Rainy Day & Monday

God knows how much I loathe going out nowadays. I’m just lucky that 50% of my work can be done at home (sambil mencuri tulang) but because of so many things that happened in workplace, I have to opt working outside office to make way for Miss Nigeria to kena belasah from the bosses. In a way, outdoor work makes me happy and I wonder why I didn’t study to become occupational therapist yang kerjanya selalu berkeluar-keluaran.

But, tah hapa silapnya meteorological systems lately ni, we keep getting rains liking to cat and dogs and what have you, melimpah ruah River Thames tu. I just have to pray not to be caught in the rain or better still, stranded in between national rail or tubes, for that matter. Bila dah tersangkut tu, I often terkenang, why am I never bother to buy a car? But thinking back that owing a car is more hassle than berlaki, I shall remain content with my Oyster Card. In fact, there’s no yearly insurance to renew, MOT appointment to make, tayar pancit to tukar and most importantly, no monthly instalment to pay. What can I say, I would rather see plenty money stunted in my bank rather than having to pay all sorts. Speaking of Hjh Bakhil.

The news was saying that the heavy downpour is due to hot air colliding with cool air between Europe and England. Well, I don’t know. There even a joke about the cumulus nimbus cloud was caused by people smoking outside the pub since smoking in pub is no longer allowed. But for sure, I do not like it. I dislike the fact that my kepala will start berpening-pening lalat when the rain keep falling on it, my trainers become dirty with sand and muds and my bottom trouser become the victim of the lecak. Eeeee!!!!

Yesterday, during the late hour’s downpour, there I was, stranded in Waterloo Stn, after arriving from Norwich. The Rail Company cancelled many services and I have to make do with what is available, and what is available is a train coaches turning into tin sardine with so many manusia tah datang dari mana. Believe me; you wouldn’t want to be trapped in the same coach with people baru habis kerja. Not only that they are not freshly smell, some of them are stank with booze breath. Haiyooo.....(By saying this, for those yang nak datang London di musim panas-panas tahi lembu ni, sila spray perfume in one spot of your arm, so you can smell it when you most need it, when standing next to 10 hari tak mandi guy)

I was lucky enough to get a seat and avoid the world (to avoid feeling guilty bila ternampak mana-mana org tua or pregnant woman, because I so don’t want to give up my seat, Sue) and listening to my MP3. People started to gushing into the train and I can feel the heat of millions bodies, but...I keep looking out.

When the train is moving, I brave my eyes to look across me and I saw this chubby guy with East Asian complexion sitting opposite me, surprisingly, staring at me. I think he was embarrassed to be caught but from the corner of my eyes, I can see that he start looking at me again when I pretend to scroll over my MP3. I decided to stare back, I normally wouldn’t do that but this is really annoying as we sat in the quite close proximity plus, I have got to defend my human rights not be stare at like that (macam bagus aje...)
Dalam hati, I wanted to ask...apa masalah you pandang-pandang I, I ada hutang ke or ada bread crum ke kat mulut I, or is it my hair yang dah tak cantik after angin kuat and dah terkena air hujan tadi? I’m not so sure if he is Malay, but I do know how friendly a Filipino is bila dia ternampak orang dia...and I am ever so ready to tell him that I am not from Philippines, if he ever starts that kind of conversation.

When I look across, he asked ‘You budak MRSM kan? Alamak...siapa dia ni? Now is my turn to stare. I think I finally recognise him, in fact, looking back 18 years ago; he was one of the popular guys in school and good looking. I even know his name (weh...siapa tak tau nama jantan hensem kan?) I smile and I know mati hidup balik pun, he will not know what my name is. I was just this tak popular and nerd girl years back in fact, kucing makcik dewan makan pun tak recognise I.

But, tah macam mana, I don’t feel the need to be shy anymore because

a) He is no longer the handsome boy that he was
b) He is indeed overweight hence induce the pakcik pakcik appearance
c) Because we are in England now
d) Plus, I kan dah lawa.....semenjak cucuk-cucuk BOTOX ni (cehhhh)

I ask him ‘apa you buat kat sini ?’ Like other Melayu my age, he is here for his PHD and working with the government. I was struggling not to be so rude asking kenapalah kau debab sangat la ni...and dah tak hensem, but I must agree with fact that people, especially at our age (he is my age) to succumb to the effect of the gravity.

We had ½ hour chat until I stop at my destination. He, like every other man I know, didn’t marry their ‘cinta cam nak maut’ girlfriend. How I know that is because I asked what happened to so and so, and macam biasa, the so and so dah lama jadi history.

We didn’t have chance to talk about me (ohh...what a relief) but promise to meet up soon for coffee to catch up. He looks keen...but, before agreeing to meet up, I must remember to ask if us meeting up is okay with his wife (kalau dia dah berbini lah...)

After all this years, the once upon a time handsome boy did said something that made my day yesterday.

‘You still look like you’re still in form 5, only better’. Cehh.....nak ayat ke tu?