opah charlie's angels
my family opened a branch in kuala terengganu when my anak buah married a sweet guy from there. he's big quite like a giant but so very gentle. he's the one who coined the term "opah charlie's angels" to describe my mak and her 2 sisters, her kakak and her adik. living quite close to each other, they would do most things together, like the best of friends
any events happening would be discussed via phone calls and a plan would be drawn up and info disseminated so that EVERYbody in the family would know whats happening. i suppose all this discussions and plannings made their day, being pensioned and having so much time on their hands (unlike me). i just go along with them, whatever make themn happy.
take the trip from the north to ipoh, over 3 years ago. the opah charlie's angels were so worried about my driving hundreds of kms on my own. me, i didnt say a word, though i heard the phone calls they made to each other, discussing the date, the time of my journey, the no of days i needed to be there, the activities that i need to go thru. not a word from me, i understand they just need to fuss.
after they had come to a final decision, it was informed to me. the plan: the 3 opah charlie's angels would accompany me on the drive. "satgi kut jadi apa-apa" they reasoned. and i was thinking (not aloud, of course...kalau jadi apa2, with them in tow lagi susah. no 1, handling their panic, sheeesh. no 2, handling them, not to mention myself and my bump at that time)
out loud is said to my sis and her hubby, "tak pa kalau kereta rosak, mak, long dgn chu boleh tolong tolak". and we laughed mengekek2 together...just the image of the 3 old ladies pushing a car...too funny
so we set off that morning, me driving, mak sat beside me, tolong tunjukkan jalan (kunun) well a mom will always be a mom. her sisters, long and chu on the back seat. the atmosphere in the car was thick with their anxiety...i could almost sense their feelings...anticipating someting to go wrong a-n-y-m-o-m-e-n-t-n-o-w. well, what else would happen, you know? a car full of females, not even 1 male around. and the female driving was 6 months pregnant.
so there i was driving, laju sangat pun tak boleh, depa saspen. and trying to make the atmosphere lighter by telling stories, jokes etc. and when all else failed, i would talk about my research, not that they would understand much. the reason why i had to drive to ipoh, to collect data. and this made them feel stronger...like "oooh, we HAVE to help her, she needs to collect data, its for her research, very important, or else how would she finish her studies. and she's pregnant too and has to drive hundreds of kms, how frightful for her. well, we'll just grit our teeth and get through this."
i found it very touching, still find it so. here are 3 ladies who are/was not highly educated. but they valued education so much. and they love/d me so much that they would endure a scary journey (for them) just for me, typical mothers, sacrifice for their kids above else.
the journey to and fro was uneventful. opah charlie's angels enjoyed themselves as in between my data collection, i took them visiting relatives around ipoh, their no 1most enjoyable activity. and i got my 700 over data, Alhamdulillah.
opah charlie's angels is now down to 2 since my mother passing away last june. now, when i see long and chu, i hug them tight, praying that Allah will keep them healthy and strong, strong for us the younger generation in the family.
last 3rd of syawal, my bro, sis and i tanam batu nisan on my mother's grave. we were joined by yong, my cousing, the mother-in-law of our gentle giant of kuala terengganu. the 3 of us ladies had tears trickling down our cheeks. my bro remained macho.
and as the 3 of us stood there by my mak's grave, it struck me, we will be the Opah Charlie's Angels version II: my sis, my cousin and I. and this realisation gave me so much comfort...this bond of sisterhood, just like what my mak had with her 2 sis. sticking to each other, no matter what comes our way. and the phone calls or rather smsses have started...whose kids doing what, siapa sakit, siapa luka, exam results, job interviews etc among the generation after us.
the best is: knowing that there will be these 2 sisters, who love me unconditionally, never ever judge me, always supporting me, and they are fun to hang out with. on top of the cik kiahs that i have, i consider myself very lucky. Alhamdulillah.
any events happening would be discussed via phone calls and a plan would be drawn up and info disseminated so that EVERYbody in the family would know whats happening. i suppose all this discussions and plannings made their day, being pensioned and having so much time on their hands (unlike me). i just go along with them, whatever make themn happy.
take the trip from the north to ipoh, over 3 years ago. the opah charlie's angels were so worried about my driving hundreds of kms on my own. me, i didnt say a word, though i heard the phone calls they made to each other, discussing the date, the time of my journey, the no of days i needed to be there, the activities that i need to go thru. not a word from me, i understand they just need to fuss.
after they had come to a final decision, it was informed to me. the plan: the 3 opah charlie's angels would accompany me on the drive. "satgi kut jadi apa-apa" they reasoned. and i was thinking (not aloud, of course...kalau jadi apa2, with them in tow lagi susah. no 1, handling their panic, sheeesh. no 2, handling them, not to mention myself and my bump at that time)
out loud is said to my sis and her hubby, "tak pa kalau kereta rosak, mak, long dgn chu boleh tolong tolak". and we laughed mengekek2 together...just the image of the 3 old ladies pushing a car...too funny
so we set off that morning, me driving, mak sat beside me, tolong tunjukkan jalan (kunun) well a mom will always be a mom. her sisters, long and chu on the back seat. the atmosphere in the car was thick with their anxiety...i could almost sense their feelings...anticipating someting to go wrong a-n-y-m-o-m-e-n-t-n-o-w. well, what else would happen, you know? a car full of females, not even 1 male around. and the female driving was 6 months pregnant.
so there i was driving, laju sangat pun tak boleh, depa saspen. and trying to make the atmosphere lighter by telling stories, jokes etc. and when all else failed, i would talk about my research, not that they would understand much. the reason why i had to drive to ipoh, to collect data. and this made them feel stronger...like "oooh, we HAVE to help her, she needs to collect data, its for her research, very important, or else how would she finish her studies. and she's pregnant too and has to drive hundreds of kms, how frightful for her. well, we'll just grit our teeth and get through this."
i found it very touching, still find it so. here are 3 ladies who are/was not highly educated. but they valued education so much. and they love/d me so much that they would endure a scary journey (for them) just for me, typical mothers, sacrifice for their kids above else.
the journey to and fro was uneventful. opah charlie's angels enjoyed themselves as in between my data collection, i took them visiting relatives around ipoh, their no 1most enjoyable activity. and i got my 700 over data, Alhamdulillah.
opah charlie's angels is now down to 2 since my mother passing away last june. now, when i see long and chu, i hug them tight, praying that Allah will keep them healthy and strong, strong for us the younger generation in the family.
last 3rd of syawal, my bro, sis and i tanam batu nisan on my mother's grave. we were joined by yong, my cousing, the mother-in-law of our gentle giant of kuala terengganu. the 3 of us ladies had tears trickling down our cheeks. my bro remained macho.
and as the 3 of us stood there by my mak's grave, it struck me, we will be the Opah Charlie's Angels version II: my sis, my cousin and I. and this realisation gave me so much comfort...this bond of sisterhood, just like what my mak had with her 2 sis. sticking to each other, no matter what comes our way. and the phone calls or rather smsses have started...whose kids doing what, siapa sakit, siapa luka, exam results, job interviews etc among the generation after us.
the best is: knowing that there will be these 2 sisters, who love me unconditionally, never ever judge me, always supporting me, and they are fun to hang out with. on top of the cik kiahs that i have, i consider myself very lucky. Alhamdulillah.
posted by atenah at 6:27 PM
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