That morning, ummi told me not to panic, and broke the news. But it sounded more like she was advising her own self rather than me. Ummi assured me that abi was already in stable state after a couple of days in critical state. But it sounded more like she was assuring her own self rather than me.
I was dumbfounded. It was very unbelievable that I thought I was dreaming a nightmare. Yet, it was terrifying because despite its unbelievabli-ty, abi had been hit by a lorry on his blue-Honda-motor-kapcai ride to his workplace near the Templer Park. I cried and laughed uncontrollably on my way to the morning call.
The fish is rotten from its head
I tried to focus in class. But, when none of your family member had ever been hospitalized except for appendix, hernia, burnt and giving birth(s), a broken leg + a 'terseliuh' leg + a broken arm + a 'terseliuh' arm + major surgical procedures + few days of unconsciousness was indeed a BIG deal. The teacher seemed to notice but he was interested more in his redox reactions that the class went on just like any other day, except for the fact that I was sitting at the very back of the lab, wetting my chemistry notes with my tears.
I went to the principal room. He said my mom had just phoned, and she said it was okay if I don't go home. He was a principal while my mom is a mere housewife with 8 kids, plus she can't drive and used to have darah gemuruh to speak in front of her class, during her school days! Of course the principal dominated the conversation, that my mom need to surrender to his inhumane logics and reasoning!
Despite the inhumane sphere of the school, there were still persons left with humanity. And alhamdulillah, of all people, a warden of the boys' hostel managed to get me an emergency leave and an Air Asia ticket flight back to KLIA. I packed ASAP, and in the mid of the hurry, Yah gave me an advice that still echoes until today - Be a good anak sulung. To cut it short, by the time I was in Langkawi Airport, I was mentally exhausted due to the intense crying and fighting my rights to get back to abi ASAP.
When it was time the sad woman be happy, she find no place
From the window of the back seat, I stared at the blue sad sky. And that melancholy ambience was abruptly disrupted by an amplified happy voice. "Welcome on-board. You're lucky to have... bla.. bla.. bla...". It was the male steward. They were doing this game that offered the passengers gifts from Air Asia. Of all flight I've ever been on board, that was the only time such hospitality has ever been served. And it was a bad timing. And, even worse, one of the winner was a teacher from my very school. And, he smiled at me while lifting the prize on his way back to his seat after the informal mini prize-giving ceremony.
The hand of God
Alhamdulillah. I safely land on the KLIA. I called my mom on the public phone. Ummi told that nobody was there to pick me up. Everybody was at the hospital. I had to get there on my own. I was a dependent child of abi, that he would send or fetch me up almost everytime. If I have to travel alone on public transport, he would accompany me the first few times to familiarize me with the routes, the bus number, the bus stop etc. But not this time.
My mom gave the directions as briefly as possible - Go to the bottom floor, find the coach counter and buy ticket to Jalan Duta. Cikzul'll wait you there.
(to be continued)
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