Thursday, April 23, 2009

All in a day's work

One late afternoon, I received an SMS from an unknown person.

"Sorry I didn’t contact you this morning. But this SMS should be adequate…"

Contact me? I didn’t ask anybody to contact me?

"But Wanie said you left her a message asking me to contact you. You are Suhaimi, right?"

No no…I mean yes I’m Suhaimi, but I've never asked her to do anything in my favour. Who are you?

"I’m the new girl…"

I’m in a hurry right now…see you later.

"........."

The new girl? It can’t be…

Flashback a day earlier. After two days off, I was back working. I noticed a new staff standing a few yards in front of me. A very young girl in her early twenty’s.

We exchanged glances. I quite liked her. Pretty cute….but a bit tall for a girl. Judging from afar, she’s the same height as me.

I was still recovering from a serious flu infection. Out of boredom, I sat down and almost fall asleep.

Wanie came moments later. The new staff is her old friend. They were both from Chinese school. Wanie could speak better Mandarin than most of the Chinese here.

Wanie : Abang, she wants to know you!

Me : Who?

Wanie : My friend there!

Me : Haha...very funny.

Ah Ing : Ah mee aaa…come here!

Me : What’s the matter there, Ah Ing?

Ah Ing : Nothing…I’m dead bored…come talk with me. Quick!

Me : …………..

Ah Ing : You saw Ah Mad’s (Ahmad) girl there?

Me : Yeah.

Ah Ing : When’s your turn? You are not getting any younger, remember!

Me : I’m not interested…

Ah Ing : How come not interested? Don’t kay-si kay-si…

Me : I’m serious…(pulling a serious face in the process)

Ah Ing : See the new girl there? Pretty, eh?

Me : That one? (pointing finger towards Roselina. Roselina is a Chinese convert, she married a Malay man 9 years ago)

Ah Ing : Not that one…kay-si kay-si aarrr you. The Malay one there…free hair.

Me : Right…quite pretty…

Ah Ing : Not quite, very pretty loh! Go ask her number! Seize the chance! Be a true man!

Me : No way! What if her boyfriend beats me?

Ah Yong : Kannasai! Come! Tomorrow badminton, okeh?

Me : Okey…I’ll book the court tomorrow. Make sure you pick me up.

Ah Yong : After badminton, we go see Ah Kua, okeh?

Me : You go alone…I’m not involved…

Ah Yong : Kay-si kay-si aarr you. You don’t like Ah Kua meh?

Me : ………...

Syed : Mie, you noticed that girl was looking at you all this while?

Me : Why are all of you….! Are you all playing prank with me?

Syed : Hahaa

I stared at the girl one more time. They’re right…pretty cute. But in no way she would fall for me.

Almost two hours had passed. Najid came to have simple talks.

Me : That girl there…cute right?

Najid : Which one?

Me : That one there…new girl.

Najid : A’ahh

Sabri : I’ll ask Wanie to get her number! Is that ok?

Me : ……….

Ah Yong : Kannasai! Lai! Midnight movie this Wednesday?

Me : What movie?

Ah Yong : Scary one! Coming son! You better not scream!

Me : Coming soon la Yong. Not coming son. You kanine.

Ah Yong : Coming soon? Not coming son meh? Tomorrow we’ll buy ticket. I’ll pick you up.

Wanie : Abang! You really want her number?

Me : What number?

Wanie : Her number of course! Oh no…you’re blushing! Haha

Me : Where got blushing? No la…ridiculous.

Wanie : Her handset was broken. She wants you to give yours first.

Hafiz : Wait I’ll write down his number. Huhuhu.

Me : …….

(Why the hell they’re so excited is beyond me…)

End of flashback.

So I messaged her back that night.

Me : Is this your number?

Kyra : Yes…very sorry to disturb you this evening…

Me : It’s ok. But I thought your handset went missing?

Kyra : Somebody stole it. Dad gave me new one…

Me : Oh…I see. Sorry for my harsh treatment…I thought my friends want to play pranks. Who’s your name?

Kyra : Syakeera. But just call me Kyra...

I got a new friend then...