LUCKY KIDS

What goes through your mind, when your child, who is usually well behaved during shopping trips, suddenly burst into uncontrollable fits (and when I say well behaved, I mean zipping through the crowds & aisles in the most carefree manner, wriggling away from your hold, and aspiring to be a skillful stroller escape artist) unpacified with a pink balloon, or a pink yoghurt drink, or even your *pink* handphone (now you know raggedyanne has an affinity for everything pink!)

Do you think that your child is 1. acting impossible, 2. throwing a tantrum, or 3. being outlandishly cranky?

Are you close to 1. scolding your child. 2. smacking some sense into her, or 3. storming out of the store, cursing under your breath?

Take a step back, and try to chew this: does it ever occur to you that there might be a silver lining somewhere? That god specifically plan this sticky situation to open your eyes so that you can see there is something absolutely fantastic in store for you? And you can't leave the place since your car, that you have sent for a wash downstairs at the parking lot, is still not ready - for a good- no, GREAT reason you cannot possible fathom?


Nunu in motion - just before her 'episode'

Basically the above-mentioned ugly scene brought us to the baby room where we met this nice akak with her daughter, about a year old. We had to leave my Tok to guard our fully laden trolley at the food court. I opened up my 'secret weapon' (still got power leh) and Nunu was pacified for about 10 minutes.

Now, this akak's daughter, (which I learnt later is nicknamed Embun) is a pretty 'special' child. I chitchatted with the akak, but through out the time, there is indescribable 'sayang' feeling that I felt when I looked at Embun. Frankly I couldn't take my eyes of her.

Not only did she appeared as an extremely intelligent child (she can 'sing' the melody of 'My Heart'!) and waaaay advanced in speech compared to two months older Nunu, she had great social skills too, interacting with Nunu, oblivious of her own physical disability, smiling, laughing, feistily fought with her siblings over candies :)

And the mother was such a chatterbox too, that I went out to get Tok who was waiting outside to join us (it's great that the baby room is spacious enough to accomodate 2 trolleys, a stroller and 3-8 adults!

Tok, of course, fell head over heels in love with Embun. She looked at them with such tender eyes, and after chatting a while, invited the akak to our house someday.

"Rumah nenek kat mana?" she asked.

"Dekat Pokok Sena, Kepala Batas. Mai lah rumah bila-bila." Tok said.

"Oh, dulu saya kat Kepala Batas jugak. Dekat Taman Sri Serdang. Dulu suami kerja ngan kontraktor kat sana, apa nama, PMSB? Alah, boss dia nama tu F____, ah, adik dia yang pompuan tu nama, aah Cik Y____. Blablabla....."

At this moment, my mouth dropped. Akak ni cakap memang non-stop, laju jer cerita dia!

PMSB is my dad's company!

"Eh, kak tadi nama suami akak, Mohd Noor kan? Tooooookkkk! Abang Mat Not lah!"

In a split second, the conversation was blurry as everyone tried to talk and laugh at the same time! Tok immediately embraced the akak and kissed Embun's face repeatedly. The older kids was baffled at what the fuss was all about.

Abang Mat Not worked at my dad's company for the longest time as a despatch. We were as close as a family can get, and we were together through thick and thin. He resigned a few years back to help his family with their food business, got married and moved to Kulim and worked in BM now.

And it was such a nice & surprising coincidence to meet them again after all these while.

It's a shame that we were so busy catching up, that I forgot to take a proper family picture.


Abang Poji & Mak Minah (coz of her mulut potpet)


The seraphic child, Embun.

Finally the time came for us to bid farewell. We exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch. When we left the room, Tok shook her head in disbelief and said, "Masya-Allah, bertuahnya anak-anak ni, Anne. Rupa-rupanya ada hikmah Nuha ni buat perangai tadi! Dia nak jumpakan Embun dekat kita!"

Tok felt the same thing too when she saw Embun, an indescribable 'sayang' feeling as soon as she laid eyes on her. Rupanya adik beradik jugak!

So I shall never forget this lesson, that our kids bring us great fortune, though we may not be able to see it most of the time.