Remember I went shopping? When I was satisfied with my purchase I headed back, reaching the quarters just before dark. My two housemates were already busy heating up their respective dinner. After my housemates had finished with their routine for the day, we gathered at the living room for a discussion regarding payment of utility bills, etc. There were no particular rules in the quarters; so living there and getting along shouldn’t be much of a problem especially since I’d be on my own during weekends as both my housemates would be back home. I guess most of us never really have our ‘umbilical cord cut’! So, at every chance that we get, we will always run home to our parents.
My housemate, the afternoon session laboratory attendant, was a real nice lady. She was the one who swept the common living area in the quarters every morning, washed the toilet and wash basin and whenever taps run dry, she stayed up to help collect and store water for me. Her reasoning was, since I teach in the morning and the water trickles in only after mid-night, I cannot be expected to stay up to collect water. What a thoughtful lady and it wasn’t an easy task for her as she had to look after her toddler daughter besides having to cook and clean before going to work in the afternoon. She was one in a million. How many of us will be willing to do such a thing? Nowadays, I see people being very good with their calculator and if their calculation doesn’t show anything auspicious being directed their way, don’t ever expect to see an extension of helping hands.
My housemates also suggested that I try asking the occupants staying in the other quarters to see if I could join them for meals since they shared cooking. Of course I seeked them out at the first opportunity and they were more than willing; provided there was no objection from the main occupant whom everyone referred to only in an undertone. Of course that made me apprehensive but one could not ignore matters of the stomach so like it or not, I have to approach her. She must have liked the looks of me since I’m not one noted for having the gift of the gap. She was willing to include me for meals as long as I wasn’t fussy about my food. Oh, rice glorious rice, how could I possibly make a fuss when I was going to be able to have rice for lunch and dinner instead of cream crackers with milk or instant mee!
For all her shortcomings, that teacher does have a good heart as she not only agreed to let me join them for meals but knowing that I’m on my own during weekends, she always remembered me whenever she organised any activities for her uniform group and never failed to send me an invitation to join them. On Saturday mornings she would also invite me to go to Serian bazaar with her.
I believe there is goodness in every person but sad to say, we humans only want to highlight a person’s fault and we will always let it blurr our vision. But, which human doesn’t have any faults. No one is perfect, right? So why don’t we highlight the goodness in each and everyone instead!
Showing posts with label People with a heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label People with a heart. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Taxi too expensive
Woke up very early (well, early to bed, early to rise though I'm not so sure about being healthy, wealthy and wise especially the part about being wealthy as I've been waking up very, very early for school for the past twenty six years and I'm still poor!) and made a quick sneak to the bathroom before the cat awakens. Did everything in a jiffy; too bad there was no Malaysian Book of Records that I know of then! We had 'yesterday's dinner', I mean milo and biscuits again for breakfast. Having gotten ready very early, I felt I waited an eternity again for the posting officer who had told us the evening before that he would be at the Rest House early to inform us of our new posting.
His appearance brought both relief and disappointment. Relief because we have not been forgotten or abandoned and disappointment because he has found only one posting and I'm not the lucky one again. We hopped into his car and enroute to the education office at Simpang Tiga, we made a brief stop at Penrissen No. 1 to drop off the lucky one, a graduate from UM at her new school.
Reached the education office around mid-morning and as usual the waiting game started. We waited while the officer went through his files. A number of possibilities were available and the furthest was a place called Binatang! Luckily, the guy was told to be a gentleman and was asked to go there for I certainly would have been reluctant. Who wouldn't be? (You don't call a place Binatang for nothing, right?)
The nearest was Serian and of course I grabbed the chance. My happiness was however, short-lived. You see, I was told not to take a taxi to Serian but to opt for the bus as taking a taxi would be too expensive. I just couldn't believe my ears and I stared at the officer wide-eyed. At least I tried, but you can only achieve limited success when you're born with slit eyes!
Gave the officer this damsel in distress kind of look too (being a member of the fairer gender does have its advantage) and then appealed to his logical side. Since I have no idea where SMK Serian is, surely he cannot expect me to take the bus which will probably take me right up to the Serian bus station, after which I will have to lug my luggage around town asking for directions to SMK Serian. It's incredulous, even though it 's stated somewhere in the General Orders that one should take the cheapest mode of transport.
After making a couple of phone calls, the officer was pleased to inform me that a driver is willing to send me to SMK Serian and that he and an education land cruiser will be available in a short while to bring me to the school. What a relief! I just cannot imagine lugging my bags around town asking for directions to SMK Serian and then probably end up having to walk all the way to the school!
Left the education office before noon and sat in the cruiser in total silence all the way. (Remember, never talk to strangers!). As we approached Serian Town, the driver suddenly said that we should make a stop at the coffee shop. That really set my heart pounding, my pulse racing and my imagination went wild but it was unnecessary worry. It was after all almost 1o' clock and a man got to eat, right?
Once inside the coffee shop, the driver acting like a concern big brother advised me to order something to eat but I declined because I just didn't feel hungry. I don't think he believed me but he didn't pressure me probably because he knew how I must be feeling then. I just ordered a drink to quench my thrist.
Lunch was a quiet affair, not much conversation as usual. So the man ate fast (this could also partly be due to hunger)and in no time we were out of the coffee shop. The next moment I found myself reporting to the afternoon session supervisor at the office in SMK Serian.
One regret I have is not knowing the name of the driver. He's one man who works with a heart and we need more of such personnel in our midst. So lets emulate him, work with a heart to provide exemplary service to others.
His appearance brought both relief and disappointment. Relief because we have not been forgotten or abandoned and disappointment because he has found only one posting and I'm not the lucky one again. We hopped into his car and enroute to the education office at Simpang Tiga, we made a brief stop at Penrissen No. 1 to drop off the lucky one, a graduate from UM at her new school.
Reached the education office around mid-morning and as usual the waiting game started. We waited while the officer went through his files. A number of possibilities were available and the furthest was a place called Binatang! Luckily, the guy was told to be a gentleman and was asked to go there for I certainly would have been reluctant. Who wouldn't be? (You don't call a place Binatang for nothing, right?)
The nearest was Serian and of course I grabbed the chance. My happiness was however, short-lived. You see, I was told not to take a taxi to Serian but to opt for the bus as taking a taxi would be too expensive. I just couldn't believe my ears and I stared at the officer wide-eyed. At least I tried, but you can only achieve limited success when you're born with slit eyes!
Gave the officer this damsel in distress kind of look too (being a member of the fairer gender does have its advantage) and then appealed to his logical side. Since I have no idea where SMK Serian is, surely he cannot expect me to take the bus which will probably take me right up to the Serian bus station, after which I will have to lug my luggage around town asking for directions to SMK Serian. It's incredulous, even though it 's stated somewhere in the General Orders that one should take the cheapest mode of transport.
After making a couple of phone calls, the officer was pleased to inform me that a driver is willing to send me to SMK Serian and that he and an education land cruiser will be available in a short while to bring me to the school. What a relief! I just cannot imagine lugging my bags around town asking for directions to SMK Serian and then probably end up having to walk all the way to the school!
Left the education office before noon and sat in the cruiser in total silence all the way. (Remember, never talk to strangers!). As we approached Serian Town, the driver suddenly said that we should make a stop at the coffee shop. That really set my heart pounding, my pulse racing and my imagination went wild but it was unnecessary worry. It was after all almost 1o' clock and a man got to eat, right?
Once inside the coffee shop, the driver acting like a concern big brother advised me to order something to eat but I declined because I just didn't feel hungry. I don't think he believed me but he didn't pressure me probably because he knew how I must be feeling then. I just ordered a drink to quench my thrist.
Lunch was a quiet affair, not much conversation as usual. So the man ate fast (this could also partly be due to hunger)and in no time we were out of the coffee shop. The next moment I found myself reporting to the afternoon session supervisor at the office in SMK Serian.
One regret I have is not knowing the name of the driver. He's one man who works with a heart and we need more of such personnel in our midst. So lets emulate him, work with a heart to provide exemplary service to others.
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