of speech"
"Ha, Mishaina?"
and finally:
"Ha, Raddaina?"
Everything comes full circle and feels... complete. Just like a satisfying day spent in quality time with Dad :)
Gigi, admiringly
Gigi: *an appreciative blush* your comment made my day :)
Absolutely wonderful. Never went tegimber either but we would do 7adag with my uncles when I was a kid - fun times :)
McArabian: 7adag is another story :) I miss the smell of 'zfarat il ba7ar.' Soon...soon
Dammit I love your writing. I love tegimbir, and wa7ar too :p
Equalizer: :)
ok...i signed in JUST to tell you how amazing that blog was....Im not even into blogs...bloggegegg. but i love wtiting and boy do u have style....Splendida!! love ur movies too
guess i was lambchop short of being a mixed grill and misspelled WRITING back there...LATERZZZ
First time here..
I guess I've missed out on a lot :)
Loved this post
Erzulie, keep them coming
Reading you is a delightful and humbling experience. Bookmarked.
DNA: Wow. That was really flattering. Please, my head is getting too big; I don't want enlargen my door frams to get through! But thank you darling :)
Shurouq: Welcome :) And thank you...
Fouad: *smile*
its ok am used to enlargening door frames we really had to because my brother is 16 but taller than anyone! (KFC chicken hormone mutation im sure) He hits his head on the frames we are changing them!! easy we can do it for 9makhich, testahlein :))
dna: Loool! :P
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