Sun 26.6.2022
Yesterday was Nosa's youngest daughter's wedding, hopefully her last wedding reception, but you never know. Her late mother was twice married, as she also was. And Jimikoling's marriages number more than one.
I came one day earlier as promised, but came alone and not as promised. Idah wanted to put the final touches to the decor etc. but Ari pulled her to Terengganu Friday for that family's appointment. We split to be fair, but what's fair ?
It was a nice, neat kenduri. The marriage ceremony was almost on time and finished by 11 a.m. There was a pre-luncheon late breakfast of sorts, with lots of food and drinks (including the bus-stand's cendul). Lunch was at 12. So you can imagine how sated I was. I finally picked my rice plate just as the "menyembah" ceremony was started, so I had to leave my filled plate and attended the menyembah, after which I resumed my belated lunch. They didn't touch my nasi, fortunately.
These days weddings are also reunions for me. I'd meet many old relatives and friends I've not seen for sometime. The memory is still there, but the names sometimes escape me, even if the faces are 90% recognizable. Grey heads and grayer facial hairs and deep wrinkles might take time to overcome, but recognition is regained quickly enough, mostly. Weight and stature changes are often encountered, but the voices seldom change. In fact on Friday Indoya said where's he (me, that is), I hear and recognize that voice - when she heard my voice. Because her eyesight range is probably only a couple of feet now. Conen came with his grey curly locks hanging to his shirt collars, to add to his maintained, equally grey stubble. "Apa ni" his x (Fauziah lah) exclaimed (it wasn't a question). I answered for him, anyway. "Umi suruh". (Umi is his current). Umi didn't come, so my answer was safe. There was Zaha, Jimikoling's cousin, with Lela, Jimikoling's adopted sister. Without introduction I wouldn't have recognized Zaha. Age is etched all over her countenance. I quickly recovered. Fauziah was looking on when I said "Pade used to wait for you to collect your bicycle from under wan's house in Bukit Temensu after school." "Memang" Fauziah said, as if she knew what was transpiring. Zaha said her brother passed away earlier this year. I didn't know, and said nobody told me, including Jimikoling. I knew Zali. Then there was Muhi with his 3rd. or 4th. wife, I've lost count. I used to teach him when I was a temporary teacher, waiting for my HSC, and he was repeating his Form 3 in afternoon school, TMS. He was one of the Hj. Ahmad's Sawah Lebar sporting sons. Now he walks with a cane. Mat Cit (forgetful now), Ombong(with her 3-pronged cane) , Kak Ngah, Aju (all 3 making up the 3 dara of Josseh Kapitan) Mr. Balun, the confirmed bachelor - they were all there, plus Nab Pak Ngah, all the way from JB with her adopted daughter who's getting married in October ("no invitation, no come" I said), with sister Yah and hubby Zainal (they are the most faithful of the Dato' Keramat cousins in these kenduris) from Rawang. Zainal wanted to know if the scam involving Fauziah was true. I said I didn't think so, but she's here, go ask her. I asked her, in fact, in front of Kak Ngah and the others. Fauziah confirmed it. I said I've told people who asked before this that it cannot be true. "She's too intelligent !" Apparently not intelligent enough.
Nosa booked a room for me at Melang Inn 1 month ago, as she did for the groom. I had to squeeze in parking in the single middle slot available when arriving Friday. The security guy was watching as I made several turns of the wheels to park with inches to spare, front and rear. "Handal abang" he complimented me. I was surprised myself to see the car perfectly parked within the white lines. The Friday market in front of the hotel lasted until 11 p.m., so when I came back from Boting at 10, I had to squeeze into the last available slot at the back, in the dark.
The weather held. No rain, and it wasn't too hot, either. There was plenty of parking space in the vacant space the other side of the house compound, but everybody wanted to park close, so the narrow road in front was jammed with cars. I came at 8 am and parked inside the compound. Nosa's renovated house sits in about 2 acres of well manicured land. The 1-acre lot in front has a new house with additional buildings. The new owners moved in a year ago. The last time I came was pre-Covid 19 and this spot was still vacant. They are school-canteen operators in Seremban. Apparently these people make good money.
I stopped at the Boting mosque undergoing renovations, but it was padlocked. I stopped for my Zohor at the KP mosque instead. The traffic to Seremban was heavy, but I made it before Asr.
Nosa's wedding reception is done. Now for Din Pendek's Batu Kikir kenduri and Nab Pak Ngah's JB one, both in October. If I get the invitation.
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