A query –
Is this a rarity or just another excruciating reality which is gradually happenin’ in today’s scenario? Now.. listen - and see what we can mess ourselves into…
The name is Hemlatha.
Just another friend. Even thou I can’t somewhat recollect when we launched our debut tete a tete. But she's this sort of a lady who get panick stricken easily and whenever such situation crops up, she’d call me and subsequently, we managed ourselves to meet up somewhere. She had this weird idea that a writer is one sort of badan kebajikan. Well.. it’s okay, really I don’t mind!
This Hema carried quite a heartrending story with her.
It’s a kinda story which made you feel sick or wanna puke many times n it concerned 'bout the delinquency and d negligence of a person calling himself “a husband” but somehow, very deceptive, deceitful, irrational, unreasonable man who knew nothing of the gist of responsibility let alone to love and care for the wife who had sacrificed everything to the point of breeding his two deserted kids? He hardly spoke to them let alone kissed or hug the still hunger for love’s kids!
I called her Hema. And this woman not once being trodden and trampled by her useless, immoral and worthless good for nothing husband. Paradoxically she still call him husband thou’! Eiiya....makes me sick..
The last time we embarked our serious conversation, she poured everything which seemed to grow eternal- like to me. Oddly enough she seemed taken aback when I handed over few bucks to her cute ‘bout 4 to 5 years old grinning son. This cutie kept on patting my knee asking me to respond to his grinning face. Real cute. Know something..? I alwez ‘ve this funny feeling of compassion or adoration for Indian children, aha..wanna know why? Coz they remind me of my ‘Iman’ during her toddler’s years. She looked like one of them and will voluntarily grin and smile to anyone who come up to her. Till now, her cousins and nieces still ejek her Kamala Iman. Since Iman studied in English kindergarten she could hi hi and respond in English pasar to anyone who aproached her. Well ..enough of the nostalgia. Now back to Hema..
“Say thank U to aunty! Kak, dia tak pernah pegang duit kak. Saya tak ada duit dan husband tak pernah kasi anak duit.” said her to what at first I assumed as total joke. Later, I was shocked to my stomach!
He’s a real cute boy. Fair skins. Perhaps they’re Malayalam. She did bring her daughter along with her, but that tiny one just ain’t capable of parting from her mom’s lap. Three year’s old and yet, so tiny. The spectacle slightly infuriated me coz, I did keep hoping for my turn to cuddle her too. Ha ha
After about an hour of rattling then she started pouring this hard to believe but true story. At first I was in awe but then, sympathy got through me after seeing her pushing away her tears compulsively. A distressing story about a hubby who don’t give a shit about his wife or his children. In fact beat them unnecessarily each time he got mad over something.
Out of breath I asked her, he.. he surely got reason? Then came this bleeding shit..
Said Hema, few years ago this ‘man?’ brought his illegitimate wife to live with them. Along with their illegal ‘one daughter and two sons’. This ignorant conceited woman only few years younger than Hema herself who’s about thirty.
“Kak, lepas dia datang, he never visited my room. Never patted the kids, never even talked to them nicely just scorns and scoldings now and then. He only sleep with her during these years and always brag to me how better she is compared to me.”
“Proceed!” said I who already choked.
“Then she got a job as amah in the hospital and left the three kids for me to tend. I banyak letih, semua kerja saya buat kak dan dia balik-balik tau marah saja. Dia action dengan saya. Saya hari2 masak banyak. Bila night time, hubby sudah makan dan mandi2 terus masuk bilik dia dan tak peduli saya. I felt so embarrassed and humiliated. She kinda show off that suami lebih sayang dia so dia berani marah2 saya walau pun depan husband dan anak-anak saya. Saya seeedih kaaak..” she gesticulated in sad tone.
Terlalu marah, saya tak tau nak cakap apa .
“Akaak..”geleng lagi stail Indian. “He said I’m stupid. N that I don't know how to cook his favourite meal and don’t know how to amuse him in bed..”
Aku ternganga dengar dia cakap cam tu. WHOT THE HELLLL..
Damm..! It was just another snitch from the bloody irresponsible devious man who misinterpreted the exact meaning of the sacred word ‘husband’ but still, dared to label himself as husband whilst not really eligible or entitled to marry any perempuan even a whore sekalipun for his lack of conscientiousness. Well after all, a husband ‘such as him ‘alwez free to create tale after tale. Alasan after alasan’ Might it be right or not, he couldn’t care less, as long as he got to do what he desired d most.
Then she continued with a more shocking sequel. She confessed how her husband never bother to hide his habit of snuggling into that worthless perempuan’s blanket with the door partially and slightly released so that she, Hema could witness the horrid spectacle of him depicting his karmasutra’s skill and other performance on the bed. My.. my.. of all the shameless, barefaced, blatant, unashamed couple! Why couldn’t they just go over to the filthy public toilet and copulated there, then that would be better for blank- headed morons like them! Suit them perfectly!
I cajoled her to stop wheeping, instead put her chin up and “try to stand on your own feet. Get a job somewhere and support yourself and your two kids without having to wait for that man’s stinking bucks. He’s a hopeless brat to rely your whole life for. For heaven sake stop dreaming! For you’ll be deluded even more. Dengar tak Hema?”
Then she wept even harder,
“Tak boleh kaak..” sekali lagi geleng. ”Saya sayang dia banyak. I want him to change, want him to love me back.”
Apa lagi, aku retorted back in anger, “how can he simply love you when he got another one with better arse than you! That was very mean of me. Aku dah mabuk marah. Cakap pun dah sedikit vulgar, but I just couldn’t control my fury. Such a meek behaviour. Meek, meek, meek, meek! She really surrendered herself to be a loser! Too hopelessly devoted to a dumb idiot.
I asked her.
“How old actually are you?”
“Dekat tiga puluh kaaak..” sambil geleng kepala.
“Go find a job and sara yourself. You only have two kids. That makes thing lot easier. If you haven’t the nerve or guts to kill him than, leave him instantly!” Dia buntangkan mata.
“I tak boleh tinggal dia. I sgt sayang dia.”
See? I almost puked hearing those words. How about you, viewers. Menyampah tak?
“Kak tak tau..saya ada anak dua! Susah nak buat apa-apa.”
“Hell I do. When my husband died, he left me with five kids, one in private IPT and another three facing prime exams. Two got through with straight A’s and imagine how much money I have to spare for their education wise and physiology needs? Then another one furthered her studies in the IPTA. As you know, PT is only adequate for their books and fees. And the youngest, still can’t get over the father’s death. There’s this uncountable time I had to witness her comatose on wet soaked mattress for crying her heart out missing her beloved dad.. Next morning only to gaze at those puffy eyes while swallowing my own unending tears. Every nite . Not a single nite missing Hema. How can a mother endured such scene that went on and on for years? Could you? But I’ve to be tough for her. And so do you. For the sake of your two beautiful kids. Don’t give a damn shit about yourself. Not a shit, remember? It’s ur kids should be given priorities to.”
Stunned, she was quiet for few seconds as if swallowing every words or the ‘sad’ story part.. And then when she unwrapped her mouth to continue I ‘Wi Max potong’ her,
“Let me send you back.” almost a command. Ponek dongar. She did obey without hesitant.
For weeks I didn’t hear from her. Then one afternoon she rang me up again.
“Kak bley jumpa?” We set another meeting port.
Till now I still can’t believe thing that she begged and begged me to do for her.
“Bawaklah saya jumpa bomoh kak. Saya nak suami saya sayang saya balik. Sampai sekarang dia tak mau masuk bilik saya.” I stared at her in awe.
“Other than that? Did he hurt your kids?”
To my astonishment she nodded. “And you? Did he penampar or penendang or sepak terajang you too?” again nodded. [What kind of a man she wants to sleep with? Help me God!]
“He hurt your kids, bagi you penampar and you desperately want to see this bomoh for the alasan that he denied any scene on bed with you. Is that it dear Hema?” I spoke so slow not to evoke my own anger.
My kepantangan utama ialah bomoh. To die dlm keadaan syirik paling menggerunkan aku. Simpang dek malaikat 44. Nanti kubur tolak balik body keluar. Mayat terbang sana sini dan orang ingat langsu…. Eii..
“So this bomoh can mend your marriage lah?” really infuriated but still manage to speak modestly to her. My nature anyway. After all that’s the way to speak to mollywood yg sedang mabuk cinta dgn hubby dia. ..Come on everybody, let’s yakk again! This time muntah hijau.
After a serious thinking then I conclude,
“Well then Hema, there’s this bomoh in town. He may be able to solve case like yours just like that. In a split second everything’ll be back to it’s normal self. In a blink of an eye, I promise you.”
“Ya ke kaaak..Saya sangat senang hati.” she really geleng beautifully this time.
And beamed with such pleasure on hearing this splendid news.. Her critical problem gonna be solved in a minute. Yeahh..way to go!
“Kat mana kak rumah bomoh tu kaak? Sapa nama dia?”
“Ohh..ramai, salah sorang ASP Norman. Lagi besar pun ada. Bomoh konstabel pun bersepah.”
“Haah..? Kat mana tu?”
“Balai polis. Jumpa dia orang dan lodge report about your husband’s wrongdoings, particularly to your kids. Consequently the court will decide your rights.”
What..?? She really nganga.
Lepas tu lama aku tak dengar cerita dia. Should she call me up again, my answer will be the same. So no point of seeing me or me seeing her. Nanti aku muntah hijau lagi dengar cerita laki dia tak nak masuk bilik dia. Anak lebam-lebam pun tak apa as long as the hus’banned’ embraced her. What a real anecdote it was. Sakitnya hati aku.. laki macam tu dibunuh lagi baik. Suka plak tunjuk wayang free ngan orang lain kat bini sendiri.
Now another story.. lagi best..
An Indian policewoman, another friend. Rang me. Tak nak bg tau nama. Kalau she views this blog abes aku. She wanted to pinjam money. Not much she said, just 500 bucks. Yeah right..not much..
You know what I told her..?
“You’re a policewoman and seems to me, you’re the exact person to ask for help. You go meet this boy in uniform ..[I gave her the name and address of the boy’s mertua, dekat deretan kedai di Batu Kikir.], asked from him my bucks that he still owing me. After two years he only paid me $1150 than vanished with the remainder $1950.00. That’s the address of his mertua. If U managed to get the money we split into half, you setengah dan I setengah. No need to pay back. Prove your credibility.” Till now never heard of her again Neither that boy.. Que sera..sera..it’s jest money anyway. Not much somehow... But friend such as that..? Just condone. Plenty more coming!
[Sigh…]
