A Series of Dialogues

Wednesday, 18 February 2009 @ 3.14pm

On the phone – Zaidi and Anna

Zaidi: Yang, Ayah dah set date merisik.

Anna (trying to hide delight, answers nonchalantly): When?

Z: Your birthday.

A clinic – patient and a nurse

Anna: Kat sini boleh buat rubella injection tak?

Kak Yati (not looking at me as she’s filling out my prescription bottle): Boleh… (gets suspicious and looks at me) kenapa? Anna nak kahwin ke?

A: Insyallah… tahun depan.

KY (whooping with delight now): yer ke? Dengan orang mana? Anak Datuk jugak ke?

A: Tak der lah. Orang kampung. Dari Teluk Intan.

KY: Oh…bagus la macam tu. Anna kan orang ‘berada’. Bagus jugak la Anna tak memilih.

A: Bagi saya, dia mesti bekerja keras dan beragama. Tak kira kalau anak Datuk ke tak…

KY: Bagus la tu…nanti jangan lupa jemput tau…dia mesti baik kan?

A: Dia memang baik.

KY: Dengar-dengar, banyak orang Teluk Intan handsome.

A (smiling and giggling): Memanglah…

On the phone – Zaidi and Anna

My handphone rings. I’m trying to balance my dinner on my lap while pausing the episode of Desperate Housewives that I was watching. On the caller ID, it said, ‘Dome Pavilion’.

Zaidi: Hi yang!

Anna: Hi…

Z: Where are you?

A: At home.

Z: Did you get the good news from Imah or Ijah?

A: No. Why?

Z: I just spoke to Imah…and she’s pregnant (sounds all excited)… dah dalam tujuh minggu. Tapi belum stabil. Morning sickness dia teruk. Selalu muntah…

A: Really? Wow!...Are you happy?

Z: Yes! Yes! Nanti call her and talk to her k?

A: Ok.

Z: Ok la yang. I nak kena sambung kerja ni. Take care. Muah. Love you.

A: Love you too. Bye. (Hung up and continued watching Desperate Housewives).