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MAILAGII'
Chapter 7
Hassie Gaugau
Before the sun could peek into my room, the next morning, I was up, dressed, and ready for my next adventure. Too long, in bed, might cause me to miss something.
"Good morning," Becky, the anthropologist, called from her table, in the dining room. "Come sit with me."
"Good morning to you, how was your day yesterday?"
"Oh I had a great time," she answered. "This is a fabulous place."
"You ladies seem to be enjoying our little country," a very distinguished Samoan man spoke to us. "May we join you?"
"Of course."
"I hope you don't mind our intrusion," he said. "My name is Tua'ia'Tuia, Speaker of the American Samoa House of Parliament, and this is my friend and fellow member, Ione Lauati, We enjoy sharing our country with visitors."
"That's very nice of you," I said. "I'm Mildred Lunkley from Oklahoma. I own a small florist business there."
"I'm Beck Tranier, an anthropologist doing research and teaching on Guam."
With these people of prominence, a PHD and two government officials, my inferiority complex returned, but not for long.
"Oh, one of those," Mr. Speaker grunted and turned away from Becky. "You know Mildred, I consider myself quite a horticulturist and work with plants and flowers, in my garden at home, every spare minute. Will you be spending time in American Samoa?"
"I'll only be here until Wednesday, then go back to Pago Pago for one night before I leave for Hawaii."
"I tell you what, meet me Thursday morning at the hotel dining room and I'll give you a tour of our little rock."
"Really? I'd love to."
The rest of our breakfast was spent discussing flowers, plants, and my visit to Tutuila. I almost felt sorry for Becky but was too thrilled and flattered to show much compassion, especially since she had made such a big thing about being an anthropologist.
"Remember, I'll meet you, Thursday morning, in the Rainmaker Hotel Dining room, about eight," he stood and offered his hand.
"Don't worry, I'll be there, thank you again."
When we filed out into the lobby, I felt great, mentally, but physically was a different thing. Whose "revenge" should I refer to in Samoa? I didn't know, but if I had been in Mexico, Montazuma would have been harshly blamed. I hurried back to my room and took Pepto Bismo and some little pills that Carol had advised. After all, I had to be ready for the next tour, that afternoon.
The medicine worked and after a short rest and a very light lunch I was ready for my next exciting tourist activity. This excursion would include a swim and a chance to snorkel. Mimi, one of the ladies from the previous tour loaned her extra set to me. "Promptly" at one we awaited the bus, out front. A young man in a wheelchair rolled up beside us.
He had barely gotten stopped when Mailagii' came up, "here bro, let me help you."
The young man politely refused any help and pulled himself up onto the bus. Mailagii' just shrugged and hefted the wheelchair up onto the top of the bus, climbed in, closed the door, and away we went.
Between lunch and the tour, I had checked with Anna to make arrangements for a few nights stay at the Hideaway Hotel on the other side of the island. My bags were packed and after the tour I would l would take a taxi and go there.
She did not go on this jaunt, so Mailagii' was our guide as well as driver. We turned out from the hotel and took the East Coast Road.
"Welcome aboard everyone, my name is Mailagii' Faa'ali and I'll be your captain today. We will be cruising at sea level approximately thirty miles per hour. To your left you will see the ocean, To the right there will be many interesting sights which I will explain as we travel along.
Soon the bus buzzed with the wonder and beauty that was before us. The road hugged the shoreline around coves, inlets, and cliffs. I could hardly believe my eyes. I had seen pictures, of course, but never realized that such beauty really existed, let alone that I would see it. Taro patches, cocoa, and palm trees intermingled with sleepy little villages direct from the past, thatched roofs and all. White sand glistened and black beaches shimmered. We stopped several times and were allowed to take pictures of the villagers homes as they waved and jostled each other for the privilege of being in the picture.
All at once we turned down a rutted little road beside a river. We looked at each other and wondered "why?" What could be here? But as we pulled to a stop under towering old palms and giant breadfruit trees, we heard the reason. A roar. The roar of water crashing into a pool. Another falls? But this time we were right at the base of the thundering water. Much smaller than the one from yesterday, but this one was accessible. A pool had been formed from native stone. Steps led to a walkway topped with gleaming white coral, that circled the crystalline water.
"Oh look at the beautiful children!" one of the ladies called out.
"They are beautiful, and they will give you flowers, but please don't give them money," Mailagii held the bus door closed. "Gum or candy is fine, but please, no money."
The little girls and boys did give each of us flowers motioning for us to put them behind our ears. Their laughter and smiles were infectious. They seemed so happy and carefree. But they soon ran off to check their "loot" and we were left to ooh, aah, and snap pictures.
"Would you take my picture in front of the falls?" I asked Mimi.
She was just about to shoot when a very handsome man stepped along side me, put his arm around me, and said, "Now, take the picture."
The picture was finished and still he held me. He looked at me with "hunger." What was happening here?
"Mildred, this is my best friend, Tavita," Mailagii' said. "He owns the falls and built the pool. Tavita, this is Mildred, from Oklahoma."
"How do you do, lovely lady? I'm pleased to meet you."
"I'm pleased to meet you," I said. "I love your beautiful country and your place is fabulous."
While everyone else strolled around the property, I talked with Tavita. He told me that he had discovered, while in San Francisco, a historical book, that told about the Samoan Fire Knife Dance. He had revived the dance and his picture appeared in a special edition of the National Geographic, ISLES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC, on page fifty along with a picture of the falls, stories about Samoa and other pictures of the island.
"When you return to the states could you please get a copy for me?" he asked. "I had one but while I was away, in Australia someone stole it."
"Of course, what is your address?"
He gave me the information just as Mailagii' called that we should be on our way.
"We'll go out this evening, okay?"
"Okay," I said and laughed.
I was sure that he asked all lady tourist, and besides he smoked the Samoan cigaretts and smelled strongly of the tobacco. He was VERY handsome, but the odor spoiled the effect. Anyway, I already had plans for the Hideaway. After all, he hadn't actually asked for a date, or had he?
Wrapped in the beauty and excitement of the ever changing views, I totally forgot Tavita's invitation. We drove to a point where the road turned inland and started to climb toward Mafa Pass. At the summit we turned around and started back. Another water fall, cattle ranches and vast coconut plantations looked completely different from the opposite direction. Soon, we came to a Methodist Seminary. Students played cricket on the expansive lawn. A magnificent old church stood at the far end of the grounds.
"The church is over a century old and was made entirely of coral." Mailagii' pulled to a stop in front of the building.
PIULA METHODIST SEMINARY and PIULA CAVE POOL: |
We left the bus and peeked into the sanctuary where other students studied quietly. A long flight of uneven steps led from the chapel to the beach below. Mailagi lifted the paralyzed man onto his back while several of us shared the task of carrying his wheelchair. The views were breathtaking as we decended. I said views, because of the ocean, flowers, trees, and sparkling white sandy beaches. But the view of Mailagii's physique was about to take my breath. Under his short pants, the muscles, in his thighs bulged and rippled as he walked down the stairs, carrying a full grown man, with no effort at all.
Around a hedge of hibiscus and there was our destination. A fresh water pool right on the beach. The pool extended into a grotto which beckoned to be explored. I removed my lavalava, folded it over my purse and placed them under a tree. Cautiously I picked my way into the pool over the slippery rocks. The water was a metallic hue of deep blue, but it was not a reflected blue because when I scooped some into my hands the shade was the same. I had never been much of a swimmer, but couldn't resist exploring the cave, Luckily the water was only a little over four feet deep most of the way in. But near the terminal it deepened, I turned over and swam on my back. There was a natural rock alcove and I scrambled up there and sat looking out of the cave. I've got to have a picture of that, I thought. The water seemed to catch the sunlight from outside and prism it back into the cave.
I swam out and retrieved my camera and paddled back trying to keep it dry. I took pictures of Mimi and her husband, they took ones of me. When I came out, Mailagii' was there. I started to take a picture of him when Mimi's husband said, "Here, let me take a picture of the two of you."
Mailagii' sat on a rock ledge and motioned for me to sit on his lap. After the picture was taken, neither of us moved. At last I climbed out of the pool and put my camera back with my lavalava.
While I did that Mailagii' helped the man from his wheelchair into the water, where he did very well on his own. Soon most of the others were out, seated in the sun. The pool and grotto still fascinated me however so I continued to play in the water. As I swam back into the cave, Mailagii' swam straight toward me from the opposite direction. We swam into each others arms.
"Where did you come from?" I laughed.
"There's another entrance from the other side. You have to swim underwater to get into this section. Do you want to go?"
"No way! I'm not that good of a swimmer, but show me where it is."
After he showed me the outlet, we sat on the rock alcove.
"Your white skin glows in the dark," he laughed and ran his hands over my arms.
"I can't help it because you blend in," we laughed and clinging together, slipped back into the water.
"Are you taking me to the Hideaway, this evening?" I asked.
"We could get a taxi to take us over," he said, "But you did tell Tavita that you would go with him tonight."
"I did, but he didn't mean anything and neither did I. He was just having fun with me as a female tourist. And why do we have to take a taxi? Didn't Anna make arrangements for you to take me on the bus?"
"Anna didn't make any arrangements," he said. "Nobody needs reservations for the Hideaway. Besides Tavita is going to meet us on our way back into town."
By then, I was more than a little infatuated with Mailagii' and his crooked smile. I had no intention of going with anyone else, especially someone who smelled so strong of tobacco.
"Can't we just sort of forget to stop"
His hands slid over my body and we kissed with great promise.
We'd better go back out," I said, "before they come looking for us.
Mailagii' swam back his way and I went out the regular way. Even though we came out from different directions, everyone knew that we had been together.
I climbed the stairs with Mimi and the others and waited while Mailagii' opened the bus.
"I have to go back for Bob," he said, "Can some of you help with his chair."
Of course I went back. Mailagii' hefted Bob onto his back and without even getting winded, carried him to the top. I carried Bob's backpack and helped with the chair. As I came up, my heart almost burst. Not only from exertion but from marveling at the strength Mailagii' had. And I was going to spend the night with this man!
We hardly slowed at all as we passed Tavita's place and hurried into Apia.
"I'll be right back," I told Mailagii'.
"Good, I have to put the bus away."
I ran to my room collected my things, came back to the desk and checked out. I also made arrangements for another room on Tuesday. When I turned around, Mailagii' was there.
"The taxi's outside, I'll take your bags."
We were getting a late start, but the island was beautiful as twilight fell. I snuggled next to Mailagi as the taxi driver "raced" as fast as the old car would go, through town.
"This is the same road that we were on yesterday, isn't it?" I questioned. "Will this "thing," I motioned to the car, make it up the mountain?"
Mailagii' and the driver laughed and I took that to mean that there was no doubt that it would. But when we reached the rain forest and began to plummet down the other side, my worries were different, what about the brakes?
But not to worry, we came down without even a screech. And in just a few minutes turned off the "main" road onto a dirt path. Oh My God I thought, as I tried to see where we were going. Here I am, with two total strangers, no one knows my whereabouts, on a dark country road, to NOWHERE! I no longer snuggled against Mailagii'.
Just before I totally panicked, we turned another corner and there, in front of us, hotel lights! No wonder it was called The Hideaway.
Ringo, the taxi driver, left. I certainly hoped what Mailagii' had said about not needing a reservations was true, because now we had no way back. We walked up to the desk and waited. And waited. No one around. At last, a girl, dressed in a tattered old lavalava and blouse, came from the back.
"You want a room?"
She and Mailagii' talked in Samoan, sounding almost like they were arguing.
"You stay with him?" She glared from Mailagii to me.
"Yes," I nodded.
She disappeared and again we waited.
"Here," she reappeared and threw us a key.
There was no register, no bellman, no money changed hands, nothing.
We looked at the number, on the key and went out into the darkness. The "rooms" were individual fales, divided into two units each.
"Here," Mailagii' unlocked the door and motioned for me to precede him.
The room was dark except for the light from outside flowing through the louvers. He immediately pulled the drapes across the open windows then turned to me with open arms. His elfin grin lighted the dimness of the room.
"You wanna' make love?" he whispered.
Later as we lay and talked, Mailagii' told a little about himself. He was thirty two years old, six years younger than me. He ran his own skin diving and snorkeling agency in addition to his duties with Samoa Scenic. He was training for the South Pacific Games, yachting division. He was the High Chief of his family and their welfare was totally his responsibility and foremost in his mind. I knew, from the thoughts that he shared, that he took this obligation very seriously.
We soon began to explore each other again, in the dim light that filtered through the drapes. Mailagii's body was flawless. Not an ounce of fat anywhere. His muscles were taunt, yet flexable and yielding to my slightest touch. His skin all smooth and golden seemed to glow in the soft flickering lights.
I wanted to somehow cover my own soft, out of shape, white body. The same body that only a few weeks before, I had been proud of as I worked out and tanned. Now I just wanted to hid. But he soon made me forget all that, as he caressed, kissed, and lingered over every inch of me. At last we could no longer restrain ourselves and as if on cue, the drums from the fiafia outside, commenced their vibrant rhythms. To the throb of the beat outside, we exploded into our own fiafia, inside.
