Dali, anak watan Geylang Serai Episod 2

Dua minggu telah berlalu. Namun harapan Dali untuk bertembung sekali lagi dengan Sabariah di tempat kerja belum ada kesempatan. Sedih rasanya. Ini kah yang di katakan CINTA. Sesaat tak jumpa macam nak GILA. Lama juga Dali melayan perasaan rindunya ..."Oh! I love you, Sabariah". Tak tahu kenapa. Hidup nya tak sama seperti dulu; suka mengganggu perempuan. Suka bertemasyah, bersantai dengan kawan-kawan lelaki dan wanita tapi belum pernah berdua-duaan. Sungguh pun nakal, Dali bijak berfikir dan mengatur langkah dalam menyempurnakan sesuatu perkara. Kalau ada tetamu datang ke rumah, jangan haraplah dia keluar dari biliknya..bayang pun tak kelihatan.

Dali duduk dipejabatnya, termenung jauh sekali lagi..Dia teringat kata-kata Sabariah," Saya tak percaya pada cinta...Apa ada pada cinta...? Ayat, ayat cinta...Hm, temberanglah!"Tiba-tiba,
tersedar dia dari lamunan. Dali bangun dan memasang radio...kedengaran lagu nyanyian P.Ramlee sekali lagi berkumandang diudara. Kali ini lagu..."Jangan tinggal daku...oh!Adik...Oh! Manis ku...".Perasan Dali, dia lah Kassim Selamat bertemu Sabariah. Itu lah Dali. Pemuda romantis.

Dia gemar bermain batminton. Bukan hanya suka bermain. Tapi dia jagoh dalam pertandingan juga. Dalam diam, Sabariah mula terpikat padanya. Selaku Kapten, Dali menguruskan strategi dan taktik untuk anak-anak buah nya. Nama nya bertambah harum setelah dia dan pasukannya berjaya menewaskan pasukan lain berturut-turut; tahun demi tahun. Apabila Dali dipanggil untuk naik ke pentas ramai juga gadis lain yang tertawan dek kehandalan nya.
Sedang Dali menuju ke pentas untuk menerima Piala, kawan-kawannya yang duduk dibelakang Sabariah mula lah berkaraoke..."Kau mawar ku...Juwita ku...gadis yang ku rinduuu..."Kecoh!
Tapi mengundang suasana sungguh romantis yang luarbiasa buat Sabariah dan Dali. Memang tidak syak lagi...
Rakan-rakan Dali sudah ketahui apa yang belenggu di kepala otak nya.
Akhirnya, Dali berjaya jalan bersama dengan Sabariah. Tapi, Dali terlalu cepat mengatakan perasaan CINTAnya. Sabariah agak terperanjat, lebih-lebih lagi bila Dali berkata ingin menyunting nya sebagai teman hidup...Macam nak pengsan...Memang susah nak percaya;
sedangkan Sabariah baru mula bekerja selama tiga bulan! "Cuba beritahu saya, apa itu cinta?" tegas Sabariah beraksi jinak-jinak merpati. Pandai pula Dali menjawab...Sabariah kurang pasti
dengan kemahuan Dali...Sebenarnya...Sabariah telah terlebih dulu pernah dikeciwakan Cinta.
Cintanya pada seorang jejaka yang tak pasti kebenarannya. Suatu hari dulu, ada seorang perempuan telah menghubungi Sabariah dan berpesan supaya meninggalkan Hafis.
Hafis pernah berpesan kepada Sabariah supaya menunggu nya hingga lah dia berjaya menamatkan pelajaran nya dan memegang kerjaya baru. Itu lah cinta pertama Sabariah.
Namun, kedatangan wanita tersebut telah melukai hati Sabariah. Pasrah dan pedih...
Akhirnya...Sabariah membuat keputusan untuk memberikan jawapan dalam masa dua minggu
lagi pada Dali yang sudah tak sabar menanti hari bahagia mereka bersama.

Sungguh tak di sangka...Untuk memberikan jawapan "Ya"mengambil masa yang lama...membuatkan Dali menderita tak tentu arah...Kali ini, Dali sering mendengar lagu Fredo dari kumpulan Flybaits..."Puas sudah kau melukakan...tiada pernah kau menyatakan..hati ini..yang selalu..menyayangi diri mu...kau biarkan hidupku melara....mengemiskan cinta suci....." lagu yang di tulis Komposer M. NASIR...bertepatan dengan apa yang terjadi dengan Dali.

Setelah banyak risikan dan kajian, Sabariah mengambil keputusan untuk menerima Dali
sebagai teman hidup nya. Akhir nya Dali dan Sabariah mendirikan masjid; hidup sebagai suami-isteri yang sah dalam masa yang singkat.. Macam tak percaya...

Dali, anak watan Geylang Serai...Episod 1

Dalam mengharungi hidup ini, seorang anak muda bernama Dali kelihatan termenung jauh di atas sofa panjang.Kebetulan pula, lagu nyanyian P.Ramlee dari radio berkumandang ketelinganya, "Diwaktu malam, bulan mengambang...damai lah damai..." sedang dia berseronok ikut mendendangkan lagu itu, tiba-tiba kedengaran ada orang ketuk pintu dengan kuat. "Tuk!tuk!, assalamualaikum..." Dengan pantas dia membalas salam suara tadi. Tapi dia bergegas masuk dapur rumahnya kerana dia hanya memakai seluar pendek. Kelangkabut dia memakai baju dan mengenakan seluar panjang. Maklumlah, tamu-tamu yang datang itu terdiri dari tiga anak dara remaja dari tempat kerjanya. Pada hari tersebut, yang ada dirumah dua bilik, Geylang Serai itu hanyalah dia dan ibunya. Sebenarnya, mereka datang menziarahinya kerana Dali baru sahaja pulang dari hospital akibat kemalangan di antara motosikalnya dan sebuah lori pengangkutan. Ibunya, Cik Amnah bergegas keluar lantas,"Silalah masuk",sambutnya pada tamu-tamu yang hadir dengan senyuman yang penuh mesra. Dali keluar dengan dulang serta tiga biji cawan.."Minumlah...teh bujang saja",sahut Dali."Wah! Cepat betul buat teh!", sampuk Azah, salah seorang dari mereka. Sambil berbual, ketiga-tiga anak dara itu pun minum serentak."Puh! " Tersembur air teh ke lantai. Dali tercenggang. "Apa kena ni Dali?", tanya Cik Amnah.."Garam Mak Cik!" serentak mereka menjawab. Cik Amnah bergegas ambil dulang dan tukar minuman tersebut. "Buat malu aku aja "cakapnya dalam hati.."Agaknya, Si Dali ni dah nak kawin tak?",sungutnya di dapur. Di ruang tamu pula, Dali ligat berborak. Walaupun kaki dan tangan nya luka, kehadiran gadis-gadis itu sudah cukup menyembuhkan hatinya yang pasrah pada mulanya. Beberapa gigi nya patah dan dia hampir digilis lori itu. "Dah lah tu Cik Dali", kata Amanah. "Lupakan saja motosikal...Bawa kreta sudah"tambahnya lagi." Nak bawa kereta lembu?"kata Dali."Saya mana ada lesen kreta"tambahnya lagi. "Pergi lah belajar...tengok Sabariah..dia dah pun lulus dan bawa kreta bapanya"kata Amanah.Sabariah hanya mampu tersenyum sedangkan Dali kelihatan seperti terpukul. "Ish!Ish!Ish! Dia Cabar aku dah", Dali berkata dalam hati.Pantang menyerah kalah. Setelah minum teh bergula, bukan teh bergaram.. mereka pun berbual panjang. Hanya Sabariah saja yang kurang berbual. Perasaan malu tak dapat dibendung kerana dia baru beberapa hari mula bekerja di tempat yang sama. Gaya nya membuatkan Dali terpikat dalam diam.."Akan aku selidik mana depatmen nya",berkata Dali dalam hati.Setelah itu mereka pun pulang.

Beberapa hari kemudian, setelah pulih sepenuhnya, Dali kembali ke pejabat nya. Kebetulan, hari lahir nya jatuh pada hari itu. Azah telah menyuruh Sabariah membuat kotak kek besar. Akan dia letakkan kek buatan nya sendiri di dalam kotak tersebut tanpa memberitahu Sabariah siapa kah 'Birthday Boy' pada hari itu. Kotak yang dibuat Sabariah perlu dikemaskan lagi dengan pembalut kertas cantik. Sabariah bergegas untuk pergi ke kereta. "Aduh!" sahutnya..Dia bertembung dengan Dali. "Maaf Cik Sabariah", kata Dali. "Hei! Kalau jalan tu buka mata besar-besar!"ujar Sabariah yang tak perasankan Dali.."Ops!...I tot..."..."I tot I saw a pussy cat".
"Yalah"..."Ini pussy cat Besau", Dali berjenaka. Lepas itu, Dali pun apa lagi...jual minyaklah.

Petang itu, sesudah habis bekerja, semua rakan-rakan pejabat yang ada berkumpul untuk meriahkan hari lahir sesorang. " Hadiran semua... kita akan menyambut hari lahir Encik Dali hari ini", teriak Azah. "Alahai! kenapa tak beritahu siang-siang lagi", bisik Sabariah pada Azah. "Saja nak SURPRISE everyone! Especially si Dali tu lah",jawab Azah.
"You ni macam ada apa-apa aja?, tanya Azah. "Ada apa? Ada hidung...takde lah",Sabariah cuba selindung. Dali merasa kekok tapi gembira sebab tak pernah sambut hari lahir seumur hidupnya. Dia sedar yang dia tu bukan dari keluarga berada. "Kawan-kawan...trima-kasih heh...siapa lah saya." Mat Geylang Serai!", teriak Rahimkamari."Dah lah tu! Cepat potong kek..Aku lapar ni", sampuk Roslan, kawan rapat Dali.
Dengan senang hati, Dali pun memotong kek cara professional, macam CHEF!
Semua gembira menjamu selera 'hi-tea' dengan kek Dali.

Norjana's Singapore Story.

Soap Box: I read "Telling one's personal Singapore story' on the Straits Times dated 16 June 2008, Monday by Tessa Wong. Headlines Youthink. It droves me to write but took so long to decide as to send her my Singapore Story. Alas, I decided to write it in this blog...since this is my partial diary.So..here's my story.

Back in 1960's, when I was very young, aged about six years old, my late parent found new friends, a Malaysian couple in a ship that travelled to the middle east countries. They were about to perform haj in Mecca. Over the years, as time goes by, my family and the Malaysian family developed close relationship like brothers and sisters. Hence , we visited them in Klang, Selangor. They took turn to visit us in Singapore. It was easy at that time until one day, Singapore and Malaysia broke up in 1965. But our ties remain unchange till today. The KTM Railway Station leaves a mark, an icon, full of sweet memories between these two families. The Malaysian couple's son was always there to help his parent carrying the 'buah tangan' or gifts in the form of a gunny sack of tapioca crackers and a lot more goods. A gentle, nice guy who taught me about wisdom and exchanged ideas about school education in Singapore and Malaysia. However, I was'nt attracted to any male friends as I'm aware that we're very young. I gave him my autograph to appreciate our friendship for long terms.. but what surprised me was.. my photo was makeover with moustache and unkind words. I was sensitive that I put him out of my circle of friend's list without knowing that the culprits was his typical Malaysian school boys jeolous of him. No wonder he refused to return it in the first place.

My late father was a school principal in Tanjong Katong Malay School. Three of my nine sisters were teachers too. I had a wonderful life when I was very young. My three brothers have been very gentle and caring and I do'nt remember being hit by any of my family members. Reason being, according to them...I'm a soft-hearted, decent and loved by everyone in my family..Wow! I hope so.

When I was in primary school, I had great friends. One of them made it to National University of Singapore and married to Dr. Aziz, who now stays in a bungalow in Frankel Avenue. Her name is Roziah...well..that's my mother's name too. Others are Hamidah, Normi, Nisha, Zaiton the cutest. My life as a teenager was'nt as fabulous as I was in primary and lower secondary level. I had to struggle and learned the hard way to gain respect, recognition and rewards among friends and teachers.

As time goes by, my family members who stayed in a " rumah panggong", a multi-level kampong house which has 10 rooms for a big family like us were advised to shift to other district. This was due to the proposed development of the new flats-Eunos Area. It was sad to leave such a memorial home that I still could remember in my mind and dreamt of it several times.

My family moved out of Jalan Sri Gading off Jalan Eunos, opposite of Jalan Ishak. Then, we settled at a HDB three room flat at Geylang Bahru; the district where you can find the "kuda gila"-Singapore National Footballer Nasir Jalil; just the opposite block at that time. One of my primary classmates, Jamilah is married to Arshad Khamis( another icon ) now resided in Canada. Those were the days where I became 'hantu bola' (die hard fan) of Dollah Kassim, Quah Kim Song, Samad Alipichay but not Mohd Noh, because he belonged to Rahimah Rahim, the singer, at that time.The Singapore Stadium reminds me of my teenage era specially when we became the pioneers- secondary school girls to perform the malay dance for the opening of the SEAP Games or South East Asian Peninsula Games.

When I started my first career, I got a job as an apprentice draughtsman in an architect firm recomended by a caring lawyer, Mr. Cherliah. Life was full of anticipation. My big brother, Patrick ( colleague) was always on the ball...it was fun and exciting, like playing games. Our big boss, Alfred Wong and Mr. Ang are indeed very kind and helpful.. Another boss, Mr. Edward, a handsome one was married to an English woman. Working in this firm was never bored..We did'nt use computers at that time..besides drafting plans, detail drawings, we had the opportunity to do some spraying, colouring, model-making and etc. Sometimes, we went to the site location of that particular project for inspection. I can still remember my colleagues-sisters, Jenny, Marisa, Madeline and Jamilah. How I wish to meet up again.This is the company who designed the first Singapore Polytechnic, the National Theatre, Goodwood Hotel, Furama Hotel, Marco Polo and many others. When more people joining in, something tells me that I need to move up. And so, I decided to pick up interior design course and commercial arts.

Three years later, I joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation as a set designer. Here, life was full of expectation and challenging, though very exciting. As you know, you gain to see many stars and the up rising ones especially Zoe Tay and Fan Wong. I love Zoe ,Edmund Chen and his wife. I like Jack and Moses too; not forgeting Gurmit Singh and Hosen Leong. These are bright stars and friendly people, you know..My job as a set designer focus not only on malay dramas, children's programmes, entertainment, radio programmes but engaged with indian and chinese programmes too. Not to mention the outside settings and english programme. So, designers here handle any kind of projects be it big or small. My sweet memories are uncountable..including my first getting to know with my spouse...doing the big shows like Great Singapore Sale in Takashimaya, Funan Centre and Suntec City... I left the company after working for fifteen years to focus more on the development of my children especially in their education and sports activities. What a relief to see their success...Sometimes, I wish to go back to workforce now or may be start a small business...what business? Cannot tell.

Lina had to be a homemaker.She was retrenched due to company cutcosts or downsizing. The financial crisis tsunami had stormed everyone in her office. In order to be able to survive, her company had to lay off three-quarter of the staffs, especially those who were unproductive and not up to it's expectation. Lina was very depressed as she had lost not one but two treasured things in life. Her job as an engineer and followed up with her loving husband's death caused by Denggi Fever. However, she still considered herself fortunate because her two daughters were the breadwinners at that moment.

As time goes by Lina gain her strength back and look at the bright side.Two days later, she commited herself to become a property agent. To market those properties was not as easy as what she thought. People of different sizes and colourful characters were seen and heard. Besides acquiring the knowledge and skills, knew the laws and policies, she had to perform well and proved results to show success. Policies kept changing now and then. She had to keep track and always updated herself with the latest issues. Some cases could be very dramatic just like what she watched on tv set, yet she handled them with integrity and intelligence. At the end of the day, she reviewed herself acting as a tutor, a consultant, a financial adviser, an interior designer, a mentor and etc..to clients and group members. In quest to secure her future needs,
she made sufficient savings and never look back or even to think about it. Life has to move on.