au revoir but not audieu, che' badak debab! (and a tribute to che' paa, too)

Auntie is having to say goodbye to auntie's trusted friend, Che' Badak Debab aka CBD. Auntie's friendship with CBD began after the loss of another trusted friend. Auntie had Che' Paa, who was old but never cranky and took auntie everywhere auntie wanted without any complaints. Once in a while Che' Paa required attention but auntie was willing to indulge Che Paa since what makes him happy will ensure that auntie can go wherever auntie wants. Che Paa was even nice enough to take auntie across the bridge one day so that auntie could get auntie's coveted Japanese mini-couches (auntie is low-maintenanced and easily pleased, kan?). Although auntie mula2nya apprehensive jugak if Che Paa's octogenerial bones could allow him to do this. Tapi selamat, alhamdulillah.

Well, satu masa, Sleepyhead was staying with auntie while deciding what to do with her life (it's one of those 'waiting-for-something-good-to-come-my-way' periods). Satu hari, Sleepyhead got news that she was called for an interview for something good. So, auntie asked Che Paa to take us to the bus station so that Sleepyhead could go to KL to attend her interview. There was no sign that Che Paa was in pain, but on the way home to get Sleepyhead's things to go to the bus station, right smack dab in the middle of a four-way junction, Che Paa went into a coma. Auntie tried to revive him, to no avail so auntie had to call the paramedics in. First, auntie had to leave him at the side of the road, then auntie called for help from friends to get Sleepyhead on the bus (she missed the original bus and had to take another one). Then auntie went home, sans Che Paa. He was taken by the paramedics to their centre where they tried to revive Che Paa. Alhamdulillah, he was revived but since Auntie couldn't go through such trauma again in Auntie's life, Auntie had to let Che Paa go. But first Auntie let Che Paa bunk in with Auntie's friend, Badak Pres, who was mulling if she would want to take in Che Paa as her friend for good. But during that time, Auntie also advertise for alternative homes for Che Paa. One person answered Auntie's advert, and so Auntie happily but also sadly let Che Paa go live with that person. That was the last Auntie saw of Che Paa although a few years ago Auntie heard from someone that Che Paa was still alive and kicking and running around a paddy field somewhere in Kodiang.

After auntie had let Che Paa go, auntie had to find a new friend. Actually, at that point auntie wasn't ready for a new friend. Auntie had Che Paa pun out of necessity coz auntie tak larat la gi everywhere without a friend. At that time auntie had to slog to finish auntie's PhD thesis so Che Paa was a necessity especially since auntie had to stay back in the office all by the loneself. Kalau ada apa2, a friend such as Che Paa, although old, will be useful. So, after Che Paa was gone, auntie's daddy said auntie should get a new friend. This time it should be one that is young and fresh out of the oven, so to speak. OK la, auntie said. Tolong get me one from Kuantan, so that auntie takyah pikir nak kawan camne. Tapi auntie bagi certain criteria la. Doesn't have to be too beautiful and high-maintenance. As long as could accompany auntie wherever auntie went. Auntie's daddy was not very happy with Auntie's criteria because he thought auntie should just take the plunge and invest in a more popular kind of friend but auntie insisted. So, auntie was introduced to CBD.

Although CBD was a fresh, young friend, the first time auntie took her home she had some problems so auntie had to send her back where she came from for a while to get better. But she was OK after that and came to live with auntie in Penang. She became auntie's companion for seven years. Before auntie married AH, she was a most reliable friend to auntie (not discounting auntie's badak friends, of course!). Auntie's badak friends was also happy to be with CBD when she took us to go shopping, to lunch and dinner and also, many times for long distance travel to KL. Auntie just got to know that Badak VP think auntie is dangerous when with CBD, so each time she came with us on travels she was keeping her fingers cross that there won't be an accident. But that goes to prove how reliable CBD is. No accident ever happened when auntie's with her except that one time when auntie stopped to get a friend for lunch and someone came and bang into CBD and gave her a gash. But that was the other person's fault and she had to pay for CBD's medical bill and cosmetic surgery.

CBD was also auntie's companion on travels to Kuantan until AH 'forbids' (hahaha, of course it's only because auntie allows him to 'forbid' me anything!) auntie from taking CBD anywhere further than the Penang Island and mainland. In her last days with auntie, CBD only accompanied auntie from home to office and occasionally from office/ home to shopping places. She's quite pampered in a sense, so she's quite fit for her age although she got scars here and there because sometimes she had to be left unshaded and some wallies with itchy hands or jealous minds would scratch her.

This year CBD reached her adulthood and this year auntie no longer needs a constant companion like CBD since a few things in auntie's life are changing. Since auntie got married, AH and auntie also acquired another friend, Mr PFX, mostly to accompany AH. Although PFX is a family friend, auntie didn't feel similar bonding with PFX as with CBD, maybe because PFX normally goes places with AH.

As auntie mentioned, this year we decided that we only need one companion and since PFX is a newer friend, we are keeping him and letting CBD go, uhuks. So, with heavy heart, auntie has sent CBD back to Kuantan so that Auntie's bro could help look for another home for her. It has been seven memorable years with CBD and auntie prays that she gets as much as, it not more love, from her new home. Auntie hoped auntie has looked after her well and she can continue to be people's companion for many years to come. Auntie will be probably be seeing her around in Kuantan or somewhere near Kuantan but she will never be taking auntie anywhere again.

SO, AU REVOIR CHE' BADAK DEBAB! HAVE A NICE LIFE...

PS: ...AND COME CLOSER MR PFX, WE WILL BE SPENDING MORE TIME TOGETHER NOW!

PS2: CBD= CBD3291; CHE PAA = PAA1881; PFX = PFX6958

Do you really know the person you marry....?

Jeng! Jeng! Jeng! Me-na-pe (ini adalah cara seorang cikgu auntie kat sekolah dulu cakap mengapa) auntie buat tajuk entry so suspen-syen ni? No, auntie did not have a big fight with AH. In fact, the first week of fasting month have been the most peaceful of all the times we've had semenjak kahwin. No whacking out one another at all. And Godwilling, this will keep for a few more weeks. And although it is the time of the month for auntie, so far it has passed without auntie feeling like cekik-ing AH or other people at all.

Anyways, auntie buat entry ni coz AH tak bagi auntie buat entry pasai apa auntie masak for AH for berbuka today. I don't know where he got this silly notion that auntie will only cook for him when auntie feels like "entry-ing" the dishes into auntie's blog. Silly, silly man...!

AH kata, kalau auntie so much as try to mention the name of the dishes auntie cooked for him today, he will do unmentionable things to auntie. So, since auntie tamau kena geletek sampai tergolek, auntie terpaksa la refrain. TAPI, auntie ada cerita yg lebih interesting for the entry. Yg pasti, cerita ini pelakon utamanya adalah..kahkahkah..AH. Like this...

One fine day masa we were driving back from tesco (or somewhere else, not important), we passed the building of the Regional Centre for the teaching of Science and Mathematics or RECSAM for short. This is actually a centre where Sci and Math teachers go for courses etc. But that is also not important for this story. But what is more important is the word RECSAM pasted out on the concrete wall of the gate to the building AND this revelation:

AH: Yang, tau tak between 1979 and 1995 there was something wrong with the sign RECSAM?

Auntie: (thinking that i'm in for an interesting history lesson of Penang) Ye, ke, Ling? Apa dia?

AH: For a long time huruf C dia senget. Tahun 1995 baru la diorang betulkan.

Auntie: Oooooo (thinking if I should make comments about how inefficient the local government is in repairing government buildings)

Long pause. Then...

AH: Yang...., tau tak siapa yg bagi senget huruf 'C' tu?

KAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!

Kalau ko cakap macam tu, ko ingat aku akan ingat sape yg buat?

Auntie: ABANG KE???????????????? LA HAULA WALA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH....

AH: (tersipu2), Alah, abang baru darjah 6 masa tu..

Macam ni citernya. One fine day in 1979, AH and his classmates kena pi buat apa tah kat RECSAM, pastu masa nak balik tu depa kena tunggu bas depan gate. My curious other half ni pegang2 lah huruf RECSAM kat concrete wall tu, tetiba poop! hurup 'C' tu tercabut. Dia terai la letak balik and tersangkut la balik tapi tak sempat nak bagi straight, bas dah datang, so dia kena naik bas. Semenjak hari tu sehingga la tahun 1995 when the sign was repaired, AH was internally tortured each time dia lalu depan the building and saw the senget C.

And he only tells me this after four years of marriage. I wonder how many more secrets he has. Hmmph...

Talking about being in standard 6, auntie nak wish Shasha and Aiman, and any other kids yg auntie kenal and will be taking UPSR tomorrow, a very, very BEST OF LUCK in their exams. For Shasha and Aiman, semoga all the prayers, air yassin, air zamzam and sembahyang hajat from mommy, daddy, umi, ayah and all your uncles and aunties give you strength and peace of mind to go through the exam. Also, semoga dapat juga menumpang keberkatan Ramadhan. Look at the bright side, by this time next week, a big weight will be taken off your shoulders and you'll have a blissful raya ahead. Insya Allah.

BTW, the dishes that auntie cooked for AH and auntie is not supposed to mention in this blog sounds like 'poppy' combined with the short form of auntie's niece, Along's name. The other dish is a seafood cooked with makanan kegemaran kawan baik auntie, Ms Badak President. Ia juga adalah masakan yg ala-ala suka dimasak oleh sorang lagi kawan auntie, Badak3 aka Ms Nyonya.

Selamat berbuka untuk esok.

Babai and Wassalam.