THEY WILL ASK thee as to what they should spend on others. Say: "Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, verily, God has full knowledge thereof." - Al-Baqarah (2:215)
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Monday 19 November 2007

The house visit, and the book sale!

Last Saturday I went to visit Mrs. K’s family. Their application to rent a DBI flat in Ipoh has not been approved yet and so for the time being they are still staying in the same house and Mrs. K is still working at the same place. Hopefully things will go according to plans and they will be able to move into the cheaper flat by the end of the year.

Anyway, when I got to their house, only Mr. K, Mrs. K and Tasya, their 10 month old daughter were home. Shah, the eldest boy, was in Ipoh for a football match while the other 2 girls were at the nearby Tadika helping out the teacher there tidy up the place. But all Mrs. K had to do was just stand at the front door and waved at them asking them to come home and within minutes, they were both home.

Tasya, despite usually being afraid of strangers, welcomed me with a smile… showing me her two teeth. She’s the direct opposite of Iwan, Fuzi’s 1 ½ year old boy who’s usually not that scared of strangers but would cry if any of his siblings purposely put him beside me. Do I look fierce? Or is it my dressing? I don’t know…

Tasya on the other hand would willingly let me carry her in my arms; even straight into my car without even worrying if her mother was tagging along. Waaaah… easy to kidnap lah like this! But no, according to Mrs. K, Tasya would usually shy away from outsiders. I was an exception probably because she sees me every month. (But then again, Iwan also sees me every month and yet he’s afraid of me!)

Nor, their 12 year old daughter, showed me the application form for form one intake to a residential Agama school in Perak. She asked my advice if she should submit the form. She has been hearing stories from God knows who about ghosts in residential schools and was afraid she may have personal encounters with ghosts if she enters a residential school! Duh! I told her I spent 7 years of my schooling life in a residential school and never once did I ever have any close encounters with ghosts. (Oh OK, maybe I was quite a “hantu” myself… but I didn’t tell Nor that part lah…)

So, yes, Nor will submit the application form. Whether or not she gets a place in that school, that’s a different story.

Today I decided to go scout for books to be given as gifts to "my girls" – Wina, Fuzi’s daughter and Nor, Mrs. K’s daughter for their commendable results in their UPSR; also Kak Long and Kak Ngah, Yah’s daughters who got 2nd and 1st in class respectively for their school’s year-end exams.

Off I went to Kinta City Shopping Complex, with the intention of heading to MPH there. But just as I entered the lobby of the complex, I found out there was a book sale there! Discounts, discounts and discounts… I so love them (the discounts…)! There were so many books to choose from I didn’t know what to choose. Just as I thought I found a suitable book and held it in my hand, I went over to another section and found another book which I thought was also suitable. Aiyoooh… this woman sooo fickle-minded lah!! I bet if I had brought the girls along they too would have had a tough time choosing.

But I had to decide and so I ended up with 2 books for the younger girls, 2 books for the older girls and 2 more books for the oldest girl of ‘em all. The 2 younger girls? Kak Long and Kak Ngah. The 2 older girls? Wina and Nor. The oldest girl of ‘em all? Who else but the one who bought the books… myself lah!

Oh, I just got some light reading materials for myself. I already face heavy drama stuff in my voluntary work so I was not about to go into heavy reading materials…

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Kak Pi,
Good posts(",). Send my regard to the kids.
Hantu?Ahah,more likely stories from hostels.My friend used to pretend as one by wearing some sort of mask(the one you usually wear in drama).I ended up punched him on the face due to the shock. Lucky enough the guy got the reflex(",).Heheh.
Well, what else can I say. Enjoy the books kak(",)
Good day.

Nightwing said...

Helo Kak Pi,

Good that u manage to get something for yourself too...:)

Happy reading..

J.T. said...

I too heard that ghosts existed in residential schools. I guess they have more fun there since there are humans around after dark. :D
(you are lucky you did not see any. I think some people have to gift of detecting ghosts, be it in school or outside).
I think most schools are not haunted. It is the ghastly stories passed down that spook students continuously.

Happy reading!

Pi Bani said...

Akmal:
Yeah, we had all sorts of hantus... mostly the human kind! Silap haribulan hantu yang lebam balik. :)

Pi Bani said...

Nightwing:
How could I not buy something for myself... I couldn't resist the temptation. ;)

Pi Bani said...

JT:
My experience back then was more of chasing prowlers! Yep, them prowlers would surely love an all-girls residential school, wouldn't they? Never got to catch them though... I guess he figured he'd better cabut before a whole bunch of rebellious teenage girls armed with hockey sticks, brooms etc get hold of him. :)

Ghosts? Well, if the girls saw any, I don't think they'd give chase... CABUT larilah and menyorok under the blanket!! Hehehe... (But as I said, I never experienced any so I wouldn't know for sure)

Anonymous said...

Hurrah!!! Books for the girls. Please update us on their reaction upon receiving those books.

-niasulaiman-

Pi Bani said...

Niasulaiman:
Tak nak tanya my reaction after reading the books I bought for myself ke? :)

Unknown said...

Hi Pi,

What happened to you at MPH tu is what we call 'RAMBANG MATA' in malay..ha ha!

Nice gesture for the kids and good choice of prezies! Books!

Hantu? I think the hantus are the penghuni (boarders) themselves lah..ha ha!

Pi Bani said...

K.Ruby:
Memang rambang mata alright... pegang buku, letak balik, pegang balik, letak balik... aduuuuhai... tough choice la!!

Come to think of it, if I had brought the kids to choose for themselves, they may end up picking up every book they like and tak letak balik... I think I pengsan la time bayar!!

Pak Idrus said...

Pi bani, BTW have you read this book 'the curious incident of the dog in the night-time' by mark haddon. A great book indeed. Have a nice day and do take care.

Pi Bani said...

Pak Idrus:
No, I haven't read that book. Thanks for the recommendation. Will look for that title the next time I go to a book store...