langkau fiction

The weather has been unstable for the past couple of weeks. It’d be bright and sunny in the morning, as if telling me it’s alright to enjoy work today, and by mid-afternoon the clouds turn dark and nasty, as if saying I should have just stayed at home and watch my dogs play in the rain. Yeah, “scattered rain in some areas” my ass! Or hujan di sana, di sini dan merata tempat…cis!

I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow. Otherwise, it’d be a dread walking through the muddy jungle footpaths for four bloody hours!

Oh, a random song came to mind as I write this post, so I’m going to post it here too. It’s…*cough*…ABBA…*cough*

Have a wonderful weekend and catch you when I get back. Hopefully, in one piece.

Chiquitita by ABBA

Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong
You’re enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they’re leaving
You’ll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

I never really liked conversing over the phone. It’s good for providing information such as “We’ll meet at the pub at 7pm, okay? Okay” instead of having a conversation “Y’know the other day, while I was observing the manual laborers working their ass off in one of the construction sites near my office, Marx’s notion of alienation finally struck me! It was only then I realized that the workers are actually being alienated from the process of…bla bla bla.” What the heck, y’know. Either you email me or talk to me face-to-face, preferably in a quiet bar. And yes, you buy the beers.

I digress.

Got a call from one of my friends in the kampung some days ago. He had to climb a hill behind his house in order to make the call because there’s no phone reception in that whole area except for that particular spot. You can imagine how people had to climb up the hill, even lining up waiting for the guy at the hilltop to finish. Anyways, he called first but I didn’t pick up the phone because I only heard it ring later. So, I had to call him back otherwise when he goes downhill, that’s it man, you won’t get to talk. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Hello?

Jack: Ya.

Me: Hello, Jack? You called?

[pause]

Jack: Hello?

Me: Yes, Jack. It’s me, Uakgnal.

Jack: Ya.

[pause]

Me: Can you hear me, Jack?

Jack: Yes. Loud and clear. So, you’re coming tomorrow [Monday]?

Me: No, I’m not. I’m coming on Tuesday instead.

[pause]

Jack: Oh. You can’t come?

Me: No, I can’t come tomorrow but I will be coming on Tuesday.

Jack: When can you come?

Me: On Tuesday.

[pause]

Jack: So, I don’t have to pick you up tomorrow?

Me: No, I’m coming on Tuesday.

Jack: Oh, you’re coming on Tuesday?

Me: Yes, on Tuesday.

[pause]

Jack: I thought you said you weren’t coming?

Me: Yes, I can’t come tomorrow but I can come on Tuesday. So, can you wait for me on Tuesday?

[pause]

Me: Jack? You understand what I just said?

Jack: Ya.

Me: Good. So, I’ll meet you on Tuesday, ya?

Jack: Yes. You won’t be coming, I understand.

Me: No, no, noo…I will be coming but only on Tuesday.

[pause]

Jack: Oh, I see. You will be here only on Tuesday.

Me: Yes, only on Tuesday.

Jack: Then, you won’t spend a couple of days in the kampung?

Me: Yes, I will. But you pick me up on Tuesday and then I will stay until Friday or Saturday.

Jack: Oh, I see. I see. You won’t be coming tomorrow but you will be coming on Tuesday instead. Right?

Me: Yes, correct.

[pause]

Jack: Oh, okay then. I’m going down tomorrow anyways. So, if you’re not there, I’ll meet you on Tuesday.

Me: er…as long as you’re there on Tuesday, it should be okay. Thanks.

Jack: Okay.