Questa è Enida

Signore e signori, I was actually on my way to the computer when:

• I suddenly found myself unemployed
• I, then, found employment
• I resigned after being re-employed for only 2 weeks (the company didn’t even pay me for the 2 weeks, cheapsmore!)
• Bibik got stung or bit by something most likely venomous (she couldn’t see what it was as it disappeared in a blink of an eye), started vomitting 2 hours after and was taken to the emergency department only to be asked stupid questions by two stupid doctors (a post on its own, I promise you)
• Be and I went to Bangkok for 4 days for our 8th wedding anniversary
• I came back to Malaysia saying kop kun kha instead of thank you or even terima kasih (hah, impressed tak impressed nya I was with the budibahasa of the Thai people)
• we flew to Perth with the kids and stayed there for 12 days
• we let Bibik go home for a month (until end of July)
• I got a message that Mom was admitted at KPMC (we were still in Perth then)
• I saw Cik Nan 4 times in Fremantle
• Be and I finally got tired of vacationing and wanted to go home in a bad way
• I got a phone call from Cik Nan on my way to Perth Airport that she was admitted at the St. John of God hospital herself (and she’s still there as I’m writing this post)
• we got home safe and sound, and only 2 nights after that I sent Be to the airport (back to Sakhalin)
• Mom was discharged and I took her to my place but felt helpless seeing her lying in bed all day and night helplessly
• Edrick started school
• Kitreena got invited to be on a TV commercial – for a mattress company (somebody saw her at Edrick’s school – she had not had her shower that morning and her hair was as big as the Buckingham Palace Guard’s hat)
• Ka Cher, Lil Sis and myself took Mom back to the hospital – HUKM this time
• Just as we were leaving for HUKM, had a visitor who would like to rent our yard for a TV commercial shooting
• I finally got this PC fixed and now running again (Yay!)
• I called a part-time maids agency – of course to get a part-time maid – only to be told that they don’t “serve” Kajang area (to which I responded, “Too bloody bad!” – I know! I surprised myself too, when I realized I had already said the word ‘bloody’).

Maybe I should just make a list (like what Ka Cher did) of what happened and what did not happen ever since uh…when did I last attempt to post that tellappurath or tellappukuthi crapb? I can’t even remember clearly what it was about sudah. Lisa‘s questions have been bugging me right from day one, though. Sorry Lisa. It was quite a hilarious little story when it happened and was the word for anything, everything for a few days after. But now, I almost think it is tellappurathiccally pathetic, considering the background of the story.

Nantilah.

…is the word of the month lah I tell you. If I don’t blog about it within the next few days, you have my permission to tellappurath me. Please!

Edrick was discharged on Friday with a bunch of medicine for tapau.
Thus, I would like to thank you, dear families and friends – and even my new employer who has just employed me for two (official) days – for your prayers, well-wishes, (offers for) help and thoughts. I couldn’t have asked for more. My gratitude goes out to Dr. Ananda Dharmalingam, for his support and caring words during the three days of Edrick’s stay at The Glen (though the only thing Edrick would say to him was bye-bye).

The biggest chunk of thanks goes to Ka Cher and Aunty Pet for transporting Bibik and Kitreena between Kajang and Ampang relentlessly every night – Aunty Pet was ever so ready to check-in at the Flamingo Hotel (since the rooms there are cheaper than the wards, haha!)

To my new boss, thank you for visiting us on the very first day and confirmed the cleanliness of the washroom at The Glen. Oh it does matter! You know it, I know it. We’ve seen it all, have we not? Hehe. Look forward to working with you and gossip about washrooms.

Edrick is happy to be home, indeed. If you see him today, you would not have thought he had been hospitalized for pneumonia just a few days earlier. He’s been running constantly and screaming too, like one little indian boy that he is (25% of him is Indian, anyway). And of course been busy bugging his sister – who is so not sharing her stuff. Hence, this pouting face.

I’m off to the airport in 45 minutes to pick up my dear hubby AND his brother, Neil, who is visiting for two weeks. With Be not feeling well himself, me coughing like there’s no cure, Bibik having a pink-eye, Edrick recovering from pneumonia…I just hope Neil would not take the next flight out of this germ hole. Welcome home, Babe. Welcome to Malaysia, Neil.

I sent a birthday wish to a friend whom I have not been in touch with for at least five years. Wished her Happy Teachers Day as well. Text aku berbunyik cam ya: “Salam Ms X. Happy Birthday and Happy Teachers Day. Panjang umur, murah rezeki and happy always.” Signed, me.

Her response was:
Tqvm

After five years and one birthday wish, I was left wondering if I am not worth of a “How are you?” text. Mmm…tqvm lah kan.

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
‘If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.’

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
‘You better pray that will come out of the carpet.’

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
‘If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!’

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
‘Because I said so, that’s why.’

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
‘If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.’

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
‘Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.’

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
‘Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.’

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
‘Shut your mouth and eat your supper.’

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
‘Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!’

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
‘You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.’

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
‘This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.’

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
‘If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!’

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
‘I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.’

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
‘Stop acting like your father!’

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
‘There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.’

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
‘Just wait until we get home.’

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
‘You are going to get it when you get home!’

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
‘If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.’

19. My mother taught me ESP.
‘Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?’

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
‘When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.’

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
‘If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.’

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
‘You’re just like your father.’

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
‘Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?’

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
‘When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.’

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
‘One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.’

I wish I could have the decency to wait a day or two before I write this. I wish I had the will to see the other side of the coin. But I can’t, I don’t and I have no intention whatsoever to be nice or to say it nicely today. I am roiled in anger and I don’t want to make any effort to hide it.

The people who run Mr. Rizal Kerepek Pusat Bandar Damansara stall are a pile of pillocks. Here’s the story morning glory:

Left home at 0630 – earlier than usual – and got to the office parking 0700. Walked straight to Mr. Rizal Kerepek stall right across from Indah Water to get Kerepek Pisang (Banana Chips) for my brother’s rewang next week. I asked for 20 packs at first. The guy could only pack 15 in one big carry bag. So I thought, okay…give me another bag of 15 then. Make my day! (RM6.00 per pack).

The guy couldn’t find the basket of more kerepek pisang, so he asked the older lady (a makcik who looked like in her early 70’s) whom, I assumed, runs the whole stall. She was surprised I wanted to buy a lot. And she said NO. No to 30 packs! I was nonplussed, to say the least. But I thought I heard her wrong. She took no time to make herself clear when she said, “Kesian nanti orang lain datang kerepek pisang dah abis. Tak buleh beli banyak. Lima belas buleh lah kot. Tu pun banyak.“

My eyes must have jumped out of their sockets and landed on the kerepek table. And my jaw could not have dropped any lower than the fourth floor basement parking this morning! The makcik mumbled another line or two to the other customers who were shopping for kueh there. I heard her well. “Kesian orang yang datang beli hari-hari ni kang datang nak beli kerepek pisang. Kita kena simpan lah untuk orang lain kan.” She wasn’t looking at me when she said this. In fact, she was looking at other customers, nodding her head as though looking for their accord.

So I asked her and the guy if all the kerepek packs were ‘reserved’ for someone else, then. None of them answered me. But the makcik asked me to place an order, instead, to get those chips in bulk like that. It was my turn to say no. What’s the point of getting there so early if I still had to wait? I stood my ground, giving them the ultimatum: 30 packs or NONE. The makcik said, “Tak pa lah, tinggai kat orang lain lah. Untuk orang yang datang harian ni. Tapi kalau nak 15 buleh lah kot.” She repeated herself.

“Macam mana berniaga macam ni ni makcik? Saya nak beli banyak ni bukan pakai credit card, nak bayar cash ni pun makcik tak mau?” I said politely, still trying extremely hard to understand the rationale of her decision. I mean, I was ever so ready to spend RM180 to even RM240 in no time at all. As it was, I made the decision to get 30 packs (instead of 20) in split second. I didn’t ‘mmm’, ‘uhhh’, ‘errr’ and ‘aaa’ about it. I obviously had no kasian for my wallet.

Just like the makcik, I had two options. To take it or leave it. And like almost any other decisions in life, it was a matter of choice. My decision was with an intention to make the makcik aware of hers. To learn that her ‘kesian’ could come with a cost. I had cost her up to RM240 in one second. One minute would have cost her RM14,400. An hour loss would be RM864,000. I left her to count her loss. Now, kasian who?

Kasian the guy who packed me the bag of 15 packs of Kerepek Pisang. Pity him for not having the courage to make a wise decision and overwrite the makcik‘s . I am off to Shah Alam this weekend to get the So-Never-Again-Mr. Rizal kerepeks.