Ayra sayang!

Some months ago, before my niece was born, my sister asked me for suggestions on what to name her baby.

I gave a few ideas -

"Kalsum!" Classic, I thought. Don't ask. I don't know what I was thinking.

"Hish, kelak orang tunggah anak aku Som Som Ayam!" She argued.

"Maryam!" I suggested.

"Kelak orang kampung tunggah nya 'Yammmmmm, oh Yammm!'" Like, what the hell!?

This went on for quite some time. I pushed for Maryam the most because I couldn't think of any other names that would be perfect for a baby girl... And of course, it's just in my nature to be stubborn. Biar lah!

Few months after, Ayra Nabilah was born. At first it was just Ayra, but my brother in law wanted a name with a beautiful meaning so they added Nabilah.

Naturally, some people were a bit inquisitive when they see Ayra for the first time because my sister is very fair. In fact, she is the fairest among us siblings! Ayra, on the other hand, is not.

"Kenak nya gel.. oh!" Their unfinished questions when they finally realised Ayra takes after her father's darker skin tone.

Nak di jadikan cerita... While I was doing... something in the... something (seriously can't remember), I overheard my mother playing with Ayra in the TV room.

"Ayraaaaa.." She called out as Ayra replied with a baby's blank stare and their usual pouty lips.

"Ayraaaa..." She called out again, and continued with, "Ayra Nabiiilemmmmmm..."

If I was drinking, I would've choked on my drink. If I was standing, I would've rolled on the floor laughing. If I was.... Okay you get my drift! I really can't remember what the hell I was up to BUT the point is! - My sister tried so bloody hard to pick a name that no one could bully her daughter with and she picked Nabilah. We found a loophole! Nabilem!

Wahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

*wipes tear* Sigh.

To those who do not understand - my mother is a Melanau. 'Bilem' is Melanau for Black or Dark.

The other night, on the phone with Ahmad, I retold this incident and explained to him from A to Z (maybe even continued back to A then to Z again).

"Sebab Abang Daus kan gelap!" I laughed.

"Eh, hari tu jumpa.. Takde lah dia gelap pun," He claimed.

"Ha ah! I lupa. Korang kan.. sekulit," I said.

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAR.

Bilem, bilem pun, Chik Cha sayang juak. ;-)

Pesan.

"Take care. Kasut ikat ketat-ketat. Helmet and jacket kena sentiasa on. Safety first, even if you're in Petronas site, anak Shell have to follow the 12 rules anywhere and everywhere."

Baik, abang!

Not entirely everything in the message.. but that's for me to know and for you to.. find out on your own?

Pssh! Babbling. I'll shut up now.

Hahahahaha who am I kidding? Just to share something that happened yesterday.

There I was yakking on about my watch when Nur interrupted me, "What year were you born under?"

"Eh? (born under?) Erm.. 1987?" Orang sik habis cerita lagik!

"I mean, for Chinese Zodiac."

"Oh! Rabbit!"

"No wonder you talk a lot." She said, matter-of-factly.

What. Whaaat? WHUUUT!!

So she interrupted my very interesting story how I lost the steel watch I got as a birthday present from my father to some whore who stole my bag from me when I was performing Maghrib prayer at Pavilion surau at B2 on the day that I wanted to watch my husband-to-be on screen (ahem THOR ahem!) with.. that!?

No, really. It's a really interesting story. There I was, as composed as I could in the Security Room with this dude, when suddenly that same dude reminded me, "iPod Touch you?"

Zoom in on air mata berjujuran di pipi right there and then!

See? Best kan cerita orang? Don't lie! Berdosa! Nanti Tuhan potong lidah!

Okay now I shut up.

Oh one last thing.

Nur now introduces me to everyone as, "Ni Aysha. Dia memang macam ni, she likes to talk a lot."

Oh wow. I couldn't possibly be that bad, can I?

Oh and another thing.

Rinduuuuuuuuuu..

Shuddup. Shuddup. Shuddup.

P.s. Aren't rabbits supposed to be mute?

P.p.s. Three glasses of white coffee today. This could be the caffeine talking.

Indefinite.

Like pulling off wax strips on your skin - you can never fully anticipate the pain and even when you think you have.. Zappp!

The point is, I'm not prepared for this.

Then came a reply,

"You samakan I dengan bulu kaki you!?"

BENGONG!

One way ticket.

It is already the second half of 2011,

And I have already ended and started three things.

1 - My two month internship with Fugro Geodetic - if I could just begin to tell you how I regret not writing anything about it, I would.

The long walks during lunch, the friendly welcome, my cowboy boots, the long chats with bosses in the pantry, badminton on Mondays, karaoke nights, my spoiled punch card (which I still keep!), the movies we watched together, the times when they went for a smoke and being the ever concern intern - I tagged along, Friday prayers, after office-hour activities, not forgetting, "Chewing gum, mana, chewing gum??"

Too many to even begin properly!

2 - This temp thing I'm currently doing - to which I will submit my resignation letter today.

3 - And one other thing. :-)

By the end of this month-

I would have already had five job interviews - one that will take place this 14th, one walk-in, one with a recruit agency consultant, one with their client, and the last one being the one I would be reporting for duty on the 25th this month.

By the end of July, I would be back in Miri with a one-way ticket.

By the end of it too, I am going to tear my heart apart missing everything about this city (yes, I will return), its concrete charm and most importantly and utmost crucially - you.

By the end of all this,

I hope for a list of magical things to appear out of thin air and that my sanity would still be intact.

I pray we would still happy, and most of all, I pray for a stronger vessel of a body to carry my heavy heart from this side all the way to the other side of the country.

Two weeks from now? Four months of something? And an eternity of blessed happiness - Amin!

*Written in the LRT on my way to work and completed 12 hours later.