Curi baulu..

 
  

     It was around 11 in the morning. I was about 10 years old then. My mak and tok were busy bakar baulu.The traditional Malay kueh popular sangat zaman dulu.It was during the fasting month.
     We have no oven masa tu, my mak guna sabut kelapa sebagai api sebelah atas and arang sebelah bawa macam oven juga la.Acuan pula acuan besi.My mak said tu acuan bentuk bunga kandis.I dont know what is bunga kandis.But it was like rupa mangoesteen cut into half.
      Biasa la kalau zaman dulu, bakar kueh bukan ada timer. So kadang2 kueh tu nicely baked, kadang2 burned sikit.
     "Ni kalau tak posa sedap ni kueh baulu yang garing ni."
     "Awat mak tak simpan " I saw her put yang hitam manis tu seperately.
     "La, takkan nak jamu orang rentung macam ni."

     Rentung ? mana rentung pun cuma terlebih brown saja colour dia.
     Then my mak said, " tolong jaga sat na, mak ada kerja sikit."
     I was to wait there saja.I must not pandai2 angkat tudung periuk yang ada sabut merah menyala tu.
     "Jangan angkat tudung periuk tu panas ! " my mak warned lagi.Tak larat dengar dah berkali2.
     So I waited there like an obedient child. I looked at the baulu. Ish sedapnya .freshly baked. mesti sedap.I thought to myself.I bukan kacau yang elok, I cuma nak rasa yang tak elok tu.Yang garing tu.
     I took one. Adoi, sedapnya..then another one, then another one...Last2 lost count berapa dah masuk perut kecik ...

     Then I heard my mak coming.She said ..
        " Jauh sikit, nak angkat tudung ni.Sat gi kena api.Pi jauh sikit."

    I moved backwards.She lifted up the lid..adoi semua terlebih garing .some dah hampir burnt.
        "La, awat tak tengok api,kalau besar api, tolong ketuk2 jangan bagi menyala." She said.
        "La,  tadi mak tak bagi sentuh."
  
        "Ish ish rugi macam ni. " grumbling..


        Then she looked at me..
        "Eh, pi mana baulu tang ni tadi.? makan ke ? Buka posa ? "

        Dah memang bersalah, so nak kata apa. mengakulah.
        "Cek bukan ambik yang elok.cek ambik yang rentung tu."

        I got up and ran ke atas rumah.She was still pot pet, pot pet.Eleh kueh rentung pun .bukan yang elok.I kept saying to myself.

        In those days anybody not fasting was not allowed to sit with the rest of the family masa time berbuka. I have to eat when everybody dah habis makan.So when everybody was eating dengan lahapnya, I kena tengok dari jauh.My brother was not fasting.But dia boleh pulak sat with them makan..Ya la takkan nak marah pula. he was still small.only barely seven.My mak could accept that dengan alasan..dia baru belajar posa..ish ish
      
       My brother was eating dengan muka menyakitkan hati.Sekali sekala dok jeling kat I...
       I saw my mak tak sampai hati, but she was scared of ayah. Ayah was quite strict.He did not even look at me. Dia tengah makan agar2..merahnya.I paling suka agar2 yang tak di letak apa kecuali gula.Agar2 kosong.And he didnt even notice me there.buat2 tak nampak.

        I turned my face away .Felt so sad. why everybody macam tak dak perasaan..I am hungry there at the corner of the kitchen..(Actually bukan lapar sangat. because I have eaten banyak baulu tadi..kenyang lagi..he he ).

       Then all of a sudden my ayah got up. Took my hand and said.
       " mai makan, ala ala, ayah nampak aih dok bersedih situ..makan cepat. "
       I ni pantang di pujuk.Bila ayah pujuk saja air mata mula turun .laju pulak tu..
       " Berapa biji tadi curi baulu ? " he smiled.
       I couldnt speak. Showed my fingers ..9 !
       "Sedap ke baulu rentung ? "
       I nodded my head.
       "Esok suruh mak bakar yang rentung bagi banyak sikit.Maznah suka " He said .His eyes looking at my mak.

       "Dak dah aih.esok nak buat kueh goyang pulak. " she said.

        I  felt tangan ayah on my shoulder. " makan2, sat gi ambik lagi baulu tu  lepas makan nasi ni"

        Ayah then whispered to me, "esok posa na..besag dah.Dah jadi anak dara dah ni.."
        I ate my nasi in silence..... I looked at him walking away..
        So sweet ....I love you ayah..forever and ever..