by Marc Blake
The school secretary greets her, “Bonjour Princess Matahina. The Headmaster is waiting for you. Right this way please.”
The school secretary escorts Matahina into the Headmaster’s office and closes the door quickly behind them. Merzan is left alone in the now empty office.
Merzan, mind swirling with questions, sits there. His mouth is dropped in awe. He could feel her presence, but continues to sit, knowing he was unnoticed. He waits.
Fifteen minutes more lapse and Merzan has worked up quite a bit of anxiety by this time.
The Headmaster’s office door opened. The school secretary speaks to Merzan, “Merzan, please come in.”
She holds the door open for him.
The Headmaster welcomes Merzan and says, “Merzan, sit here.”
He points to the empty chair in front of his desk, the empty chair on the left.
As Merzan finds his way to the front of the tall-backed chair he sees that Matahina is seated in the chair next to his – a chair that on a previous visit sat empty.
Merzan’s eyes are capturing everything in the room. His nervous energy causes him to take a visual survey of all he can. He notices an official looking opened envelope with foreign stamps. He sees seals on a document on the Headmaster’s desk.
The Headmaster looks at both students and asks, “Don’t you two know each other?”
Merzan without thinking twice answers, “Oui!” Matahina, at the same instance, answers, “No!”
Merzan, felt what little breath he had left leave his body. Lacking all self-esteem, he thinks to himself, “Comment peut-elle ne pas savoir de moi?”
TRANSLATION: How can she not know of me?
Matahina is sitting quietly looking only at the Headmaster. Merzan has surveyed that, not once, did she glance over to look at him.
The Headmaster continues, “Merzan! This is her Royal Highness Matahina, the Princess of Mo’ore’a. The Princess is visiting our school from the South Pacific on official State business.”
Merzan, taking lead from Matahina’s office behavior, does not take his eyes off the Headmaster. In fact, Merzan is frozen solid. He can’t even blink his eyes.
Matahina turns toward Merzan ever so slightly and without making any direct eye contact provides the slightest nod of her head out of courtesy.
The Headmaster continues formal introductions, “Matahina. This is Merzan, our school photographer.”
The Headmaster picks up the document from his desk, referencing its content.
“Merzan, this document from French Polynesia requests a series of photographs of Matahina visiting the famous landmarks of Paris. I am assigning you to produce this collection of work.”
Waiting for a reply, “Merzan? Merzan?”
Lost at sea and bewildered Merzan snaps back to the moment, “Oui monsieur?”
“Can I count on your cooperation Merzan? Merzan?”
Again, Merzan returns, “Oui monsieur,” this time as his answer, not a question.
“You will have everything you need and Matahina’s chaperone will see to it that the Princess is well cared for.”
The Headmaster turns to the school secretary, “Contact Claudette Neuville and make certain that everyone’s calendars are well coordinated. Both of these students will be cleared from some of their classes as necessary.”
The school secretary confirms, “Bien sûr, monsieur. I will see to it right away.”
Matahina, in flowing slow motion, turns toward Merzan. She speaks to him for the first time in her Tahitian-seasoned French accent with full diplomacy, “Merzan, I am honored to meet you sir.”
She extends her hand in a fully formal manner, expecting him to respond with diplomacy.
Merzan, now stuttering, “Uh.. I.. Uh.”
The Headmaster instructs him, “Merzan, You should bow to the Princess.”
Merzan awkwardly tries to express a diplomatic gesture of respect but fails terribly. Matahina smiles privately, which Merzan just notices, as if to suggest that she holds him to no displeasure from his awkward, disrespectful and completely unskilled diplomatic protocol.
In that moment of her very brief smile, Merzan has 20 split second photographic snapshots rip through his creative mind catching every subtle nuance of her amazing beauty.
We’re not sure if Matahina sensed this personal creative explosion in Merzan’s mind’s eye.
Matahina’s complete cooperation with the project is evident. She thinks about all the photographs the tourists have historically taken of her since she was a small child on her Island of Mo’ore’a.
She says to him, “Then I will see you again soon Merzan.”
Matahina gets up and leaves the room. Merzan watches her get up and walk out the door, collecting hundreds of images in his mind with her every move.
The door closes behind her and Merzan realizes that somehow he has ended up holding the (magic) coin Philippe used to show him the sleight of hand trick. Merzan has the coin tightly clenched in his fist.
Merzan smiles knowing that something has come around full-circle. Destiny?
Merzan opens his fist.
He looks at the coin, the Headmaster taking all this in.
Merzan SLAPS the coin down on the Headmaster’s desk. This startled the Headmaster a bit.
Merzan has regained all his composure and a new confidence he’s never had before!
Merzan says to the Headmaster, “Monsieur! Here you go. This is for you. It will bring you luck!”
Merzan walks out on cloud nine, not realizing that books are spilling out of his half open book bag. He stops to retrieve the books before getting out the door.
The school secretary see Merzan out through the outer office doors and as she returns to her desk she gives a double eyebrow lift, along with a flirtatious look to the Headmaster and shimmies her shoulder a bit.
The Headmaster, embarrassed by the “come-on,” forces himself to regroup. He sits down and looks at the (magic) coin which he is holding in his hand.
The Headmaster says to himself quietly, “Why, I never...”
He throws the coin down on his desk like it will burn his hand if he holds it any longer.
27 The Artiste has Arrived
A few days go by. Philippe sees a limo pull up to the curb outside his shop. The camera shop door opens. Matahina walks in – chaperoned by Claudette. Philippe acts surprised to see her and smiles with a warm reception. Merzan walks in only a moment behind her. Philippe is now completely taken and his smile increases with equal curiosity demonstrated by exaggerated facial expressions!
Looking at Claudette, Philippe nods with a greeting, “Mademoiselle!”
Looking at Matahina (and Merzan), Philippe nods with a more formal greeting and slight bow, “Matahina. How nice to see you again. What brings you, both... here today?”
Matahina answers, “Bonjour monsieur Philippe. We are assigned to create photographs for the Ministry of Culture from my Island.”
Philippe is impressed, “Oui?”
“And so...” Matahina smiles and the room becomes still and silent, “...we shall need film.”
Philippe breaks the silence with an overly excited response, “film? Ah, oui. This I must have.”
He looks at Merzan with a prying expression, “And you, Merzan are to be the photographer for this collection?”
Merzan stands there, silent, with his eyes stretched open extra wide – in disbelief.
Philippe readily realizes Merzan is NOT capable of speaking. Philippe hides his obvious enjoyment of this unexpected predicament.
Philippe takes a coin from his pocket and flips it in the air, then catches and makes it disappear. The others are preoccupied in the shop and only Merzan sees Philippe’s trick. The two stare at each other silent for a moment, Philippe is acting all-knowing! Philippe begins gathering film from the rack. Matahina has wandered over at this point.
Philippe places the film on the counter, “So! I think this should be enough film for now, no?”
/> Merzan is still in a trance.
“Merzan? Merzan. Your film?”
In a time warp, Merzan replies, “Merci Monsieur Sopoko.”
Philippe curiously asks, “Monsieur Sopoko? Merzan?
Merzan settles down, “Merci Philippe.”
Merzan begins to fondle the film on the counter top, not paying close attention to the film type. Philippe is waiting for Merzan to react.
Matahina begins looking at the Polynesian brochure and is thinking about her home.
Philippe, verifying, “This will be enough film Merzan?”
Merzan finally notices the film type is not correct for his camera.
“Philippe this is not the correct film for my camera.”
Philippe leans in close to Merzan and almost scolding him says, “No Merzan! This is the correct film.”
Merzan arguing, “But Philippe this is the wrong film.”
Philippe grows more pushy, “Merzan. Are you a shopkeeper here for more than 15 years?”
Merzan, a little ashamed to even argue for a moment with his kind friend and in front of Matahina, timidly replies, “No monsieur, but this film...”
Philippe interrupts, “Merzan. You have the correct film, but you have the wrong camera for your project.”
Merzan is confused and twists his face trying to make heads or tails of things, “The wrong camera?”
Philippe goes to the window and pulls the Rolleiflex camera from the display.
Philippe now pretending to be angry, “If I know anything about cameras and film Merzan than I know that this film is going to fit this camera... just fine!”
Merzan is speechless as he accepts the unexpected pro-level camera into his hands.
Merzan is welling up trying to hold back his emotions. He sees Matahina watching out of the side of his visual range, but doesn’t want her to see him break down.
Matahina has completely keyed into what is going on and is seeing Merzan’s sensitivity. We can sense the first signs of her noticing Merzan and his special qualities. She is touched.
Matahina, wisely, elects to break the emotional tension.
Matahina, teasing, says, “So, Monsieur Philippe. You give Merzan my camera by selling the Princess of Mo’ore’a something of lesser quality?”
Philippe tries to soften what could be embarrassing, “Well, Matahina. Not exactly.”
He turns to Merzan, “Merzan! Here are your earnings from last week. Now, how much of this do you want to put toward the purchase of your new professional camera?”
Merzan, still more speechless than not, pushes the envelope with francs back into Philippe’s hands, looks at the camera, looks at Matahina and the room fills with light and silence.
A magic takes over the camera shop and the emotional joy is enhanced by the radiating light that glows from Matahina’s eyes. Her hair sways gently with every turn of her head. This has become a very happy and memorable moment in the shop. Even Claudette, in her formal way is caught enamored by the events that have occurred.
Matahina and Merzan become fully involved in a series of shooting sessions around famous Paris landmarks. Matahina dresses in different outfits, sometimes in her native dress. Merzan is busy and intense with his artistic work as the photographer. He is always conscious of Matahina’s beauty and even more amazed when he sees her in her native island wardrobe. The whole experience is surreal for Merzan. Matahina, little by little, shows signs of growing fond of Merzan – a small touch on his arm, a lingering look while he works out his shots with dedication and intensity. She shows obvious appreciation when he extends little courtesies to her. They grow closer and closer as the days go by. The relationship changes from Princess and photographic artiste to young adults discovering something special together.
28 A Destiny that can Never Be
They are not always with Matahina’s aide, chaperoning.
More and more an intimacy grows between them. We see this in the way they treat and care for each other. The way they look at each other shows their affection.
Their attraction to each other becomes even more evident and playful. This teenage student couple never compromise their innocence.
Merzan is always conscious and respectful of Matahina’s status as a member of royalty on an official Department of State exchange whenever others are around.
They frequent a favorite outdoor café between their shooting schedules and often enjoy a café au lait together. It becomes their favorite hang out. They always have things to talk about. Their enthusiasm is contagious to others around them. Plus, Matahina’s radiant beauty draws attention everywhere they go, even with her unpretentious demeanor.
Time is sweeping by quickly for the two of them. There is one particular day when Matahina and Merzan are walking, together, to the camera shop. They pass by the woman (always sweeping her porch). The woman stops sweeping and leans the broom against the wall. She grabs Merzan’s face with both hands like a grandmother would to admire her grandchild. The woman plants a big kiss on Merzan’s face. She lets go and waves her hands in the air then touches her heart as if to say, “this is the boy I’m so proud of.”
Merzan is set back, taken by surprise and a little embarrassed. He politely wipes his face of any residue. Matahina is fond of this display of love she’s just witnessed. She casually glances around the area where others are also watching. She can tell how much the townspeople like Merzan. It makes Matahina smile. You can see her gravitate even more toward Merzan.
Matahina wraps her arm around Merzan’s locking elbows. Merzan steadies himself to this pleasant surprise. They continue along the sidewalk, now passing by the flower vendor. Again, they’re stopped.
The flower vendor greets them, “Bonjour mes deux beaux enfants.”
TRANSLATION: Hello my two lovely children.
“Perhaps some flowers for you today, no?”
Merzan looks at Matahina and gets a quick snapshot of the Polynesian woman in the brochure with the flower in her hair.
Merzan proudly decides, “Why oui monsieur.”
Merzan reaches for some coins to pay the vendor. The vendor looks at Matahina and becomes hypnotized by her eyes. Now in a trance, the vendor lifts a bouquet to hand to her, stopping Merzan from paying for the flowers.
Merzan will not accept the flower vendor’s gift and stops him. Merzan takes one, most beautiful, single flowers from the display and forces some coins into the vendor’s hand.
Continuing to take control, Merzan looks at Matahina and begins, slowly, to reach toward her hair to position the flower in the perfect location.
Matahina (almost) winces, protectively, to NOT allow a flower to be placed in her hair without her absolute approval.
She has a quick recollection of Toanui always trying to court her in this manner on Mo’ore’a. You can see the nervousness and discomfort in Matahina’s face.
Then, instead of withdrawing from Merzan’s uninvited gesture and breach of protocol, Matahina’s expression warms and she allows the placement to occur.
As Merzan places the flower, uncontested, into her hair, their eyes become locked onto each others.
A strong romance fills the air. All those on the street are watching and caught in the magic that is unfolding before them.
Matahina, smiles, perfectly, in response to Merzan’s gift and while he remains in suspended animation seeing her in front of him in all her majestic beauty, Matahina leans close to him and softly kisses his cheek. This is the most intimate physical gesture we’ve seen between them.
Merzan is motionless. He’s absorbing every second like it is an eternity.
Everyone on the street breaks into a festival of cheer and support – yet keeping their distance with respect.
The cheering turns to a muffled level of volume, dropping back while an underscore of Matahina’s Lullaby is heard as if it is being played in their hearts with a romantic rhythmic cadence.
Matahina looks at Merzan, their faces still close as she slowly withdra
ws from her kiss to his cheek.
Matahina says in Tahitian, so gently, “Ho’e mahana ’oe haere ma mi mai motu, Tauarii.”
TRANSLATION: One day you will walk with me on my Island, my Prince.
Matahina knows her words must remain her own secret, one that she must keep private. She holds back a hidden sadness from anyone’s detection.
Merzan, still stunned by a simple kiss on the cheek seems impervious to this strange (Tahitian) language. He has no clue what she said to him.
Matahina’s warmth finally begins to dissolve to her inner conflict – which was barely noticeable in her expression.
She is feeling something for Merzan she’s afraid, she knows, can never be.
Matahina, in a split-second flash, sees her Island on one side of the world and Merzan’s home, the farm, on the other with nothing but impossibility creating a real separation that can never be overcome. They are world’s apart physically and culturally and she knows this only too well.
Merzan and Matahina enter the shop to drop off film.
Philippe is glad to see them, “Well. There you are. I do not see so much of you lately Merzan.”
“Oui Philippe. The school wants many photographs of Matahina in Paris.”
Philippe understands, “So you are working all the time! How can you enjoy Paris, Matahina?”
Matahina speaks with a reality that seems out of place but knowing her fate, she can only be truthful with her answer, “I am here now for many months monsieur Philippe. I have seen many things in Paris.”
She gets more reflective and distant, “Even though it is lovely here, my Island will soon call to me.”
Merzan hides a gut-wrenching reaction to hear her speak of leaving Paris.
Philippe hates to hear this as well and tries to take the edge off, “Perhaps this is so Princess. But somehow I think that your time here will prove very successful to help increase tourism and promote more cultural exchanges between France and French Polynesia. “
He turns to Merzan, “Merzan! Look what you have produced my young artiste!”
Philippe pulls out an album of photos he’s assembled and places it on the counter top. They all look inside together. The collection of photographs are amazing showing the beauty of Paris and its landmarks along with the beauty of the Princess in each scene. Some images have her grouped with younger school kids, some with Parisians and some with tourists. Each photo speaks volumes for the good will efforts.