Primordialisme

Yesterday, I was still Laskar Pelangi-less. I went to my tailor in Pertama Complex to alter (read: besarkan, increase size) my baju kebayas for Raya 2009 and vowed to stop by the Melayu bookstore on the ground floor to find the book.

Hummpphh... not only did I NOT manage to alter my baju kebayas (tailor: “ey.. ini mana boleh alter, 5,6 inci mana boleh? You kurus dulu baru you datang balik. Baju kebaya ini you tinggal sini la, bawa balik rumah pun you tarak boleh pakai!”), the Melayu bookstore owner did NOT have the book as well (bookstore owner: “Laskar Pelangi? Waahh itu sold out la, susah carik woo!”).

But today, I am the proud owner of my first Indonesian book. *kembang semangkuk*

Started the day by giving Aiden his morning, erm... mid noon bath. After giving Aiden his meal, I got ready for another shopping spree. This time, it is the Metrojaya VIP sale! Unfortunately, I was not the only one anxious for retail therapy – proven by my failure to secure a parking spot in MidValley, and I was too lazy to tawaf the whole building to find the Gardens parking entrance. And I did not want to waste precious shopping time, thus I gave the car to the Gardens valet. Hah! *mengada*

Had lunch with a friend of mine at Italianese. He was on his way to my house to visit Aiden but because I already had a date with Metrojaya, he decided to pass Aiden’s gift to me by joining me for lunch. Malek has been my friend since I was shipped off to the Pipeline camp (subsequently to the Onshore Processing Facility) in Sakhalin by the Dutch oil company. Back in 2006, it was minus 7degC when I arrived in subzero Sakhalin as a graduate engineer, all bright eyed and raring to go. Malek was my first Malaysian friend. Okay, second Malaysian friend, but forget about the first – because the first was more interested in making me his third wife. Haha. Despite the 17 years of difference in age, we ‘clicked’. And amazingly, we can still talk about anything and everything. And as he is the last Malaysian to leave the Sakhalin II project, there shall be no more gossips about the latest Sakhalin hick-up, the bimbo secretaries and the harsh winter. Damn, after spending 2 years in Sakhalin, I never thought I would actually say this, but I miss Sakhalin!

After passing Aiden’s present and the oh-so-adorable Matryoshka Russian Doll blankie that Malek got for me, to the valet for safe keeping (and because I wanted my hands free for Metrojaya) *very mengada*, I walked over to MidValley. Decided to stop by MPH to look for the elusive Laskar Pelangi. Was very disappointed when the MPH guy checked his computer and told me that the book wasn’t available. Dejected, I walked slowly towards the exit. Then suddenly, I saw it! Stacks and stacks of Laskar Pelangi on a shelf near the exit! Now very disappointed with MPH workers. Hummpphh!

I shall spare you the gory details of my shopping spree: the wait for fitting rooms, the displeasure of finding out that I am now one size bigger - thanks to Aiden, the aching legs, the slow nak mampus cashier, the thin wallet, my pestering Aunty on the phone who was making me feel very guilty for leaving Aiden at home, the Datuk who tried to chat me up while waiting for the valet to deliver our cars, the traffic jam, and the bugger with the besi tong biskut car who tried to sodok masuk my lane. Oh, I just gave you the summary of the gory details. Haha.

I am now at page 3 of Laskar Pelangi. Why page 3? Because my Aunty was making me laugh my head off when she tried to read it as well, and couldn’t understand the word meneduhi. And she claims that keringat is an Indonesian word. My oh my, how much the Bahasa Melayu/Malaysia/Melayu has evolved since she left school 40 years back!

Wish me luck! Because I am having trouble with the word primordialisme. Aacckk!!

N.B: Remember to keep your book receipts for tax deduction purposes!