4.3.2013.
My niece, Nora, was supposed to be engaged that day. Her mother, my sister Dek Mah, had asked me to "officiate" and the prior instructions were that the visit by her future in-laws should simply be turned into a betrothal. I cautioned about normal practises, but conceded to Nora's wishes to "simplify" things. We didn't make allowance for a mother's wish from the other party.
No simplification here. The proposing family wants a separate ceremony for an engagement. What could I say ?
My wife said I did ok. The important thing is that both sides are amicable. If both sides want it earlier, or later, they can communicate about it.
The immediate problem is that Nora is about to be transferred to Sarawak. The boy is still in Indonesia, completing his internship. They were initially together, but while Nora went on to complete her M.B.B.S., he switched to dentistry. I suggested that Nora submit this engagement thing for JPA's reconsideration about the Sarawak posting she prefers not to have.
In the preamble to the earnest discussion that afternoon, the inquisitive brother-in-law was asking where each of the other sisters was. He volunteered the information about being an engineer himself, and that other members of the entourage were lawyers etc. That seemed to be the tone - we're all professionals here ! The future father-in-law has his long-time G.P. practice,too. In fact eventually we discovered that he knows my brother, Dr. Din, from their U.M. 2nd college days. Small world, I said.
This is the style now - showing off your "doctors, engineers and lawyers". Whatever makes people happy, I guess.
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