touched !...

 

          I was early .The jogging track was deserted. The heavy rain last night left the track all wet. Puddles of water were everywhere. The wind blowing softly. No one was in sight.Looked at my watch.It was already 650. The sun is creeping out slowly.

          I looked at the market across the river. Many people moving around.  I thought of walking to the end of the track, but changed my mind,instead I turned around and started walking in the direction where I came from.

         Still there was nobody around. Where were the regular walkers who used to come here, where was that friendly Chinese lady who will approach me with the same question everyday ..
         "Awai na ? "
         Or that Chinese girl who never look up at your face.(She's short.Very much shorter than me ).
Tried smiling many times, in fact humming and singing my favourite tune when I came face to face with her. But still she couldnt afford to light her face with a smile...awal pagi dah masam..Kesian kat dia..

         My ex science teacher..Mr Khor pun tidak melewati kawasan itu pagi ini.Or you could see  him walking leisurely with his wife and talking to her loudly as if she was 10 meters away from him....he he..

         Finished two rounds I decided to turn back and went to the market. Gerai ikan penoh ikan hari ni. Nowadays bukan tentu kadang2 suddendly u tengok gerai cerah , ikan ada segenggam dua saja di meja batu tu.

     After buying some fish, I moved over to get some vegetables. Orang ramai pula, beratur nak bayar. I was the last in the line.bukan apa pun, sebiji peria and daun kesum and bendi.

        While waiting for my turn my eyes wondered around..

        Two girls about 10 or 11 years old were sitting  on the steps.One was quite chubby, the other tall and thin.The chubby one was eating something and the thin one was holding a plastic bag with a few apples in it.

       " Hey, ayah balik umah hangpa semalam ? " said the fat one.
       " Hmmm ..awat ? "
       " Awat la ni selalu ayah di umah hangpa saja eh? "
       " mana ada..rumah hangpa pun dia pi jugak "
       " Tapi lebih kerap rumah hangpa .."
       "Nanti kalau dia balik umah kami, kami suruh dia pi umah hangpa na .." said the thin one.

       The fat one offered the biscuit to the thin one. She took one.
        "Sedap la ..hangpa beli mana ? "
        "Ayah beli hari tu."
        "Dia tak pernah beli pun kat kami biskut ni.." said the thin one.

        "kalau dia balik umah hangpa hari ni, hangpa suruh la ayah beli kat kami biskut ni na ? " she continued.
       I understand now the girls were sisters. Bapa depa kawin dua. Kesian budak2 dua orang tu, berebut kasih ayah. They were innocent little girls..

       wahai ayah ( whoever he is )..adil la sikit. giliran balik kena sama, and apa yang beli di rumah A mesti sama dengan umah B..Bukan senang  nak adil kan?yang jadi mangsa anak2 and isteri2..Yang dia seronok saja..orang lain ada satu,, dia ada dua..he he.

        "Awat hangpa tak pi sekolah hari ni " asked the fat one.
        "Ayah tak hantaq, dia keluag awai.Lepas subuh."
        " La, kami pun dia tak ambik.. sebab tu tk pi sekolah.."
        "Tu ke ? .."
        Both started laughing..
        I pun tersenyum tengok..Maybe they even live in the same neighbourhood..

         My turn to pay for the vege. When I turned around those girls were walking hand in hand towards the news stall at the corner of the market area.Langsung tak rasa bersalah tak pi sekolah...macam2 la jadi ........    Pasal ? because of a man who neglects his responsibilities..Pandai kawin ramai tapi tak pandai mengatur hidup...

        Ish ish ...kesian dia kan ?

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