i. ‘Kenapa bendera kau terbalik? Dan kenapa bendera Sabah lebih besar dari Malaysia?’ Tanya seorang rakan FB, merujuk kepada gambar profail saya. Dengan nada interogasi penuh curiga.
Aik, itu pun jadi isu? Saya sendiri tidak perasan kelainan-kelainan itu. Until this busy-body pointed it out. Mungkihkah dia juga berkeinginan mau menyeluk isi santut saya? Mana tau berminat pula mau meyemak kalau-kalau biji kontol saya besar sebelah.
Sebenarnya bukan terbalik. Tapi gambar itu diambil melawan arah tiupan angin. Itu sebab bendera berkibar dari sisi belakang. Saiz bendera pun sama. Cuma posisi kamera memberi ilusi seolah-olah bendera Sabah lebih besar.
Some people tend to over-analyse things. I wonder why. Perhaps they don’t get enough sex? For God’s sake, please use your bare hand or medium-sized cucumber, if you must!
ii ‘Gila kau?’ Jerkah seorang lagi kawan. Yang ini cerita alam realiti, bukan lewat komunikasi secara siber.
Itu reaksi dia bila saya membayangkan cadangan mau berIdul-Fitri di Kuala Lumpur. Most people are super sentimental when it comes to Hari Raya. Wajib menyambutnya dengan sanak famili, sambil bertangis-tangis memohon kemaafan di pagi Syawal. Kemudian ziarah kubur.
I have nothing against these sentimentalists. Good for them. But, I’m not one of those people. Saya fikir, kita patut saling bermaafan dan berziarah kubur. Tiap kali ada keperluan dan kesempatan. Bukan eksklusif ketika Syawal saja, atau sengaja menunggu sampai hari raya datang.
Sejak umur 13 tahun, saya sudah terdedah dengan tradisi menyambut raya di tempat orang: 5 kali di Kedah, 11 kali di KL, dan 5 kali di Norwich. Most of the time with strangers – or with friends if I was lucky enough. That is how Idul Fitri was introduced to me as a growing man, from early teen to young adult. And, that is the only way I know how to celebrate it.
Jadi jangan terkejut kalau saya berkurung limpang-limpang dalam bilik masa 1 Syawal. Main komputer, etc. Sambil melayan perasaan. I have been doing that for years – and nobody has ever complained. Because everyone that is close and important to me – does understand my history.
So, where I celebrate my Idul Fitri – you really think it does make a difference? NO.
iii. Last Saturday Rumah Pangi hosted the SD Dumaring Clan for iftar. Moginakan Ramadhan is relatively a new tradition in our family. But I treasure this much, much more than Idul Fitri. I normally have more opportunity to catch up with the family members in these events.
Kalau Idul Fitri, mau chit-chat sama siapa? Semua orang sibuk berjalanan sana-sini. Balik-balik rumah, terus tengok TV atau tidur. Saya? Terkontang-kanting melayan perasaan sendiri.
Masa majlis iftar itu, anak-anak buah saya (yang kebanyakan tinggal di rumah bandar) bukan main ligat berlarian dan beteriakan sana-sini. Maklumlah, jarang jumpa rumah kampung yang lamannya luas saujana. Sampai jatuh merata-rata, tersadung batu dan pokok bunga.
Mama bapa diorang pun biarkan saja. I was so tempted to yell and order them to behave. Atau ambil batang buluh, dan rotan satu-satu. Biar sampai berbirat. Saya tidak senang bila ada budak-budak luka atau cedera di zon kediaman saya.
But something inside my head stopped me from doing so. Instead, I just let them – running around, and falling all over. Why should we worry?
If they fall, they can get up. If they can’t, the older cousins can help. Let them realise their own weakness, potential and, most importantly, the need to help each other. What if they hurt themselves? Wounds and cuts will heal. They may leave scars (sometimes). How ever painful it was, the lesson learnt is priceless. It would serve as a life-time reminder, on how to deal with failure and overcome adversities.
But think of this. If you try to stop them from enjoying their childhood – they will never have the opportunity to relive it again. Never.
iv. When I was their age – I acted exactly the same. Terkinja sana-sini. Di sekitar domain rumah kami di Soborong, Kundasang – yang mewah dengan laman belukar. Yang luas terbentang. Did my parents ever stop me from exploring the surrounding and entertaining my curiousity? No. Only when I did something extraordinarily dangerous, they would intervene.
Saya ada pelbagai tinggalan luka di kepala, lutut dan bahagian _________. Tangan pun dua kali patah. Akibat terjatuh dan pelbagai kemalangan kecil yang lain. Parut adalah pengajaran dan kenangan yang berharga. Ia sentiasa mengingatkan kita pada manisnya zaman kanak-kanak. Ia juga menjadikan kita seorang dewasa yang lebih cermat dan tabah.
Bagus juga anak-anak buah saya ini pulang membawa parut dan luka dari Rumah Pangi. So they would always remember this place when they grow older. Who knows – they may inherit this very property one day.
Well, that is not a mere possibility. That is almost certain. Unless I meet a single mother with ten young kids, who is willing to be part of my miserable life. Before I die.
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