19.10.2022
After a couple of postponements, Hank and I finally made it to Mazni's house in Kg. Pilin, Rembau, yesterday. It was my second visit. And we were 35 minutes late. Mazni called twice after we failed to arrive at 12 noon, as promised by Hank.
Hank had confidently told Mazni we would be there in half-an hour. We left Mydin Mall S 2 car park at 11.10. There was not much traffic on the PLUS up to the Rembau exit, but Hank promptly forgot which way to turn at the first junction. He turned left, and after a few km. decided to stop and call Mazni for directions. Mazni called before Hank came to a full stop. We were headed correctly. We proceeded and Hank eventually sighted the house, on the right. Naturally, Hank overshot the entrance. We made a U-turn on the empty road, and Mazni was already at the grille, unlocking it, when we turned into the courtyard.
My last visit, a long time ago, also with Hank, was for a wedding. Recently Mazni lost his wife, and he is said to be doing poorly. In fact he walks with a tripod now. Hank thought, since we're not that far in Seremban, it would be a good idea if we visited him. Mazni retired in the kampong. Shops and friends are not close by. Mazni must be lonely. Which he is. So much so, he's befriended a woman on the internet, and they're on line daily. Even as we were with him yesterday, the woman called, and inquired about us. Hank might be interested to join the chat group, I feel. Unlike me, Hank is also alone.
Mazni took us to "Warong Dayang" in Linggi town for its famed "Baung Masak Lado Api", a Negri dish. A true Waghih never says "cili", by the way. He said if you come late, you'll have parking problems. We were not late. But there was still a slight parking problem, thanks to Hank's style of driving. He nearly scraped a passing Ambulance van as he awkwardly reversed, looking left, the other vehicle moving close on his right. I frantically knuckled on his left closed window to no avail. I think there were inches to spare. No sooner after taking our seats, the crowd began to arrive.
The baung was authentic Negri, and quite hot. I added fresh salad with sambal belacan, and daging salai, washed down with hot, black tea. Mazni suggested we continue post-luncheon with drinks in his house.
Before reaching the warong earlier, we'd stopped on the way to buy some "tapai" sold out of a tiny hut on the side of the road. It looked closed, but as I approached on foot, the seller lifted up the plastic cover of the hut and answered "bukak, bukak" to my question. I remarked that he sounded "Kedah". In fact he's from Kg. Melang, Kuala Pilah, not far from my parents house in Bukit Temensu. He was in the army, he said, and speaks all the dialects. Of course he's now retired in Rembau because he's married to a local. Because of all the chat, the guy threw in extra tapai for free . That should last for more than a week for Mazni. Hank and I didn't buy any.
We lingered at Mazni's for about half-an hour, shared some of his fresh orange juice and chatted about his girlfriend on the net. Mazni kept asking us about what to do next with this woman. He had been open with her, telling her about his past career and his departed wife. He's looking for a wife, he'd told her. She said she's married, but wanted to continue "as friends". Hank and I said nothing wrong with that. But Hank feels there's a possiblity of a bad motive - money. Now that she knows Mazni's past position, maybe she's setting him up for a sob-story or something - "I'm desparate for some cash right, can you lend me some money ?", or that sort of thing. As we took our leave, we told Mazni to cut her off the moment the subject of money comes up.
The return journey was uneventful. Hank didn't miss any turn. In fact returning to Mazni's after the lunch Hank again missed one turn, and went about 50 m. before making a U-turn.
Before I forget, Mazni paid for the lunch. Hank paid for Mazni's tapai. I was ok.
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