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Siri Bercakap Dengan Edrick XLV

April 4, 2014 by Enida

Lately… Ethan doesn’t seem to be interested in playing with Edrick anymore. It breaks my heart to see Edrick handling rejection, but I don’t really want to interfere. Friendship is something only ‘friends’ have to go through to figure it out. Mothers have to step back. It is a learning process.

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But they do chat on the intercom phone almost every day like any other BFF’s do. Sometimes for almost half an hour. After one of those calls the other day, and with tears welling in his eyes, Edrick was ready to talk…

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Edrick: Ethan doesn’t want me to go over to his house, Mom. *sobs sobs*

Mom: Oh okay, why don’t you ask him to come over to our place?

Edrick: He doesn’t wanna do that either.

Mom: Oh okay, maybe you guys could go out to the pool.

Edrick: He can’t. He’s grounded.

Mom: Ohhhh okay. That explains.

Edrick: Ethan’s grounded for playing too much iPad.

Mom: Playing too much iPad? How much is that?

Edrick: I don’t know. He’s grounded for two weeks!

Mom: That is long, man! But that’s what happens when you break the rules.

Edrick: But there are no rules in Ethan’s house, Mom. He can play with his iPad whenever he wants.

Mom: If there are no rules, then what is there for him to break?

Edrick: I don’t know. Ethan doesn’t know about the rules either.

Mom: Hmmm… that’s pretty tricky, eh?

Edrick: Yeah, how can you know what is right if you don’t know what is wrong?

Mom: Oh boy! You’re absolutely right.

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I knew I was talking to my Little Big Man.
But I didn’t realize he was that big already.

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My Not So Little Big Man.

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Posted in Monchies | Tagged | 2 Comments »

Maybe Not

March 30, 2014 by Enida

The X-Ray image showed Kitreena’s spine developing scoliosis and Dr. Boden immediately put her on the 24 physiotherapy sessions with Leah. And that… was yesterday, March 26th, 2014. Tonight, after Pak Ngah last joget class, she asked me if I had told Daddy about her scoliosis. Yes, her scoliosis. She had a condition this time.

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Kitreena: Mom, have you told Daddy about my scoliosis?

Mommy: Yes, I have. I emailed Daddy last night.

Kitreena: So what did he say?

Mommy: He hasn’t said anything yet.

Kitreena: What do you mean he hasn’t said anything yet? Has he read your email?

Mommy: I don’t know sayang. I can’t tell until he responds to my email.

Kitreena: Maybe he doesn’t care.

Mommy: Nah, I think he hasn’t checked his emails.

Kitreena: Maybe he just doesn’t know what to say.

Mommy: Maybe he hasn’t read my email yet.

Kitreena: Maybe he thinks you told him because you wanted him to pay for the treatment.

Mommy: Nah, it’s not even an issue. I was just telling him about your condition.

Kitreena: So… yeah, maybe he doesn’t care.

Mommy: Maybe there’s something wrong with his email.

Kitreena: Maybe he just wants to keep quiet.

Mommy: Maybe he’s writing a reply right about now.

Kitreena: Mom… stop it! *looks away*

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I am running out of excuses and I have no more defenses. Let’s just watch Hope Floats for the 932nd time, shall we?

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Perhaps love...

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Posted in Hurt, Monchies | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Siri Bercakap Dedek-Kaka VII

March 12, 2014 by Enida

Anak-anak saya, yang saya panggil Monchies, ada satu perangai yang menghairankan saya. Sesekali saya singgah dan beli pisang goreng dalam perjalanan pulang ke rumah dari menjemput mereka dari sekolah, Monchies tak sabar-sabar nak makan. Dengan tangan tak bercuci, dengan pisang goreng yang sangat panas. Bila sampai di rumah pun begitu. Berterkam!

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Tetapi sudah menjadi syarat dan peraturan, mereka tidak boleh makan pisang goreng atau apa pun sajian minum petang sehingga mereka menukar pakaian seragam sekolah kepada pakaian basahan di rumah.

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Yang peliknya Monchies akan mengambil masa setengah jam atau kadang-kadang sejam dua menukar pakaian sambil bermain dan bergurau di bilik sebelum teringat akan pisang goreng yang hampir sejuk menunggu.

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Betul kata emak saya, anak-anak kita mudah lupa. Harus dipesan dan diingatkan selalu. Jangan jemu!

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Saya suruh Kitreena dan Edrick turun belikan pisang goreng. Bila masuk ke kereta semula, Monchies and I had a conversation:

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Kitreena: Mom you make us go buy the pisang goreng now. It feels like a job.

Edrick: Yeah, we are doing it for you now Mom.

Mommy: Well, I am so glad you guys are old enough now. I can order you around.

Monchies: Oh! That’s not fair.

Mommy: Eh, when you were babies, I did everything for you tau. Everything.

Kitreena: Yeah, and you still have to do a lot for us to make sure we grow up well.

Mommy: Tau tak apa. I still drive you guys to school because I want you two to be successful and get a good job so you can pay for my vacation. Hah!

Kitreena: I’ll buy you a good car Mom.

Mommy: No, get me a handsome driver so I would be motivated to travel. Hahaha!

Edrick: And later I’ll buy you a wheelchair, Mom.

Mommy: Chehhh! Kecik hati aku. Ah well… okay, I want a motorized one okay.

Kitreena: Sure thing, Mom.

Mommy: Ohhh don’t worry. I will grow old rich. I don’t want your money.

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Although the Mommy in this picture will grow old rich, her Monchies would still get her a good car and a handsome driver.

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Posted in Monchies | Leave a Comment »

Speak and Span

February 26, 2014 by Enida

I have been thinking. And that, the thinking thing, is always a good thing.

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I have been thinking about the way I speak. Well, not just the way I speak. But about what I speak of and how I speak about the things I know and the things I don’t. And I have been thinking and wondering how it would feel like to be watching myself speaking. Of course not to myself. That would be surreal even though I do that in my head and in my closet all the time. But really, how do I speak?

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Do I speak humbly? Do I speak clearly? Do I express wordless stories in the way I blink my eyes, or the way I touch your arm whenever words fail me? Do I smile when I speak, or do I smile more when I listen? Do I breathe in every word I hear, or do I search for words in your eyes? Do I make faces when I speak? Do I make sounds as well? Am I rhythmic in my speech, or do I shoot my syllables?

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But then again, since I am down to writing my thoughts… do my words speak to you? Do you almost hear my voice when you see my written words? Do you see me speaking to you in these sentences?

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Do you feel me?

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Posted in Inside Enida, Sense, Write On | 2 Comments »

Goodpie My Love, Goodpie

February 17, 2014 by Enida

With a heart in the middle....

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Some pie hati.

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Posted in Songs | Leave a Comment »

Say What?

February 16, 2014 by Enida

Mal Info

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Listen to this.

And the purpose of making an announcement is … ?

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Posted in Bebel, Language, Sense, Service, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Still Got The Blues

February 14, 2014 by Enida

What I miss most every Valentine’s Day is making a card for my Mom. She was the very first person I ever sent a Valentine’s Day card to. The year was 1991. She never really knew what Valentine’s Day was, and she never really cared. All she knew was she would get a card from me in February. A card made with, full of, and sent with love.

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I never took notice where the cards went until one day after a few years of NOT sending her Valentine’s Day cards anymore. I was looking for a nail-clipper in her old closet and saw a card slipped between her batik sarongs. I pulled the card out and then I saw another. And another. And another. But staying true to Mom’s house rule, I put the cards back where they belonged.

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Last night when Edrick wished me ‘Happy ALMOST Valentine’s Day’ before bed and told me that he would be making a Valentine’s card at school on the real Valentine’s Day, I thought of my Mom and all my handmade Valentine’s cards she kept in her closet. Maybe this year I’ll start making Valentine’s card again. For Monchies. And for myself.

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Perhaps a blue heart would be a good start.

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Blue Valentine's Heart

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Posted in Inside Enida, Mom | Leave a Comment »

Siri Bercakap Dedek-Kaka VI

January 20, 2014 by Enida

His head looked heavy. With his right hand supporting the head on one side, Edrick was in deep thought… left hand holding the spoon, feeding himself supper, super slowly.

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Edrick: Mom… I’ve been thinking a lot.

Mommy: I can see that. What have you been thinking about Monch?

Edrick: I’ve been thinking… every time I have arguments with Kitreena, I think I have a feery.

Mommy: A fear, you mean?

Edrick: No, a feery.

Mommy: A fairy?

Edrick: No! A feeeeery.

Kitreena: A theory, Mom.

Mommy: Ohhh! A theory. Okay, you have a theory…

Edrick: My theory is, every time me and Kitreena have an argument, she would say something to make it sound like she is always better than me.

Kitreena: No! I never said that!

Edrick: Yeah, but you always want me to feel that way.

Kitreena: But I never said anything to make it look like I am better than you.

Mommy: Not everything is said in words, Kitreena. It’s in the body language. It’s in the attitude.

Peas in The Singapore Pod...

Kitreena: Yeah, but I didn’t mean what I said.

Mommy: So Kitreena, your lesson is… only say what you mean, and mean what you say. And you, Edrick… people can say anything. But don’t let it get to you. If you think you are good, you are good. You don’t even have to say it. Greatness speaks for itself. Anybody can be good. But not everybody can be kind. So be kind. End of story.

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We carried on with supper quietly, trying to clean up Bibik Sun’s uncrunchy kangkung tumis leftovers while I was busy trying to come up with a feery why my throat felt like it had been sliced by a ceramic knife.

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Posted in Monchies, Sense | Tagged | 2 Comments »

More Than Words

January 20, 2014 by Enida

The more I deal with difficult challenging people, the more I learn about myself. About my patience and about my capacity to restrain myself from saying something outrageously smart, or more often than not… painfully obvious.

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The Kangkung ChallengeJust yesterday… I learned that I am actually very particular when it comes to cooking vegetables; leafy green vegetables, specifically speaking. Not many of them need cooking much anyway, except those that are exotic like tapioca leaves, the edible ferns and the pumpkin leaves.

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Kailan, bak choy, spinach and kangkung are among the very delicate green vegies that wilt very quickly. That was why when I bought the three ‘ikat’ of kangkung at Mercato yesterday, I knew what I was going to do with it. Tumis belacan or taucu. And I was going to do it my way.

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But when everything was ready and prepared by my helper, she started talking about how she would usually cook kangkung dishes back home. Like this lah, like that lah. And since she doesn’t eat my cooking much – I noticed, perhaps she doesn’t like my Chinese-style cooking – I decided to let her do it her way.

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So my helper cooked the kangkung her way.

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Halfway through, I reminded her to not let it simmer too long or the leaves would wilt. She added COLD water for more ‘kuah’, waited for the kuah to boil and turned off the heat, put the lid on and let it sit.

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I took a very very deep breath, said nothing, and went on YouTube to look for a soothing song like “Didn’t I Tell You” by Rumi. It was actually a poem with a background instrumental song I have grown to love over the years. I so needed some distraction! This kangkung challenge was really making me think of how to make my helper realize that she was overcooking the vegetable!

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It wasn’t her. It was me. I don’t speak my mind very well. I either cut like a knife or burn like wildfire. But I remained silent.

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Little that I knew… God was listening. And He did all the speaking to my helper when she was scooping the kangkung from the pot into the serving bowl. “Kelayuan ini kangkung, Buk. Malah kebanyakan air. Nanti kalo masak ini lagi, saya coba, jangan kelamaan di api. Saya tuh senang sama yang kraok kraok kraok kalo dikunyah.”

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I just smiled.

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I thanked God last night – more than usual – for the strength He gave me to hold my tongue.

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Posted in Bebel, Bibik, Sense | 2 Comments »

Nasi Le Mak

January 12, 2014 by Enida

All that I wanted sangat-sangat di pagi Selasa yang sunyi sepi itu selepas Monchies ke sekolah ialah sebungkus Nasi Lemak. That’s all! Yang mudah, yang ringkas, yang kecil. Okay, I might have to have two if they are pretty small, but that’s not the point. Saya cuma nak kan nasi lemak bungkus. Nasi lemak bungkus yang macam dulu-dulu.

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Nasi lemak bungkus macam dulu-dulu...

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Syarat utamanya ialah, the bungkusan mestilah ada daun pisang dan kertas suratkhabar. I don’t want banana leaf and brown paper. No! Tak nak. Tak sah. Saya nak yang dibungkus dengan daun pisang dan NEWSPAPER paper. The brown paper is too fancy, too mengada-ngada. And plus, what is there to read after eating the nasi lemak if I am eating alone? Reading makes one look not too lonely at a restaurant, or warung, or in the kitchen, or wherever.

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Tak nak nasi lemak bungkus brown paper... too 'uniformed'. Tiada sentuhan kasih.

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That was all I wanted. Nasi lemak bungkus. Tak nak yang dalam styrofoam containers. Tak nak yang bungkus dengan plastic sheet inside newspaper or brown paper. Tak nak yang dalam recyclable transparent plastic container — tak kira lah yang boleh atau tak boleh masuk ketuhar mikrogelombang. Chewah, ketuhar mikrogelombang, okay! Dah lama tak guna perkataan ketuhar. Siapa je yang guna perkataan ketuhar, anyway?

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So, ini lah dia… luahan hati dari hasrat yang tak sampai di pagi Selasa. Well, I was on the phone for an hour or so that morning, rambling away about nasi lemak business and whether it is still do-able to sell “Nasi Lemak Seringgit Sebungkus”. We even talked about the feasibility of getting the supply of banana leaves from Karak. If we stick a plastic spoon into each bungkusan and put them at the drive-thru-newspaper-stand, people who buy newspapers on the way to work can have breakfast too. Even people at bus stands can have our handy nasi lemak.

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But I did not get my nasi lemak yang macam dulu-dulu that pagi Selasa. I ended up breakfasting with sekeping kerak roti Masimo dip-dip in secawan Nescafé Gold dan dengan linangan airmata. Saya sebenarnya rindu nasi lemak bungkus Mak saya yang macam dulu-dulu.

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Nasi Lemak Pictures:
Special thanks to AVLXYZ.

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Posted in Makan-Makan, Mom | 4 Comments »

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