"This is my card.."

So how did your Raya go? Mine was OK, despite a couple of hiccups.

The first was having a stupid encounter with a student (whose attitude was of high anal proportions). She, in her new Kancil ran over a stop sign as if the road belongs to her policeman father (yep, she bragged over the fact that her Pa's a police). Having to deal with that bodoh sombong I'm-a-university-student girl was quite tiring, especially when her stupidity, plus of her mother's too, were simply beyond comprehension. Utterly stupid and rude they were, despite her being on the wrong side.

The second hiccup happened in quite a subtle manner - you know, the kind of thing that happens to you slowly, little by little, leaving you all spent and in horrific mood by the end of the day and you never knew what hit you.

It was the fourth day of Raya when my friend Azlina decided to call a reunion for the RPS (my alma m) gang. I arrived quite early with Ely - only Yati Maarof (Yati M), Umi and a few more had arrived before us.

Soon the house started to crowd - more RPSian came and hollars of "Oh gosh, you're so different now!" stung our ears. Different they say I am, well, I never looked good in school - big spectacles, nonexistent-haircut, school shoes I never properly scrub and all. So I take it that now I to them am pretty, polished and cool - things are looking up I say, or so I thought.

Not long after everyone's gotten their share of nasi himpit and meehoon goreng, Yati M started to clear her throat and said, "Hey y'all, I'm getting married on Dec 21st, so here's my card, you all better come ya!"

Then Yati B (B for Badri) began to clear her throat and said, "Well actually girls, I'm getting married soon too, and here's my card. Datang jangan tak datang, datang jangan tak datang.." What? This skinny gal is getting married too?

Just when everyone's still going "Goodness! our two Yatis are getting married!", Zura started that clear-my-throat-then announce-I'm-getting-married-soon routine too! Zura - what, this shy girl too!

Too much, I tell you! Too much! But just as I thought that three invitation cards in my hand is already heavy enough, a phone call came - it was Zarina, who could not make it, but told Azlina to invite girls to her wedding that is happening right before Yati M's.

She even insisted that it is OK to call her on that day itself to ask for directions to her house, since she may have missed a few names on her invitation list. "Atas pelamin pun aku akan jawab call korang OK!" she gushed out, sincerely apologetic for not being able to send a card to every single one of us.

Four invitations and a threat note from Yati M was simply too much to bear! (The threat note was whispered in our ears as she salam us before she went back, saying "Kalau kau tak datang majlis aku, sepuluh hari sepuluh malam aku mengumpat kau ye..." And so sweetly it was said, but after all cyanide is always laced in confectionary.)

I felt that I had to make an escape too! Thank God Ely was feeling the same, but before we got into her car, a bunch more RPSian arrived. As we salam more announced that they are (one of the stated below):
1) going to get engaged soon
2) engaged and getting married next year
3) orang dah hantar tanda, gonna get engaged next year
4) just a couple of days ago his mother came to merisik

Isn't that great? Sure it is! For them! For me it's worst than nightmare! Ely and I dashed away from the scene, chugging the invitation cards onto the back seat, puffing for air.

We both could not get over the fact that one small reunion like that could end so horrendously! And I haven't even told you guys about Emilia, Siti F and Noni who just gave birth, Iliyati and Sunarti who are both pregnant and some others who are already onto their second, third and fourth pregnancies!

That night Ely and I lepak for a bit and could not help but muse over the whole thing. When we got to the part about us still being single, boyfriendless and simply not interested just yet to get ourselves hooked, we bravely talked about holiday plans and new hobbies and investment opportunities and career directions and furthering studies.

The question is, after all that talk, how come we don't feel better?