Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Raya post round two

Raya was the same like every other Raya.

There was the chaos on the eve of Raya. My mum was busy in the kitchen preparing the ingredients for the Laksa Johor we planned to make the next day, my sister was helping her out, my brother helped filling up cookies in the containers and I went around doing all kinds of things that men should be doing, like fixing the shoe rack, the Raya lights, the curtains, you name them, I did them.

And the other thing is that I am still single, and so I got myself ready with one liners that I could use on the aunties who would be asking me all kinds of ‘marriage related’ questions.

I did my last minute shopping, queuing up for parking space at the dreaded Angsana Plaza, fighting with fat aunties for the perfect tissue box cover.

And I found my second Raya outfit, after I was broken hearted because my first choice was snapped up. A white chiffon number, with gold flower prints.

Raya was the same like every other Raya.

Ketupat, rendang, perasak (For the uninitiated, it is glutinous rice filled with beans and what nots wrapped in daun palas and boiled. Something like lepat but savoury), sayur lodeh, kuah kacang, ayam kicap, serunding daging, lemang and laksa Johor was served on the table at my Atok’s house.


As usual, me and my siblings ask for forgiveness from our parents before driving off to my atok’s house that morning. Sarcy don’t have a kampong as in the true kampong sense. My kampong is in the middle of the town and took less than 10 minutes drive (With my Barrichello style of driving, might even be 5 minutes).


Stopped at a kiosk to fill up the tank before that. The worker, a Bangladeshi, wished me Selamat Hari Raya and strike a conversation while filling up. He was working full shift for that day and the day after.

“Saya dapat sembahyang Alhamdulillah. Kerja halal hari raya dapat duit cukup juga.”

Asked if he has already called home to wish everyone, he nodded and I saw a tinge of sadness in his eyes. To say that I understand was an understatement, because as much as I would claim that I did, I couldn’t really.

Anyway,

Strangely, my grandma cried when it was my turn to ‘salam’ her. Alahai, tak taulah apahal, dengan orang lain steady je, dengan den dah melimpah ruah la pulak. Empangan pocah, my atok said.

“Agaknya sebab nenek sedih ko tak kawin – kawin lagi tak? Boifren pun tak bawak balik umah lagi.” My cousin said.

Rasa like nak hempuk pon ado.

“Aku busy la. Takde masa nak layan jantan-jantan tak guna ni. Semua emo tak tentu hala, takdo kojo eh.”

‘kumpul harta’, that was what I told everyone who asked me the ‘soalan cepu emas tahap dewa’. I don’t need to be dependent on anyone to make my life works wot?

By 5 pm, I broke down. Enjin habis pelincir, and I slept in the living room with my Mom, bro and sister.

So much for ghayo sakan. Ponat sakan ado ah.

Raya was the same like every other Raya.

TV was chocful of melancholic and sad stuff. I have to admit, some of them are really good, some are just too obviously cashing in on Hari Raya. And what’s with the AF reunion bullshit thronging Astro? Like WTF? But I enjoyed watching some of the Malay movies on Astro Ria like Baik Punya Cilok, Gubra and Sepet. Mukhsin was disappointing. And the P. Ramlee daily dose. He still rawks.

Raya was the same like every other Raya.

Still OD-ing on Sirap, gassy drinks and kuih bangkit, here are some I took during Raya.

Me and my Siblings


My cousins with their duit raya



The only princess in the family



My brother and the Princess' brother Idir



The Heroes of the family


Second day of Raya at another relative's house. My Mum with one of my Dad's cousin's daughter

10 comments:

  1. eh, muka mak you sama dgn you...panazzz tak relationship korang?

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  2. oh baru i tau perasak tu ape..heheh.uninitiated betul i ni.:P

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  3. lain kali cakap je.... dah kawin dah, nikah je belum... hehehe..

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  4. Muka Princess garang nyer! :-P

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  5. I've used this one liner a couple of times....never fails to amaze me the reactions that i get from open mouthed friends and relatives...tho a word of caution....some people might say it a bit rude....

    "hmm, eh, i tak ajak ker? ooppss sorry"

    works everytime! but obviouslylah you have to say that you were joking or you will see all sorts of sumpah seranah coming your way!!!

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  6. that's a nice raya post. i ni hampeh je... hehe...

    nak kuih sket ;D

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  7. Ms. D,


    okaylah.. panas la jugak, nasib baik i ni jenis senyap. dia yang suka pokpekpokpek...

    Tiena,

    hihi... dah pernah try ke??

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  8. des,

    crossed my mind a few times la jugak to come up with that one, but i guess, takut meka ni lemah semangat..

    Pugs,

    dia garang sebab baru lepas kena sakat dengan my bro, babe. very vain that princess wooorrr

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  9. Sheryl,

    selamat hari raya to you too dear...

    Bastards inc,

    my friend uses the 'ha'ah, tahun depan lepas raya. he even freaked his parents out. hehe...

    Juan the Beskot,

    ish... taklah sehampeh mana babe..

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