Seasoned Veteran

The old Indian career beggar who had been apprehended by the cops at the Geylang Serai Market last week taking a break at the end of the row. In the rain people hurried on and were reluctant to stop even under shelter. A pause was in order. Does the woman’s quiet mumbling to herself have any Islamic content or form? Most likely. Or otherwise she was communing with her departed in the usual way, what else? Rocking lightly in her chair. A passerby behind had her turning and reflexively trying her luck: Assalamualaikum. Sometimes—in fact quite often—the poor Indo visitors in search of work here would give coin, during Ramadan all the more so. At home the woman either stashed her alms in bags in dark corners, or else children and grandchildren collect and benefit. Certainly the old woman’s needs were few. Loose brown cap, usual red patterned one-piece dress. Two others passing in front received the same bird-like salutation without turning in the woman’s direction. Behind on the other side old Mr. Hussein the former hard man had made a re-appearance after a long absence, a group of his cronies fanned out before him. One was thereby saved from a rendition of one of Mr. Huss’s golden oldies from the fifties or sixties. Another pair passing in front was well-judged by the old beggar. By then only the odd drop of rain. Immediately up and out of her chair over to them before they could get very far. Yes indeed, notes from both ladies it looked without much grace about it. Little satisfaction in extending this alms: the old woman was a fixture in the neighbourhood, alternating daily between Geylang Serai and Sultan Mosque. The women were unlikely to derive much benefit from compassion there. Years ago the old beggar had filed this mat salleh here as a lost cause. Dead loss that one, not worth the slightest effort. Two or three attempts in the first couple of months had been quite enough to establish the position.

NB. As-salamu-alaikum, Peace be upon you, is the standard greeting among Muslims; answered by Wa-alayku-muassalam—And upon you. In old Royalist Yugoslavia (among the Orthodox) it was Pomaze Bog, and replied Bog te pomogo: God’s grace/And to you. Revived in recent time it seems with the religious resurgence.