Sneakers, Pagan, Commute, Lousy Feeling

Sahur* this morning was a plate of rice and some fish masak kicap. A glass of water, no, make that two, coz I remembered downing a bottle of sugar-cane drink bought from that lame bazaar next to Woodlands Causeway Point. Done. I opened the fridge and reached in for a bar of fun-size Sneakers - that's 22g of roasted peanutes in creamy caramel and soft nougat covered in thick milk chocolate. I tore the wrappers and took a bite into one of my earthly pleasures. Boy it was hard, but I needed that for sustenance throughout the day. After all, I ate little rice. Went to the toilet, did my bowel business and showered. You know I hardly showered that early in the morning but I had to. Are you still with me?

Back in my room, did the morning prayers and read a few verses of the Quran. Couldn't remember what it was, but I think it was surah Al Nahl [The Bees]. Did you know that the Pagan Arabs, pre-Islam of course, used to practice female infanticide? It was either to keep the girl as a thing of sufferance and contempt, bringing disgrace on the family, or to get rid of her by burying her alive. The latter was a way out for most. How awful. Where am I bringing you with this? Nowhere. Done, I sprawled on my bed again. Or was that after I've ironed my shirt?

I'd always wake up 7.00 am these days. But this morning I exceeded that to 7.40 am and you can imagine the whirlwind I went through in order not to be late. I was not completely awake and I had to summon my limbs and mental faculties just to put on the pants. This task is only arduous for kids, but that was what it was, really.

So I thought that more or less set the stage for the rest of the day. I got on the train, found a cosy corner and went further inward with my thoughts. Leave me alone. Is this how the Japanese feel in the morning, especially those who have to commute over long distances on the bullet train? I've seen documentaries of that and I thought those people had a major vacuum in their lives.

There was to be, in the afternoon, an SQC preliminary discussion with some consultants, which I was looking forward to participate. And what do you know? That actually saved the day. Weird isn't it. But to think of it, it's the Ramadan for crying out loud, it's the month of self-reflection and if there was a crisis at the workplace I will NOT be sucked into that vortex. But my mother is not feeling too good at the moment, I can hear her coughs from my room as I'm typing this. My folks, they're old. And it's just a lousy feeling in the gut to be aware of their illness. You tell them to take their medicines and get lots of rest, and then what? There's something stoic about a mother's illness. Mothers, at least mine, don't complain.


* The last meal taken before sunrise when the fast starts.