I went to MRSM Pontian last weekend for the SUZON aka the Southern Zone Sports Carnival for MARA staff . Had a great time this time round, largely due to the fact that ‘the mad man who teaches Physics’ was around too after a lapse of about 6 years. I played badminton, sepaktakraw and volleyball and lost all of them in the first round as expected, even badminton. To think that four years ago we were the champions. Sigh.
We decided to leave for Seremban that evening, all seven of us in two cars, namely Hasram, Sofi, Ikhwan, Sameer, Azmi and the new kid Asril. Never before had seven teachers taken part in the Suzon. Maybe that was why we were the joint champions last year but finished 6th this time round.
We stopped at Umbai in Melaka for dinner at the famed ‘ikan bakar’ place. Got there at 10 pm. Hungry souls devouring seafood at that hour was a spectacle unfit for students to watch. That’s why we are going again end of this month. This time we are taking Mr Suwandi along. He should be able to keep up with delightful appetite of Sameer , the part time religious teacher, full time computer expert and all time food lover.
We finally reached KMS at 1.30 in the morning. I went to get my car. When I left it on Friday it was the Matrix. When I went to get it my Waja was there instead. My wife must have swapped cars. No problem. Dropped off Mr Hasram on the way and finally home sweet home at 1.45 am. Couldn’t wait to crash, desperately tired and sleepy, not to mention I needed to use the loo badly.
Problem was, I couldn’t find the house keys. Left them in the Matrix. My wife must have taken the car with the keys and not left the other set in the Waja. Call my wife and get her to open the door? No can do, she’s in Port Dickson! The PD gang had their BBQ and she spent the night in my sister’s place there. What to do, what to do?
Nothing else to do, I got in the car and drove to PD. The highway was surely deserted at that ungodly hour. I started to recall what happened to my nephew driving back to PD recently. A old woman with long hair and ugly scary face flew out nowhere, landed on his windscreen and screamed at him. He tried to hit the gas pedal but the car refused to move faster than a crawl. That started me on endless recital of Quranic verses.
I reached PD at 3.00 in the morning. Glad to be there safe and sound. Saw my wife’s Matrix in front of my sister’s house. Problem not over. I have three sisters there. They all live next to each other. My wife and kids could be in any of the 3 houses. I called her on her cell phone so that she could open the door for me. No such luck, her phone was off. Call Amir then. Don’t be ridiculous, when he sleeps nothing ever wakes him up, not even Manchester United playing in the Champions League final.
Thought of calling my sisters but they are all senior citizens and I didn’t have the heart to disturb their sleep. I contemplated knocking on the window of my nieces’ or nephews’ rooms but decided not to. What would you do if somebody knocks on your window at 3.00 in the morning? Don’t answer, I know what you would do.
There I was, at 3.00 in the morning, in front of three big houses all alone and not knowing what to do. I didn’t want to disturb anybody, even though they are my own family and I was sure they wouldn’t mind. But I am not one to make a pest of myself. In any case if I were to sleep there I would have to wake up early coz my sisters are all early risers who enjoy waking up at dawn. And I had already planned to wake up at noon.
So, I searched the Matrix and found my house keys. I got in my Waja and drove back home to Seremban, all the while hoping no ‘pontianak’ would decide to land on my car. I finally reached home at 3.45 am, tired and barely able to open my eyes, and all the while thinking of how I could pay my wife back for putting me through all this.
by Azlan Rahman
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