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Friday 30 November 2007

The Dreaded SMS

Wednesday, 28th November 2007:

I was in my office when an SMS came in from Shila, asking if I was busy. She was at the HIV clinic for her appointment and so happened to bump into her good friend Jah as well. So they thought it would be a good opportunity for them to meet up with me. I promised to pick them up at the hospital and bring them out for lunch.

Apparently it was quite a busy day at the HIV clinic because appointments initially scheduled for 29th November was brought forward to the 28th November as all the staff needed to go to KL the next day to attend the 1st National AIDS Conference beginning friday, in conjunction with World AIDS Day on 1st December. So when I got to the hospital, Shila just came out of the doctor’s room and both Shila and Jah had yet to get their supply of medication. Since there were so many patients waiting for their turn to get their medication, we decided to go for lunch first. Shila’s daughter Laila, also tagged along. After lunch, I had to send them back to the hospital so they could go to the pharmacy.

What’s that? Was that the dreaded SMS? Oh no, no, no… Shila’s SMS was not the dreaded SMS. Buying them lunch was not a problem at all.

Just as I was relaxing at home that evening, I heard the James Bond ring tone on my phone. It was from Yah. She said she needed my help as she was supposed to get her supply of medication on the 29th but she couldn’t find the slip. Just last week she asked me what day was the 29th of November. She must have held the slip in her hands when she asked me that question and then forgot where she kept it. How to remember the medication slip if all she remembered was Mr. Darling??

Anyway, I told her there was nothing I could do if she lost the slip. I’m not a doctor and I cannot write her a new one. And guess what? Yah had actually wanted me to call the staff nurse (SN) to get her a new slip because… ready for this? “Saya takut nanti kena marah!”

Sheeesh! She lost the slip and she’s scared the nurse would scold her?! All the while before this she was willing to face so many things without fear, yet this time she’s afraid the nurse would scold here? It seems she’s beginning to behave like a child ever since the angau bug got to her. I sternly told her she’d have to call SN herself. Besides, I had to attend 2 meetings the next day so I wouldn’t have the time to make all the calls. And knowing SN, even if I did call on Yah’s behalf, SN would probably just tell me to get Yah to call her herself.

Then I told Yah that most likely on Thursday nobody would answer the phone because everybody at the HIV clinic was going to KL. Yah then asked me what she was supposed to do. How on earth would I know what to do? The only option was for Yah to keep on looking for the slip until she finds it!

Thursday, 29th November 2007:

Early morning after my morning gardening routine, there was a text message on my phone. It was from Yah, telling me that she had found the slip and was already on the way to Ipoh. There… all she needed to do was to concentrate harder. She knew she didn’t have any other choice but to find the slip and so she did. Duh!

I had 2 business clients’ board meeting to attend that day so I set my hand phone to silent mode. Although I had already told Yah I had to attend meetings, who knows, she may not have really digested everything that I said and still call me when she gets to Ipoh. I wasn’t about to let the James Bond ring tone disturb the 2 meetings.

No, there were no missed calls. So I thought Yah was doing fine.

Friday, 30th November 2007:

After washing my car this morning, I went into my house and noticed there was a text message on my phone. Yep, this time it was the dreaded SMS. It was the kind I was actually expecting to come but deep down inside me I was hoping I would never get.

The SMS from Yah this morning read:

“Kak, besok hari Sabtu kak ada kerja tak? Saya nak jumpa kak sekejap dalam pukul 3. Saya banyak masalah. Bukan masalah duit. Mungkin kak banyak pengalaman memberi jalan yang terbaik. Akhir sekali saya pohon maaf.”

Ooooooh boy!!! Lots of problems? Not financial problems? Yah did not mention what kind of problems she had but based on our last few conversations; I bet they had something to do with her relationship with Mr. Darling and/or her relationship with her own family due to her relationship with Mr. Darling. Honestly I had expected that coming.

And she mentioned that I may be able to help her out as I had lots of experience… hmmm… I wonder what kind of experience she meant. If she was talking about angauism, I don’t have even the slightest experience!

OK, I shall not jump to conclusions before I manage to talk to Yah. For all I know, it may be a whole different kind of problem. To find out for sure, we will just have to wait.

And oh, if you expect to get some updates this weekend, sorry folks! I told Yah I won’t be able to see her tomorrow. You see, I’ll be in KL this weekend for some family matters so Yah’s matters will just have to wait.

And you too will have to wait for the next episode of Yah’s story…

20 comments:

nyonyapenang said...

Have a good weekend in KL. :)

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

aiseh kak Pi,

this is like watching chinese serials. have to wait till next week for the continuation. even chinese serials arent so bad as we cant get their DVDs nowdays and proudly say tai chor larr!

i have the gut feeling mr darling proposes to yah, and that she's contemplating whether to accept his hand in marriage. agaknya laa...

Daphne Ling said...

Hi Kak Pi,

Unfortunately, when you help people too much, sometimes, they often take it for granted that you have to do everything...

They take it for granted that it's ok for you to kena marah, as long as they tak kena...Same goes for malu...It's malu for them to ask, but you're supposed to suck up your malu and ask for them...

This has been 'plaguing' me nowadays...And sometimes, I get quite fedup also...

DCampbell aka Puteri said...

Don't know what to say about this story.

Yah is not a young person but behaves like one, sakit angau included!

I guess in life, you get all kinds! :-)

Mat Salo said...

Pi.. are you SURE you don't have the slightest experience with 'angau-ism'? I'm sure you know more than you let on.. In fact I dare venture that you might even be an expert.. for you have diagnosed the angau mabuksis in Yah perfectly! :)

Anyway have a safe trip and would your KL trip by any chance coincide with TMR? If so kirim salam and regards to friends..

I was about to wish you 'Happy Aid's Day' until I realize, what's there to be happy about? But I wish you anyway in your blessed work.. Salaam.

Pi Bani said...

Nyonya Penang:
Thank you!

Kerp:
Ha, yang ni memang no DVDs available. Next week pun tak tentu lagi ada dia punya continuation. We'll see how it goes. For the time being, keep on guessing!

Pi Bani said...

Daphne:
That's where we have to be real careful. Like I said before, we help them to become independent, NOT to become dependent on us. And I am quite upset with Yah because previously she wasn't like this - only after she met Mr. Darling. Aiyo, suddenly hilang confidence!

Puteri
Yep, it takes all kinds to make this world. I wish I had the cure for angau. But I don't... hmmmm... maybe she just needs a big whack on her head! ;)

Pi Bani said...

Mat Salo:
There are many things in life that I don't have any experience in but I can still identify the symptoms because I observe people [and i tell ya I'm quite a good human observer - so be careful if we ever meet! ;)]. Likewise with angau. I can confidently say I don't have any personal experience in angauism but I have seen how people can become when they get bugged with the angau virus. Since I haven't gone thru it personally, I don't know the cure...

MRT? This week I'm in KL on a weekend... mana ada MRT on weekends? Tu kena tunggu when I'm in KL on a Tuesday.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

kak Pi,

lupa nak wish. selamat hari AIDS sedunia!

Pak Zawi said...

Pi Bani,
They are just taking advantage of your good nature. Just stop entertaining them when you know they are into somthing you disapprove will bring some sense into their head.

winniethepooh said...

sometimes the only way to make one independent is for others to say 'no, u hv to do it urself' (esp if u hv seen the fighting and tough side of her and know she can do it)...i agree on that point.

Pi Bani, u hv a safe trip to KL and take good care!

Unknown said...

Hello Pi,

Thanks for making it for coffee. It was great seeing you again.

Angau-ism? Ha ha. That's a nice term. Woit! Siapa cakap sakit angau is only for the young..ha ha! I now know that anyone, can be infected by it at any age at any situation, rich or poor..ha ha.

Point is how does one handle it lah? But Yah, well I can see she's gonna hound you and I donch think you should be burdened with it but alas you will my dear. Duh! Susah meh..

Pi Bani said...

Kerp:
Dah selamat dah pun... :)

Zawi:
Oh, I simply tell them off when I feel they're asking for too much. No way I'm going to do everything for them!

Winnie:
Ya, they must at least attempt to do things themselves, shouldn't they? Only when they cannot do so, then only they should ask for help.

You have great week ahead.

kina said...

Kak Pi,

Alamak, macam watching Brothers & Sisters lak nih...

Ada Sneak preview tak ni?

J.T. said...

Hi Pi

I agree with Ruby that anyone can be infected with angau-ism. It is how one handles it which makes the difference between the sane and the not-so. :)

I feel for you and Daphne having to deal with some who have taken advantage of your kind deeds. I hope things improve because they have to learn than while you can assist them in some things in life, you are not at their beck and call and even take the fall for them (to a certain extend). You can be there for them for an extended period of time but you won't be there forever.

I believe in "teaching someone to fish".

Anonymous said...

aduh k.pi....suspennyer nak tunggu sambungan telenovela ni.....
-niasulaiman-

Pi Bani said...

K.Ruby:
I didn't say sakit angau is only for the young. My problem with Yah is that ever since she got bugged with the angau bug, she has become soooo childish! Kot ye pun nak angau janganlah sampai hilang maturity langsung... this is after all not puppy love.

Anyway, thanks for coffee... and to show my appreciation, here's a pantun 2 kerat for you:

Ikan keli gosok gigi
Lain kali belanjalah lagi!
:)


Kina:
Mana boleh bagi sneak preview sis... alang-alang nak bagi suspense, biar langsung takde preview. Sneak pun tak boleh! ;)

Pi Bani said...

JT:
I simply tell them off if any of my clients ask for more than they should. You are right, we should teach them how to fish instead of feeding them with fish! Problem is sometimes they end getting fishy instead!!!

Niasulaiman:
Tak tentu lagi bila nak sambung telenovela ni, so tunggu ajelah ye? ;)

Salt N Turmeric said...

dah keluar dah pantun 2 kerat dia! reminds me of the senario gang (or was it someone else?). hehehe!
i think somebody shud really study this 'angau' thingy and find a cure. wht say u?

Pi Bani said...

Princessjournals:
So, what shall we call the person who studies angauism and finds a cure for it? Angaulogist? :)