Clang!

MyWriters FirstLiner
Week 8/2018 (19 - 25 Nov)

"Clang!", rang the grave digger's pick as it dug into the soil, making the family step back, startled and somewhat alarmed.

Submitted on 20Nov2018

Badly annoyed, somewhat offended

This evening my wife and I had dinner at a popular cafe in a reputable hotel in my town.
At the end of a pleasant and satisfying meal, served by polite and obliging waiters, we were met with a rude and unfriendly cashier when paying the bill. Here is the complaint that I sent to the Hotel after I reached home. Names have been replaced by asterisk to maintain confidentiality.

"I had dinner at ** Cafe earlier this evening and was served by a rude cashier when paying my bill at the Cashier's counter.

When I asked for my bill, she just shoved the bill at me without saying a word, and I had to peruse the bill for the amount to pay.

After I had given her my credit card, she took it and walked away from me, again without saying anything, to the credit machine further down the counter and proceeded to process the card payment.
When it was time for me to key in the PIN, she just placed the credit card reader on the counter just in front of her, while I was still standing some distance away beside the point-of-sale machine. And she walked away without telling me anything.

I had to guess that it was time for me to key in my PIN, so I walked the few steps to the card reader to get it keyed in.

Finally, she printed out the payment slips, put them on the black folder on the counter, put my credit card on top without saying anything. I picked up my card together with the bill and payment slip to conclude with an unpleasant ending to what would otherwise be a comfortable and satisfying dinner.

I am thoroughly annoyed and somewhat offended by this encounter with your discourteous cashier. Please teach her some basic manners.

Her name is G*****A, and my Tax Invoice No. is 11243, printed today at 19:01 pm

Thank you."

This is it

MyWriters FirstLiner
Week 7/2018 (12th-18th Nov)

"This is it, this time it's for real", I said to myself as I put down my luggage, staring at the bare furniture around me."

Submitted on 13Nov18

Yesterday's floods in Kuala Lumpur

Yesterday, Sun 11Nov18, heavy thunderstorms brought flash floods in many parts of Kuala Lumpur city. Roads turned into rivers, Several tunnels got flooded. Vehicles and passengers were stranded and rescue teams were sent out to help them.

I am reminded of a popular Malay song by a female vocalist Rahimah Rahim in 1984 about Kuala Lumpur the beautiful capital city of our country, except that Kuala Lumpur is not so beautiful anymore after decades of over development with little attention to proper drainage systems and their maintenance.

I decided to adapt Rahimah's song to describe the hardship that befell the people of Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon:


Verse:
Sungguh susah, banjir kilat merata,
Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur.
Warga kota gelisah dukacita
Di landa arus deras membawa lumpur.

Chorus:

Ramai tersangkut di dalam kenderaan,
Dari kecil hingga yang terbesar
Terpisah daripada ahli keluarga
Ternampak cemas di wajah muka"


Adapted from the song
Kuala Lumpur "Ibukota Permai."
1984, Rahimah Rahim.

The original song can be found here:

 https://youtu.be/VrbFzvemzSo

Let's play fightin'

Let's play fightin'

(My two and a half year old grandson came up with a new game with toy cars)

"Fight!", says the little boy,
As he knocks his toy car into mine.
With a "thwack" the cars in our hands collide,
Yet none the worse for wear,
both toy and human look fine.

"Help! I'm stuck!", my little grandson pretends,
With his car pushed just over the edge of the arm-chair.
He needs rescue, it seems, from his expectant look,
I have to rush the ambulance over there.


"Deeeem!", I make the magic sound,
As the blue ambulance touches his Mustang GT.
Voilá! The Mustang comes back to life,
And he drives it away along the back of the settee.

Scarcely has he driven off when once again he exclaims,
"Fight!", goes the battle-cry as he charges with black Mustang in hand.
I rise to the challenge with my green Dodge Challenger Hellcat,
"Thwack!", our cars clash over no man's land.


Again and again the battle goes on,
With cries of "Fight!", and "Help!" followed by rescue.
With a "Deeem" the black Mustang will revive,
And come back charging with vengeance,
my green Challenger to subdue.

Staring at the swollen river

MYWriters First Liner
Week 6/2018 (05 - 11Nov18)

Staring at the swollen river, Lian couldn't decide whether to let his dog perish or to risk his life swimming across to save it.

Submitted on 05Nov2018

A Long Way Home

(Recalling my visit to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan last Saturday afternoon to take an express bus home)

It was a long weekend for many,
With a public holiday at hand.
An annual religious festival beckons,
Poor workers return to their home land.

Huge crowds converge at the southern bus terminal,
To get tickets for their return.
Long queues have formed at numerous counters,
By weary travellers, each anxious for his turn.

I'm relieved at having got my ticket,
It was purchased the day before.
Now I only have to find my way,
To the gate on the basement floor.

Still I can't help but feel distressed,
At the sea of people spread across the hall.
Wondering if every one will get on a bus home,
Or will any be stranded with no ticket at all.

Meanwhile, a thunderstorm is going on,
Buses are caught in traffic jams outside.
As the long queues continue to inch forward,
The crowd still fills the hall - a throng without respite.

For every one in this terminal today,
The long way home has become longer.
For the journey home has already started,
With a long wait to the ticket counter.