Pandangan dua dunia

Jumaat malam Sabtu, kita satu family ronda-ronda di Pavilion. Saja lahhhhh menyinggah, tempat baru kan? Bibi pun ikut sekali, sebab kat rumah "lestriknya nggak ada". Kucing-kucing tinggal. Sebab mata kucing boleh nampak jelas dalam gelap, tak perlu bantuan "lestrik".

Enak sungguh menjamu mata tengok beg, kasut, baju dan segala benda yang diperagakan di kedai-kedai baru di situ. Sempat juga mencuba beberapa pasang kasut. Tapi semua yang 50% off dah kehabisan saiz 6, 6.5 dan 7. Bagus lah tu. Ada hikmahnya! Ayah gumbira.

Kita turun ke Food Republic di tingkat bawah untuk makan malam. Banyak pilihan. Makanan Jepun ada, Nasi Padang ada, Western ada, Vietnamese ada, Thai ada. Laksa Singapore ada. Rojak Penang ada. Teh tarik pun ada. Harga, boleh tahan lah..... Tapi Bibi tak mau makan. Katanya, di rumah masih banyak makanan, nanti siapa yang mahu habiskan? Membazir saja. Jadinya Bibi kongsi rojak buah dengan Ibu. Bibi makan nenasnya, sebab Ayah tak bagi Ibu makan nenas buat sementara waktu.

Ibu lihat, Bibi ralit memerhatikan sekeliling. Tengok bermacam juadah yang dijual. Tengok orang "Londo" ( yes, without the 'n'. Yes, it's meant to be London. Kita panggil orang putih atau mat salleh.) Tengok deretan "kembangan" yang di hadiahkan kepada penyewa lot kedai makan (congratulatory flower arrangement for the food court opening). Tengok orang pakai baju sekerat nampak pusat. Kita semua makan. Bibi kuis-kuis rojak, sambil terus mengamati persekitaran.

Sedang syiok menjamu selera dan menikmati suasana, tiba-tiba Abang Idin bersuara.
"Ibu, do you know something?"
"No"
"Ibuuuu!!!"
"What?!"
"I want to tell you something"
"Shoot"
"Last season kan, Man U vs AS Roma, guess what was the score like?"
"Alah... manalah Ibu tau"
"Ummphhh...Lopek la Ibu ni. 7-1 tau!"
"Wahhh... terrornya Roma!!!" (saja nak usik Abang Idin).
"Ehhh! Man U yang 7 la! Roma 1 aje ..."
"Ohhh.... Ingatkan Roma yang menang."
"Mana ada.... Mestilah Man U!"
"Eleh..... Roma lopek! Boleh lah Man U berlagak!"
"Ehhhh! Roma tu boleh tahan tau. Tapi Man U lagi terror!"
"Kan Hafiz kan, Man U terror kan? Hafiz suka Man U kan?"
"Arsenal." (jawab Hafiz pendek, sambil menghirup sup bebola ikan.)
"Ek eleh dia ni. Ameer! Ameer suka Man U ke atau Roma?"
"Inter Milan!" (jawab Ameer selamba, terkebil-kebil.)
"Ayah?"
"Selangor"
"Hahaha... Lopek lah semua orang".

"Cuba Abang tanya Bibi"

"Uh? Iya? Saya? Ada apa?" (balas Bibi dengan slang Indonnya, agak terkejut namanya disebut).
"Bibi......." (Abang Idin meleret manja, harapan terakhirnya untuk memartabatkan Man U, pasukan kegilaannya.)
"Iya.... Ada apa sih?"
"Bibi suka Man U ke atau Roma"
"Uh? Apa-apa an Idin ni. Apa saja lah!"
"Alah Bi, cepatlah, Man U ke Roma, pilih satu"
"Uh... tak tau lah Bibi. Apa saja lah kamu suka"(agak cemas suara Bibi.)
"Tak boleh Bi. Kena pilih satu, Man U atau Roma. Yang mana satu Bibi suka"
"Man U? Roma?" (Bibi kelihatan keliru seketika).
"Ha... Bibi tau tak Man U dengan Roma?"
"Ah? Oh iya, iya! Roma Bibi tau"

UHH? BIBI TAU ROMA?

Kami semua terdiam sejenak, terkejut beruk mungkin - sebab Bibi tau Roma. Mana bisa?

"Macam mana Bibi tau Roma?" (tanya Abang Idin, sah terkejut dengan kenyataan Bibi).

Semua orang diam, tak sabar nak tau.

"Iya lah... dia tu bagus. Sudah naik Haji lebih dua kali!"

"Uh? Roma naik haji? Roma mana ni Bibi?" (Abang Idin kebingungan)

Semua yang lain masih diam, berdegap degup jantung menunggu jawapan Bibi.

"Alah ... Roma tu lah. Dia kan terkenal di Indonesia. Pandai menyanyi. Suaranya bagus!"

Ibu dan Ayah macam nak tersedak rasanya.
"Rhoma Irama!!!" (serentak bersuara, diikuti dengan derai ketawa).

Abang Idin masih kebingungan. "Roma pandai menyanyi? Apa benda ni?"

Hafiz dan Ameer tak ambil pusing. Sibuk menyudu bebola ikan.

Ibu & Ayah masih tak tahan gelihati, ketawa berterusan.

Bibi tersenyum-simpul dan ketawa kecil sendirian.

Man U vs R(h)oma
Pandangan dua dunia
Agak berbeza :)

- Rakaman memori di Food Republic, Pavillion, KL -
( Jumaat 9 hb Nov, 2007, 8.00pm )

Do you make sens?

There is no spelling error. It is meant to be spelt as such, 'sens'.

Sens? What's that? Animal? Vegetable? Rock?

I'm sure most of us know what sens are. Most of us have sens. Most of us make sens. Some have and make more sens than others.

Sens is a manglish term of the word cents - the plural of sen. Sen is the smallest currency denomination in our country. That perfect circle gold coin featuring a hibiscus on one side and a 'rebana' on the other. A 100 pieces of that sen makes a ringgit.

Ahah! Now that I've mentioned it, perhaps it is beginning to make more sense. Most of us are more familiar with ringgits than with sens. Perhaps, most of us appreciate ringgits more than just those loose sens.

The value of sens is less appreciated these days. The days when we can buy loads of goodies with just some sens in our pocket have long gone, and never heard of these days. My own children would favour 'duit biru', 'duit hijau' or 'duit merah' over 'duit circle warna gold'.

Does that mean saving sens do not make sense any longer?

Just as most of us have some sens, and make some sens, there are also equally plenty out there who don't have any sen at all and who could not make any sen at all. And while all those loose sens can't buy us that much goodies anymore these days, those same loose sens can still be of great value to a lot of other people in so many different ways.

Each of those sens can save lives. Each of those sens can support some children's education. Each of those sens can feed some children. Each of those sens can help buy equipment for the disabled. Each of those sens can help build mosques or suraus.

Now sit up straight and read carefully what Ibu is about to write next. Don't slouch.

Next time when you go shopping, pay for your goods and receive those sens as loose change, don't straight away sulk and show face to the cashiers. Save those sour face for yourself when you look into the mirror - if you like those sour look that is. If you don't like keeping those sens in your purse or wallet because they make your Coach or Gucci or Ferragamo or Bonia wallets protrude like a drunkard belly, then by all means don't keep them in your purse or wallet. I don't mean throw them away! Simply slip those sens into the clear boxes that have been placed at your utmost convenience in front of your very naked eyes at the cashier counters.

At Tesco - it's for Charity of the Year, Makna Cancer Research Fund. Your sens save lifes!
At Jusco- it's for With All Our Hearts Foundation. Siti will beacon her smile back at you :)
At C4 - it's for K9 Society ( I think ... I don't shop there. Hehe...... )
At Ali Maju Restaurant - it's for a surau somewhere ... ( tak ingat la, sorry!) hey... some outlets even offer you senaskah surah yaasin in exchange for the loose sens you drop in the box.

If you don't shop at any of the retailers or dine at Mamak restaurants, but surely have some sens stashed somewhere and feel like you can spare some multiples of sens - hey! Good for you! Read Pi Bani's stories on how those sens can help buy some milk and rice, educate some children and restore roofs over some heads.

For the frequent travellers & flyers, remember most money changers don't accept loose changes to be exchanged for desired currencies. Why bother worrying about your pocket sagging and jingling with coins? Perhaps for a change, drop those small change of sens equivalent into the UNICEF envelope handed to you either by the sweet smelling stewardess or the hotel's ever-so-polite front desk assistants. Even if "Tipping Is Not Encouraged" signpost stares squarely into your eyes, you know those multiple loose sens equivalent would bring a smile to the doorman and the hotel limo chauffeur.

And I know you know there are many other options where you can let go of these sens to benefit others in need - the choice is yours.

The first series of choices to make is to commit to gainfully loose those sens.

That single sen from all of us can make a whole lot of difference in the lives of others.

It all begins with just one sen. Don't hesitate to depart with your loose sens.

Make sense with your sens!

Happy Birthday Ayah!

2nd November 2007.

With four big candles on the cake, it wasn't that difficult for Abang Idin, Abang Hafiz and 'Abang Ameer' to guess how old & wise ayah had become that day!

Yes, Ayah turned 40 on Friday. It's a big thing isn't it? Turning 40!!

My friends & I, we planned to have a bash for Ayah for his Big 4 Candles birthday. Why? Simply because he's the first to turn 40 amongst us. We could all imagine how it is going to be.

THE VISION & SCENARIO PLANNING

Venue: Somewhere exclusive, preferably a hilltop bungalow, overlooking a big garden with butterflies & bees ( that don't sting ). Flora & fauna style - get the drift?. All this privately reserved just for us all - a small bunch of noisy yet pleasantly insane people.
Menu: Sumptious buffet spread served hot & ready to eat. Oh! Throw in the Seafood BBQ too. Butlers & Waiters/waitresses at our commands to bring this & that, replenish those & these. No alcoholic drinks. Teh tarik a must!
Kids: Included, running around chasing each other at the garden outside.
Mommies: Gossiping about nothing & updating each other about latest sales in town. (Take note mommies won't be exchanging recipes. Hahaha.... )
Daddies: Chatting about football & exchanging notes on the latest PDAs/Blackberries.
Entertainment: Oh yes! We ( the mommies) thought it would be a blast if we could invite Annuar Zain or M. Nasir - say, to sing LIVE a few good songs. ( I'm sure the daddies would probably prefer Maya Karin ... regardless of whether she can sing or not).

In short, plenty of good food, fun & laughter with great company.

THE REALITY

Errr...
So, who, do what, by when, how much?
That is exactly the problem. We don't have an executor amongst us for this sort of big party thing. Neither do we have the fulus to engage an event organiser. Nor do we think it's wise to part with our fulus, the little that we have, just to have Annuar Zain or M. Nasir or both (or Maya..... sissshh! ) entertaining us privately.

But hey! It's a good idea right? IT'S A GREAT IDEA !!!! hehe...

We are not giving up just yet. It may happen. Just wait.

INTERIM MEASURE

So ... meanwhile ....

Here's a cheese cake and a hug for you on your birthday, Ayah!

Many happy returns with lots of love from us all!

p/s Couldn't post other photos - because as you can see, Ayah was topless.
Geezzzzzz.... Talk about life starting at 40!!