My 81st Puasa.

 Fri 14.3.2025

My 81st Puasa (by year, not practice) is almost half-way done. It's good to reflect on what has taken place so far.

Definitely, because it's obviously about eating, we talk of appetite, but it is "less", now.  The fast causes hunger, of course, but breaking it does not stress too much on what and how much now. It used to be eagerly looking forward to the favourite dishes. Now it's whatever we have. And I need to quickly join the mosque Isya' congregation, so it's half-a-plate of rice, the fruit juice and a cooled cup of black tea, and it's a solo Magrib in the room before taking the scooter to Masjid Sungai Landak 5 minutes away. They finish at 10.15 pm, then back in the house for "more", and I hit the hay before 11.15 pm. But I'm up at 3.30 am !

Each Ramadan I'd managed to read the full Quran almost twice. I'm at that pace now, but plan to read the translation for the second round this year. It won't be easy because the Malay version is not, to me, written in a "readable" way.

Already there was death in the family, only a few days ago, in Selaru. Ari and Idah went.  I could have gone, but Ari picked Idah while I was at the Subuh prayers at the mosque.

Then Idah got mugged right in front of the house, at 10 in the morning, 2 days ago. The mugger surprised her from behind just as she came out of the driver's seat. The broken driver's side side mirror is one remnant of the short, rough struggle that ensued. The robber got away with one of the 2 gold bracelets she wears all the time, by the time Rashid, our neighbour, came out shouting at the daring robber. He took off on his motorcycle he had left with the engine on. But Rashid was quick to note the registration number, which the Police later quickly traced to a Penang Indian woman. Dekna got the Police immediately alerted, and in her position, I suppose, they acted surprising fast. So fast in fact that by that afternoon they came to the house and both Idah and Rashid were able to identify the photo of the man who, to them, looks like the mugger. He has a long Police record, apparently.

And yesterday, immediately after we finished our Subuh prayers at the mosque, Bang Dek, who prayed next to me, suddenly collapsed as he tried to get up from the chair he sat on for the prayers. Everybody came around to give assistance. His face was pale. A doctor among us tried to help with his breathing, but Bang Dek managed, with assistance, to sit up on the floor, where we told him to just stay there until he felt stronger. Finally we got him to sit and recover his breath on the chair. Kak Zawiah, his wife, who came to the mosque with him, called Kamal, their son. A few minutes later Kak Zawiah helped him walk slowly out of the mosque to wait for Kamal in their car parked just in front. I called Idah and Ari and we all went to Bang Dek's house, finding him already resting in bed, his complexion back to normal. I advised him to get Kamal to see Dr. Miszua, just to check up.

Hank called, telling me he just bought a C Class Mercedes-Benz. We both had planned to get him that model from Sam last month. But Hank had some outstanding monies issue from the buyer of his condominium, and aborted the arranged purchase of the car already selected.  So now that he has received his money, his GF helped pick the car that he then bought quickly. 

In the mean time, that first car planned for Hank has found home -  with me. Sam and I had gone to so much trouble over it already. We thought I might as well take it, to replace the Honda that I'd sent to Sam for some repairs. So that's how I'd ended up with my 5th Mercedes-Benz, but my first C Class. At 81. On my 81st Puasa.

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