Pak Man: We come to pick the flower in your garden.
Mak Minah: But she is so young, she cannot cook rice yet.
Pak Man: Don't worry, Che Minah, you know lah now got rice cooker all, no need to learn.
Mak Minah: But for which bee you want my flower?
Pak Man: You know the son of Haji Noh.
Mak Minah: Oooh..that one with rock pimples on the face. I know, I know.Wait-ah, I ask Lili.
Lili! Lili! Got people want to pick you already. You want or not?
Lili (from inside): Mak Ngah...wait one minute, I finish my Sejarah homework.
Mak Minah: Alaa...put aside first your homework. Tomorrow-tomorrow can do. You know the son of Hj Noh?
Lili (bashfully): I know. He's in Form 5. Next class only. Everyday I see him stand on the chair, Sir punish him..hehe..
Mak Minah: (whisper) His name Etok. He want to marry you.
Lili: Hehe...can also...but he stay with us la, or I stay in his house after that? I want to stay with him, his father can send us together to school, he got orange colour Kenari.
Mak Minah: Eee this girl, so money-eyes. Eh, you are right also. His mother can wash your school uniform then I don't have to do it. If you get baby, how?
Lili: Alaa Mak Ngah..if we married now, we don't have to throw the baby away in the dustbin..or toilet...
Mak Minah: Ok lah in that case, ah, I tell Pak Man lah. Your school how? You in Form 3 only.
Lili: Mak Ngah, school ok what now. Nani and Tipah married last week, then my friend Anna Katrina also want to married next month before deepavali.
Mak Minah: Hmm...
Lili: Eee, so excited! Wait I take the form in school, no need to apply anything, just fill in form only. Some more, Mak Ngah, the form we take in the canteen, not office. Easy, Mak Ngah.
Mak Minah: So itchy, this girl.
Lili: Mak Ngah, you know my friend in 3 Clever (3C), she pregnant so big, doctor said she got three babies in her stomach. She go to school like buffalo, cannot sit at her desk you know, cannot fit. Then teacher said no need to go to school.
Mak Ngah: Her husband, how?
Lili: Her husband also in her class, both classmates, Mak Ngah. But you know one secret, Mak Ngah..don't tell people ok..now the husband don't like her already. Now always chat with Mary Sia Ling Ling in facebook.. He said his wife so big, so ugly. He so jijik. Mary small and cute, she in Form 3 Intelligent (3I).
Mak Ngah: Eh this girl, so many stories. Pak Man waiting outside.
Lili: Mak Ngah, my hantaran how much?
Mak Ngah: Hantaran? Take you freelah also never mind. Where got money to return the hantaran? Buy Hai magazine also cannot. So long already I never read about artistes. Don't know what colour already Rosnah Aris hair. So miss. No sugar never mind, Hai magazine must read.
Lili: Mak Ngah...quickly go and tell Pak Man lah. (To herself) Puan Etok..eee...best nyer. Sure jealous ler my friends...ada mat rempit nak amik aku jadi bini..so lucky stay in Melaka.
(End another Drama of Life)
Very nice story.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Tried a lighthearted approach to this issue. Adik and I discussed this thing and we both thought it's such a frivolous idea on the government's part. What about marital responsibilities? Kids only want fun, not burden!
ReplyDeleteYes, very humorous but very meaningful. I wish this short story could be read by many. I am trying to share this anecdote with as many friends as I can. Congratulations to you and Adik for this piece.
ReplyDeleteIt's rather prejudiced on my part and u may have noticed that I was projecting a lower income strata of the Malay society, a lesser educated one too, obvious in the control of the language and the aunt's obsession with entertainment; that `Etok' is a mat rempit and punished by `Sir' definitely an English teacher. Even `Mary' is from the lowest class of form 3 so we guess she is quite feather-brained and now flirting with the pregnant friend's husband. Somehow I often associate the issue with the lesser educated group...unfair of me but may not be too far from the truth, having dealt with teenage students for more than a decade. The girls often seek security in marriage rather than their own capabilities in careers, and believe that the way to a man's heart is by giving themselves away hook, line and sinker. The bottom line is EDUCATION and HONOUR.
ReplyDelete