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Sunday, 15 March 2015

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Marriage Proposals
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Government Gazette

Short Story:

Marriage broken

Cassim Lebbe is a Muslim marriage broker. He is about 65 years. He sports a snow-white beard and always carries a dasbi to count the Salawath and Zikr he recites frequently.

Dressed in a sarong and coat with a white cap on his head, he portrays a very religious and pious character. However, his behaviour in daily life bespeaks for his piety or otherwise. He hurriedly goes through his notebook and copies down some names of people in a piece of paper. His wife Kadija Umma observes this and questions him.

“Where're you going so early?”

“I'm trying to meet Abubakr. So I'm taking these names for his daughter and son. Give me a cup of tea.”

What about your breakfast?”

Kadija, I can have my breakfast there; these two names will bring me money.”

Cassim Lobbe chuckles with mirth.

“But I remember you gave these names Sithy Safia and Mahamed Zaroon to Ibrahim Bawa yesterday or day before yesterday,” Kadija Umma reminds him.

“That's the trick of this profession. I have to show the names to several parties; add more colours to the names and show the people. If they’re happy, they'll give me Rs.500 or Rs. 1000, Cassim Lebbe said.

Residence

Sharp at 7.30 in the morning Cassim Lebbe is at Abubakr's residence. It's breakfast time. He climbs two or three steps at the entrance, gives a gentle tap on the front door and greets Assalaamu Allaikum. The front door is opened and Abubakr reciprocates his greeting with Wa-allaikum Salaam.

Seated in the verandah, Cassim Lebbe fumbles into his coat pocket to fish out the list of names. “Haaji, I've to visit a lot of places today, that's why I came here before breakfast.”

Don't worry, you can have breakfast here. What have you brought for my son and daughter?” Questions Abubakr while inviting him to the breakfast table. While having breakfast, Cassim Lebbe elaborately describes the particulars of the spinsters and the bachelors he has with him.

Beauty Queen

“Fathima is a beautiful girl, fair and height 5'5”. When she laughs her teeth are like pearls”. His description is endless; he rattles off at a stretch on the complexion, height, job and the qualifications of all the boys and girls.

“Who is Fathima?” Questions Abubakr.

“Fathima is Dr. Bakir's daughter; she is a beauty queen, and will match your son very well. Insha, Allah.

“Have you seen the girl?”
“No, I haven't”
“Then how do you know she is beautiful?” .
“They told me she is beautiful.

“Breakfast being finished, both sipped tea while Cassim Lebbe was trying to entice Abubakr with his talk.

“Haaji do you like an engineer for your daughter?”
“From where is he?”
“He is the eldest son of Dr Adam Bawa”.
”From where are they?” questions Abubakr.

“They ‘re from Ratnapura. Haaji, I can find out the details of the family because I know some people from Ratnapura town. Only thing I'll have to go there”, said Cassim Lebbe and cast his glance at Abubakr, thinking he has given him a good bait to trap him.

Lies

Abubakr falls for his sugar-coated talk; he pays Cassim Lebbe for the two proposal names and extra money for travelling expenses to Ratnapura and dismisses him. Cassim Lebbe has earned a good sum of money from two houses for uttering nothing but lies. His next stop is at Carrem Bhai's house. With the customary greetings being exchanged, Cassim Lebbe starts his rigmarole.

“I didn't want you to visit you during lunch time,” begins Cassim Lebbe, “but Haaji, I want to tell you this urgent news. That's why without going for lunch I stopped here.”

“Yes, what's it you want to tell?”.

Haaji, you remember I told you last week about an engineer from Ratnapura?” Carrem Bhai mused over for sometime.

“Oh I remember, Dr. Adam Bawa's son?”

“That's right, the engineer is a drug addict and he plays tombola in clubs. Cassim Lebbe speaks of a non-existent person. Carrem Bhai is very happy and grateful to Cassim Lebbe.

“You've really helped us from falling into troubles. Oh Rabbu Come let us have lunch now.”

After lunch he gives the bio-data of a boy for Careem Bhai's daughter. He grins and waits, expecting something for what he has given to Careem Bhai.

As soon as he is paid, he says Al-Hamdu Lillah and leaves, promising to meet Careem Bhai with more particulars.

Back at home, Cassim Lebbe sees his wife drying salted lime on a mat. “Kadija, today is a barakaath day for me.

Money from all three houses I visited”. Kadija gets up from the mat. “Shall I serve your lunch?”

Surprise

“No Kadija, I had breakfast, lunch and tea from the houses I visited.
Abubakr even paid me Rs. 1500 to travel to Ratnapura”.
“Why travel to Ratnapura?” Kadija questions in surprise.

Cassim Lebbe laughs and thinks of the trickery he has played on Carrem Bhai and Abubakr.

“Why're you laughing?” Kadija questions. “Now listen to my story.

Ten days ago when I met Careem Bhai I told him of an imaginary engineer, so that he could marry his daughter to him.” “So what happened?” Kadija queries.

“Today I told him that the engineer is a drug addict and visits clubs in the night. So he is very happy I saved his daughter from a big problem, and gave money.”

“So you told the truth? Kadija questions. “No, I told a lie . There's no engineer , its my imagination”.

“Then you'll not travel to Ratnapura?”

No, Kadija, why should I? There's no engineer in Rathapura. Then he explains to his wife how he enticed Abubakr with this non-existent engineer and that he also gave money to travel to Ratnapura to find out the background of this engineer.

“So what're you going to tell Abubakr about this engineer's family background?” Kadija questions.

“I've to tell the same thing I told to Careem Bhai.”
“What's that?”
“The engineer is a drug addict and a night club man.”

“So you're playing tricks on the people and earning money.” Kadija complains bitterly.

“All marriage brokers are like this. Otherwise we can't earn money.” “Kadija, praying five times a day and reciting the Quran is to get a place in Heaven. Playing tricks is to earn money to live in this world” While they are in this confabulation, they hear a loud tap on their front door. Cassim Lebbe opens the door. He is flabbergasted to see his co-partner marriage broker standing dumb like a statue. A police officer is standing near him.

“Latif Khan, what brings you here?” Latif Khan stammers.

“W-we are-in-tro-trouble, Ca-case-im Le-Lebbe”, he blabbed. Cassim Lebbe's eyes goggled in surprise.

“What's the matter?” He inquired impatiently. You remember we took Rs. 60,000 from Khalid Kahn, promising to find a suitable partner for his daughter. We've issued receipts accepting money from Khalid Mustapha.”

“Yes, so? “The police officer comes forward.
“Are you Cassim Lebbe?”
“Yes.”
“You've a marriage broker?”
Yes I'm
“You both have taken money, and you've accepted it.”
“Yes , we've taken money”.

But you've not gone to Khalid Mustapha's house for the last six months; you've not even spoken to him by phone. This is a cheating case.” The police officer said.

“I'll find a partner for Khalid Mustapha's daughter,” Cassim Lebbe pleads.

“No, no that won't do,” the police officer said. “We have to take you and Latif Kahn into police custody.”

Both Cassim Lebbe and Latif Khan hesitated but for a moment.
“You get into the police jeep.” The police officer commanded.
Glossary, Assalaamu Allaikum (May peace be upon you),

Wa-allaikum Salaam (may peace be upon you too),
Haaji (a respectable form of Address),
Insha Allah (if Allah wills),

Alhamdu Lillan (all praise to Allah)(Allah God),
Rabbu (God), (Salawath praise to prophet Mohamed),
Barakaath (God's blessing or reward),
Dasbi (rosary, a string of beads)
All names are fictitions

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