Last Sunday I took my children, my mom and my grandma to Pasar Tani. It is a treat for my children since they could only go if there is a cancellation of their tennis class.
I didn’t particularly have anything to buy at Pasar Tani. Was just thinking of a leisurely walk with my kids, Umar testing his new Sponge Bob Squarepants brolly, eating copious amount of keropok lekor and ais krim potong.
But then… of course nothing went to plan.
My grandma… Wan to me.. Nyang to my kids…
How can I explain this ?
The moment she stepped foot on the market, she wandered off on her own, not caring where we were or what we were doing. To be fair, she did follow me whenever I directed her, but once we turned our back, she would start walking. We couldn’t stop at any stalls in fear that she would wander off. She didn’t have her mobile phone with her, so we were scared of losing her from our sight.
We were waiting for her to buy ikan masin, and while doing that we were playing with Umar and Elsa’s brollies, looking at other stalls, safe in the thought that she was just behind us. I looked over once and she was still there but when I looked the second time, she was gone. Umar and I panicked and started running like headless chickens when we spotted her buying fruit.
I took the fruit from her and off she went again and boy she was fast (at that point my mom had abandoned us in search for nasi kerabu. “you are not buying anything right ?” My mom asked and whoosh ! off she went, leaving me with her mother and my 2 kids. Aduih….), she wove around the human traffic and we lost sight of her again. Umar caught sight of her ahead and started running. “Nyang ! Nyang !” he cried. His face full a mixture of determination and anxiety. He never looked so mature..
He he….
Things calmed down when she got what she wanted. Then my mom came. Umar was complaining how hot the weather was and about his great-grandma. I tried to soothe him as best as I could, considering he had been a good soldier, looking out for his nyang.
“If you don’t want me to cry, Mum you have to buy something Ben 10…” Huh !
Handed my grandma to my mum and Umar took me to the designated stall. “I know where it is, Mum….” Oh pandai. Punya banyak gerai but you can remember where the Ben 10 stall is… cuba kalau aku suruh…. Ha… mula dah…. He he…
Anyway while both of my kids were looking at the toys (so glad they were cheap. RM 7 for an omnitrix… or something like that ), my mum called to say she is walking to the car already. Okay.
As we walked to the car, I being my usual self couldn’t resist a good prank.
“Um !! Where is Nyang ?”
“Aaaahh….not again…” He wailed and started looking around.
“I think we have lost her for good this time…” Said I.
“Never mind lah… let’s go….” I added and walked on. He looked at me strangely, cocking his head to the side. He was quiet.
“Do you want to leave Nyang here ?” I asked. Sometimes this a dangerous game, what if he said yeah, sure… ?
But luckily he said, “No…” and shook his head vigorously.
“Okay I tell you what… why don’t we go home first. The pasar habis pukul 1, we come back at that time when everybody is gone so it is easier to see her… She would be the first person we see….”
“That sounds like a plan….” He said slowly, unconvinced.
“I don’t think anybody wants to kidnap her. People usually kidnap children….” I reasoned.
“Well… yes….. but…. What about the kidnappers who have nothing to do ? They might want to kidnap nyang….”
Kah ! Kah ! Kah ! Kidnappers who have nothing to do….. he he…
Luckily at that time we were already at the stairs leading up to our car and there sat Nyang and Tok Mi.
“There she is ! That’s Nyang !!” He pointed with excitement and relief.
Nyang gelak sakan when I told her the story. Thank you Umar for caring.
I didn’t particularly have anything to buy at Pasar Tani. Was just thinking of a leisurely walk with my kids, Umar testing his new Sponge Bob Squarepants brolly, eating copious amount of keropok lekor and ais krim potong.
But then… of course nothing went to plan.
My grandma… Wan to me.. Nyang to my kids…
How can I explain this ?
The moment she stepped foot on the market, she wandered off on her own, not caring where we were or what we were doing. To be fair, she did follow me whenever I directed her, but once we turned our back, she would start walking. We couldn’t stop at any stalls in fear that she would wander off. She didn’t have her mobile phone with her, so we were scared of losing her from our sight.
We were waiting for her to buy ikan masin, and while doing that we were playing with Umar and Elsa’s brollies, looking at other stalls, safe in the thought that she was just behind us. I looked over once and she was still there but when I looked the second time, she was gone. Umar and I panicked and started running like headless chickens when we spotted her buying fruit.
I took the fruit from her and off she went again and boy she was fast (at that point my mom had abandoned us in search for nasi kerabu. “you are not buying anything right ?” My mom asked and whoosh ! off she went, leaving me with her mother and my 2 kids. Aduih….), she wove around the human traffic and we lost sight of her again. Umar caught sight of her ahead and started running. “Nyang ! Nyang !” he cried. His face full a mixture of determination and anxiety. He never looked so mature..
He he….
Things calmed down when she got what she wanted. Then my mom came. Umar was complaining how hot the weather was and about his great-grandma. I tried to soothe him as best as I could, considering he had been a good soldier, looking out for his nyang.
“If you don’t want me to cry, Mum you have to buy something Ben 10…” Huh !
Handed my grandma to my mum and Umar took me to the designated stall. “I know where it is, Mum….” Oh pandai. Punya banyak gerai but you can remember where the Ben 10 stall is… cuba kalau aku suruh…. Ha… mula dah…. He he…
Anyway while both of my kids were looking at the toys (so glad they were cheap. RM 7 for an omnitrix… or something like that ), my mum called to say she is walking to the car already. Okay.
As we walked to the car, I being my usual self couldn’t resist a good prank.
“Um !! Where is Nyang ?”
“Aaaahh….not again…” He wailed and started looking around.
“I think we have lost her for good this time…” Said I.
“Never mind lah… let’s go….” I added and walked on. He looked at me strangely, cocking his head to the side. He was quiet.
“Do you want to leave Nyang here ?” I asked. Sometimes this a dangerous game, what if he said yeah, sure… ?
But luckily he said, “No…” and shook his head vigorously.
“Okay I tell you what… why don’t we go home first. The pasar habis pukul 1, we come back at that time when everybody is gone so it is easier to see her… She would be the first person we see….”
“That sounds like a plan….” He said slowly, unconvinced.
“I don’t think anybody wants to kidnap her. People usually kidnap children….” I reasoned.
“Well… yes….. but…. What about the kidnappers who have nothing to do ? They might want to kidnap nyang….”
Kah ! Kah ! Kah ! Kidnappers who have nothing to do….. he he…
Luckily at that time we were already at the stairs leading up to our car and there sat Nyang and Tok Mi.
“There she is ! That’s Nyang !!” He pointed with excitement and relief.
Nyang gelak sakan when I told her the story. Thank you Umar for caring.
