When I am not working on Saturday.

When it is Monday, you always hope that it is Friday, tomorrow would be Saturday. Yes the weekend. You will have so much things in mind that you plan to do.Shopping, go to bank, sleep until late of day, etc.... well, at least that is what I have in mind. But then when Saturday is here, do you really done what you have planned for?

As for me, this weekend especially Saturday was the most boring one I would say. For the whole week I was pretty free cause all my classes was cancelled as my students were all busy. But then I don't do much besides office work. No banks this weekend so, plan to sleep until wat 9.00am? But then I woke up at 7.02 am (consider late liao, usually 6.30 am even on Saturday).
Early morning.

"Chiang, wake up...." my mum calling me from the window while she was hanging up all the wet clothes. Reluctantly I got up with my eyes closed and folded the blanket. I was thinking " I shouldn't have slept so late yesterday. Never mind come back and sleep again". Going to market with mum every weekend is my duty. After all the squeezing and sweating, I came back home at around 9.30am. Hahahaha... but then "Chiang, change the bedsheet." Cepat-cepat I open the cupboard, chose the bedsheet to change, 'undress' the bed and the pillows and wah la...sudah siap. Hehehehehe...I am already eyeing on my mattress and hugging all my pillows...all the comfortable smell of my pillow...but then "Chiang, help me dismantle the table fan. I want to wash it." Not everyday I wash the fan, so I rolled up my sleeve and dismantled the fan, wah lau!!!How long have the fan been left unwashed? The dust is blacker than my hair and it is almost an inch thick...aiyoo...thinking that I have been having this blowing on my face every night, I dismantled mine as well and washed together.And finally by 11.30am I am DONE! Hahahahaa..."Chiang, set the washing machine to soaking mode, I want to soak the bedsheets." Being very good at pressing buttons, I take less than 5 seconds to complete that and once confirmed the washing is indeed moving, I quickly laid down my mattress and wah la... I am dreaming again...

Why time fly so soon when you are having your best dream? "Chiang 1 pm already, you want to eat lunch or not?" I woke up...but I did not take lunch. Swept the floor, mopped it clean and then took a bath. Set out to Petaling Street. I am not a homely person, not for this week. I cannot stand the boredom and neither can I sleep the whole day like ... (oo). Reached Petaling Street at 2.30pm, then I realised my tummy 'very actively in concert'...ah ha...I had a bowl of TAU FU FA at the famous stall in the street. Fantastically tasty, the TAU FU FA smoother than my face..delicious! After that, I bury myself in my favourite place.. bookstore!
In the bookstore.

Wandering around from shelf to shelf but then I still find myself interestingly settling my butt at the shelf with books of tarots, how to interpret your dreams, astrology, zodiac, horoscope. Yes, and I have spent the evening looking through those and see what is my year ahead for 2005. Hahahaha... better believe than don't and the horoscope said this year, metal monkey (that is me) will have blossom in love live (hopefully it is for real...I have been praying and hoping since last year... hahahaha... no la..). Finally, my white horse prince complete his horse breeding course and is ready to ride his white horse to come and fetch me... heheheeh...(mana tau come a black horse prince... hahahahaah).

And then, I received call from PS - she also very boring and is in JJ maluri...so how leh? I carry on looking for books until satisfied and then take bus to JJ lor. Meet her up...

In JJ Maluri.

P.S: Eh, which one better ha?

Me: Eh... mine is sony one... so Sony should be better lor.

P.S: But Sony very expensive here, RM 58 wor...

Me: But the effect is better wor...

(People, we are choosing on headphones. After thinking and mumbling... she settle down with a don't know what brand RM 30)

P.S: Rm 30 for a headphone.. very expensive hor..might as well settle with RM 10.

Me: RM 30, but then more long lasting ma...

(hehehee... up to you to guess..did she buy the RM 30 or RM 10 headphone?)

Ringggggggggggggg...............
Me: hello?

Buffalo : where are you?

Me: JJ Maluri..

Buffalo: Accompany me to Pudu, need to grab something for your brother.

Me: Ok lor...

With that call, I have to take flight and went to Pudu to get what my brother needed. Then have a glass of tea tarik before reached home. Wah la, that is how one evening is spent. Another half, I spent lazying, chatting with family and watching American Idol. what a day...

Father.

As I flipped through the photo album, looking back all the photos that once my parents had and I had, it brings back a lot of fond memories. I realised that I did not look anywhere different since baby except that my size is different now. I notice my father and my mother was once looked very young. They have a photo together in black and white, I guess that was the photo they took during their courting days. Mum and pa never mentioned much about their courting days, I don't know how Pa got into Mum. But I know Mum changed Pa a lot.

Pa, since youngster was keen on lazying his days off when he is not working. But then he is the sole provider in the family. Every days of his life was full of struggled. He was the 2nd in the family. Being the second eldest he has about 6 siblings to take care of. If not because of poverty that forced my granparents to gave away some of the newborns, the Chin's family tree should be made up of 12 Uncles and aunties in total. My grandpa is a gambler, earned a penny and spend a dollar. There is hardly enough to feed the family. To make ends meet, Peda and his brothers (my elder uncle and a younger uncle whom has passed away at age 26 due to accident) has to do odd jobs at tender age of 7. Start off by parking bicycles at the cinema for 5 cents per bicycle. It was tough and they were constantly harrassed by older adults and gansgterism is nothing uncommon during those time.

As Pa grew into teens, knowing a few friends in the gang is common, but he never get involved. From stories I have heard, Pa has been the one sticking up for his friends, helping out when they are in need. As for the family, he has helped grandma to provide food on the table and also education for the sisters and brother (my youngest uncle). Pa might not have the oppurtunity to study, but that doesn't stop him from learning. He cannot read a single word neither in alphabetical or chinese characters. But with his good will, he learnt to speak in Bahasa and a little bit of English. He learnt on Mathematics on his own and able to record down some small account on his own.

He is very determined. I remembered he went for test 7 times for citizenship. But he did not get it, no matter how hard he tried. Up till today he is still a 'red IC' and only termed as PR although he was born here in Malaysia. It is all down to grandpa's stubborness. Because he wanted to go back to China one day, he did not allowed his sons and daughters to have Malaysia citizenship when the government offered it at one point of time.But then, my grandpa did not make it back to China. He passed away at age of 56. And from that day onwards, my father is taking care of the whole family until he start one on his own.

I still remembered as a father he is, he is a very loving man, never has he scolded me and will always try to fulfill my request. Never has he ever scolded me for my results, in fact he checked through all my mathematics answers with a calculator every night when I was in primary. I, of course landed him with lots of trouble at times. Sometimes, he ended up arguing with mum trying to defend me. And mum always knew he will fend me. But to make sure I don't turn to be a spoil brat, she has to take stern action and that is what she make me become today.
He will be the driver that drives me to school everyday. If I am studying in the afternoon session, he will be the one picking me up. If it is raining then he will come with rain coats and slippers - without failed. He is always punctual for he knows I will be worried if I didn't see him. Even though I can walk home he will still insist to pick me up unless he really couldn't.

As time goes by, I grew up. But then as teenagers, friends and having fun was always the main priority. I guess I failed to notice about him. Life started to get busy especially when I am in Uni, hardly at home during the first year. He did not see me much, but he will delivered my favourite durian to hostel for me. He will went into my room at home and will look around as if I am there. I know he missed me. And when I have to move back home during my second year, he was so happy even though he knows that I will cost him daily rides to campus, he don't mind.
He still drives me to work when I started work until one day when he no longer can. His life changed. His attitude changed. But he has something inside that he is not telling. Not even to me. why? I don't know and I failed to understand.

Am I a good daughter? I cannot tell. But I know he is a good father. I am still trying to make him proud of me whenever I can although I know he already proud of me the moment I am born. There is no way I can repay all his kindness and love. I can only wish and pray that God will be kind to him and ease his pain...