Bled

The insides of my cheeks were actually bleeding yesterday. I did it to myself. I had to, it was a matter of racial stability, which in order for the country to stay stable in that sense, I was willling to sacrifice that much..

... besides, I did it in Form One science class before.

(Didn't you all had to do that experiment..? Remember you were supposed to tear a bit of skin from the insides of your mouth so that you can see how human cells looks like under the microscope? Well my whole classroom went overboard that day, some bled - those who did it intentionally went on to place a blood sample (plus other mixed stuff, eyyeww..) and have it checked under the scope as well... Well... anyway..)

It was all because of a song - a rock song, no less thank you very much!

A rock song sang by a local independent group, the lyrics done in two languages - an integration that should be appreciated by all of us Malaysians, not just those stuck in National Service right now!

T'was a good song. Pregnant with message, I think. In any case it should not have fallen under my list of "Things that tickle" but I could not help it!

All I could think of was that wacky smiley Sue had put on the tagboard quite some time ago when she asked if any of us had heard of that Goyang song before...

Let me assure you that prior to the biting of my lips and the insides of my cheeks incident, I had tried everything to stop myself from laughing out loud everytime the song went goyang, goyang... goyang kepala goyang, goyang, goyang... (repeat 3x):

1) pretended to read NST, spreading the pages so that I can giggle behind it - didn't work cause the person next to me seems to indicate that I'm trespassing her "space". Damn! Why won't NST go tabloid size???

2) used a book to cover my face - didn't work cause the book wasn't big enough pulak! I was still fighting a losing battle with my urge to LOL!

3) buried my face in my cardigan to release a few shots of guffaws - naah, didn't work either cause though the song was blasting very loudly via the speakers, I don't think it could drawn my muffled giggles..

4) stuff the sleeve of my cardigan into my mouth so that it will stop me from laughing - yes, this is a stupid thing to do and I hereby declare it - hey desperate situation.. desperate measures.. yadda yadda yadda. Of course this one didn't work cause I almost end up gorging instead!

By the time I took out the sleeve of my cardigan out of my mouth the song came to another round of its infectious, catchy, harmony chorus rendition... goyang, goyang... it went and I immediately resorted to coughing.

Cough, cough, cough... I went. But the chorus was longer this time around (repeat 6x instead of 3x)! Goyang, goyang... and so it went for another round. Man, is this all you've got for a song pal?!

The lady next to me are beginning to look worried... I had no choice but to stop coughing. It came down to "Ekhem, ekhemm... ekhemmmm!".

Goyang, goyang... it went again! What? Another round of this? I can't take it anymore! God knows I tried!

A grin began to form on my face, and suddenly I feel my own shoulders and stomach betraying me, shaking and shivering... I detected a familiar noise - I'm laughing?

The lady next to me was giving me a look that echoed a question once posted by my MIS Dept lecturer Mr Azman*, "What's - so - funny, ya?" He didn't sound at all humoured then, nor did the lady next to me.

There was also another guy, who was earlier tapping his foot to the rock beat giving me a questioning stare.

I immediately buckled up, bit my lip and tried to chant ABC backwards in my head. The urge to continue laughing seeped deeper and deeper into my belly, surpressed but hardly receeding.

The taste of something metallic began to register in my head, but I managed to stay put through a couple more rounds of goyang, goyangs.

The moment I stepped out of the music-ambassador bus, I immediately dialled Sue (not soon enough, stupid blasted MPx200!). Sue, still at work was immediately awarded with my howlings.

I tried to her that I heard her song (she seemed to resent me referring the Goyang song as hers) and almost got hit by a pick-up while crossing in front of Kotaraya. But had I got hit, I think witnesses will say I died happy.



* During my U days Mr Azman who taught the outcasted PM28ers was a high-profile notorious too fast too furious kapchai rider, leather-jacket wearing Masters graduate who addresses all of his students as "bradders and sisters". Anim is still his groupie I think..