Tangled Dreams

CHAPTER 5: THE SKETCH OF A DREAM (Part 4) | Syaiddah Mahmood

Prior to meeting Adam, I had already prepared about 30 drawings in line with the project's theme. But now, I felt that all those drawings did not reflect the essence of life in London as I had imagined. They had reflected my perceptions and interpretations of Londoners' lives. Adam opened a door into the world of Londoners when he invited me to immerse myself in his daily life, the life of a Londoner who was born and bred there. Through Adam, I began to realize that the day-to-day life of a Londoner was very different from my lifestyle, which I had used as a point of reference in my drawings; it was as if I had been transported to a thoroughly foreign world.

The clock showed just 7:00 am but the morning cacophony had already begun to fill every nook and cranny of Adam's home. Adam's three younger sisters were causing a commotion as they got ready for school. They were standing in a rather wide bathroom. One was combing her hair, while another was helping to tie up the hair of the youngest sister. Occasionally, their rambunctious laughter could be heard when they teased each other. I grinned as I observed their antics.

In the kitchen, the kettle whistled to indicate that the water had come to a boil. Slices of toasts leapt high from the toaster at the same moment that the microwave oven started beeping non-stop. Adam, who was frying eggs next to the kettle, took immediate action. The gas under the kettle was turned off, the slices of toasts were put on plates and porridge was taken out of the microwave oven. More slices of bread went into the toaster and Adam went back to frying more eggs. His actions were swift and adept after doing the same routine every morning.

"Do you need help?" I reached for an apron that was hanging by the side of the refrigerator. Adam stopped me from putting it on.

"You're our guest. Sit down. Breakfast will be ready shortly," he cajoled, smiling. Two fried eggs were placed on one of the plates arranged on the dining table. There was grilled bacon on every plate except one. That plate must be for me. Baked beans in tomato sauce were there instead. How very thoughtful.

"Would you prefer juice or coffee? We have tea too," he offered as he pulled open the refrigerator door. He put some small, red apples, one after the other, into brown paper bags for his sisters' packed lunches.

"I can do it..."

"Tsk, tsk, madam, how many times do I have to tell you? You're our guest. When we offer you something, don't say that you'll do it yourself. It's our way. Surely you don't want to upset my family," he sighed. His eyes, earnest yet sombre, were fixed on me.

"I'm sorry," I stuttered, while making a feeble salute as an expression of my remorse. Upon seeing my behaviour, he laughed. I frowned. I was confused.

"Actually, we aren't bothered by all that. But seeing that you wanted to understand the ways and daily dealings of Londoners, I thought I'd just play about with you," he explained with a sweet smile. I reached for a small tea towel on the table and threw it in Adam's direction.

"That's rotten!"

He laughed even louder, joined by his mother's cheery laughter as she suddenly appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. She smiled as she looked at us. My face changed to a beetroot red. How embarrassing!

"My son likes to play games. Just like his father. But his heart is in the right place. He always helps others like you," she told me. She went over to Adam and gave him a peck on the cheek. Such was their daily routine. A kiss after getting up in the morning seemed to be a lovely way to start the day. I could feel that they were a close-knit family.

"Where is Adam taking you today?" asked his mother.

I shrugged my shoulders. I had no idea at all.

"It's a surprise. Otherwise, our friend here will look it up on Google. The specialness of the place would not seem so special after that," replied Adam. The smile never left his face. If I had the opinion that Londoners did not give warm smiles, then my perception had since changed. If you were acquainted with a Londoner, they would smile warmly at every meeting. Only those whom you were not acquainted with would seem aloof in public, as if preoccupied with their own matters. Even so, according to Adam, they really did not like to stick their noses into other people's affairs, unless it was someone they knew. Friends whom they met along the way would always be greeted warmly.

"So, should I dress casual today? Who knows... you might be bringing me to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen, or off to Portobello Road market." I started teasing him. His mother shook her head in mock disbelief at our antics. The London way was certainly different when you stayed with the locals.