Semalat Malam

So I took a cab home from the LRT station last night(my car’s still at the workshop) and I decided to strike up a conversation with the cab driver. For lack of something better to do. I figured the worst thing that could happen is I learn some new malay words right?

He was a nice driver and we talked about a few different topics on the short drive back. One thing I learnt from him was that running on gas saves alot of money. He told me that RM8 of gas could get him to LCCT airport and back to kl. I had no idea you saved that much. Spend 3-3.5k, get NGV installed in your car and you won’t regret it! (He spoke in malay of course).

When I reached my condo (safely), I paid him and as I got out of the car, I thought I’d wish him a goodnight, and so I said ‘Semalat Malam’. I think he didn’t hear me properly, but he returned the greeting and I got out of the car. After walking a few meters I realized what I had said to him. Semalat Malam. HAHA.

I chuckled to myself and walked up the stairs to my unit.

There are forces at work trying to kill me.. or at least ruin my life.

Blogs are for ranting eh?

Or at least bitching about life. Well here goes- today’s post is dedicated to my darling bitch of a car. Yeah that’s right. We broke up today. She’s let me down too many times, no matter how hard I tried to patch things up, she just keeps on fucking around.

This morning, I parked my car nearby the office, turned off my engine and started to get my things to get out of the car. All of a sudden I heard a loud popping sound. I turned around, expecting to see the cause of the noise. I didn’t see anything. I turned back to the front and saw smoke exhaling from my car’s bonnet. ‘Motherfuck!’

I got out of the car and saw water from my car flowing down the road. ‘Shit!’

At this point in time, I started to think to myself, what the fuck in the world did I do to deserve this? I had my car serviced recently (on Saturday) and everything seemed fine on the way to work. Anyway, to cut the story short, I called up the insurance road ranger, they sent a tow truck, towed my car to the workshop, and got it fixed- it was just a broken water hose. End of story.

Not.

Let’s fast forward to about 11.45pm (I managed to catch the clock at 11.34 tonight too)- I’m a few minutes away from home, going down a hill. I needed to decelerate because I was reaching a bump. I pumped the brakes. Nothing happened. My car continued going at the same speed (fortunately I am a slow driver- not that I suck in driving, I choose to drive slowly most of the time), and I went over the bump. I thought to myself ‘maybe it’s just my imagination, my car shouldn’t be failing, not now anyway’. And continued my journey. I reached another bump and tried hitting the brakes again. No response. ‘Fuck’.

Cut the short story short- I turned on my hazard lights and continued driving home with the aid of my emergency handbrake.

Fast forward about 20 minutes later. I’m back home, showered and sitting in front of the computer typing this. I know I should be fortunate, every time my car broke down, it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere. Middle of a busy traffic light? Check. At a petrol station? Check. In my carpark? Check. Nearby my office? Check. And I’m thankful for that. But then again, when you think about it- cars shouldn’t be breaking down so often right? I don’t know about you, but it never feels good to call home about the bad news. I guess that’s the problem with driving an ancient car. An ancient car that wasn’t well maintained when in its prime.

My boss told me today ‘how many more excuses can you give about your car?’
Not a good sign.

Even Raelene thought it was sign we shouldn’t see each other anymore, cos my car kept breaking down on the day I was supposed to go out with her.

Well, today is the day I officially give up on my car.

You’ve served me well, my dear machine. But there’s a line that’s been drawn and you’ve overstepped your boundaries. I’ll get your brakes fixed up and sell you to someone else. And if nobody wants you, I don’t want you anymore either. It’s time to move on.

Train of Love

You know you’ve been on the LRT for much too long when you see relationships grow. I started taking the train to work about a year back? Maybe even longer, I don’t remember. When I first started taking the train there was this girl and guy who got one at different stops (one after the other) and they got off at the same stop as me.

When I first saw them, they weren’t really close. They mostly stood against the wall of the train, engrossed in their story books they would bring. When they got off the train, they would sit/stand next to each other waiting for the bus or taxi. And when they got on the bus/taxi they would sit next to each other, but they would hardly say a word to each other.

As time passed I saw them talking to each other more. And soon they weren’t reading books anymore, but chatting instead. At this point I stopped taking the LRT for awhile (cos of the landslide, I wasn’t staying at my place in ampang) and drove to work instead. Fast forward to early this year.. I think February/March, when I started taking the train again, I noticed the both of them again. But this time, they were holding hands and cuddling with each other!

It felt special. It was like watching a little bud bloom into a pretty flower.