21 June 2009

Happy Birthday Jakarte!

Jakarte.

That's how it is pronounced in Betawi. Today Jakarta celebrates its 482nd birthday. And as usual, as it has always been around this time of the year, there is the Jakarta Fair.

From what I gather from the news, it is a huge expo showcasing, promoting and selling local products and produce.

Due to the far off location (Kemayoran), I've never been to the fair, although this year's event marked as my fourth. There is a big possibility I'm going to miss this one too. The large crowd is a turn off, really.

Kalo tak nak ramai orang buat fair sendiri. There. I said it for you.

Next.

Roid, I would like to apologise for not being able to attend the gathering at Plaza Semanggi. I was at Grand Indonesia - being stood up.

My second time being stood up if I may add.

Last year it was by a friend who was supposed to join me for iftar. But she was too wrapped up with Lebaran shopping that she forgot her friend was waiting for her at the upper floors of Grand Indonesia.

This time around, it was also by another friend who's here on a holiday.

In both instances, there are striking similarities. Both did not apologise, both came all the way from KL (just to stood me up?) and both at the very same venue.

Grand Indonesia.

Speaking of Grand Indonesia, have you been to the restrooms? Personally, I don't like it.

They are clean, no doubt. The toilet seats, state-of-the-art. The decor, impressive. It is the lighting which I'm particularly bothered with. You see, the lights are so dim that you need to be about 3 inches close to the mirror to see the snot in the corner of your eyes. The effect of the dim lights give the restrooms an ambience bordering spookiness.

Once, I was startled by the restroom attendant who appeared behind me from nowhere.

"Terima kasih Pak," he said grinning.

"Terima kasih mak kau!"

No. I didn't say that. Though I would have said it if I suffer from latah. Speaking of latah, why is it that bule don't latah?

While on the subject of restrooms, I was at Pacific Place the other day and had the urgency to empty my bladder. Standing at the entrance of the restroom was this young lad who I assume was the restroom attendant. Ok. It's normal as in many other malls, you might say.

But this guy was wearing a masquerade mask! Talk about upstaging other malls!

He looked like he had been a guest on RCTI's Masihkah Ada Cinta and straight away reported for duty.

"Jentelmen di sebelah kiri Pak," he said gesturing to the Gents door.

I went in. My mind was picturing him on the set of Helmy Yahya's show. Then, as I was leaving, the young lad was smiling at me and said,

"Tenk yiu for coming Pak."

Emang gue ke resepsi nikah? Really, he should have stopped at Thank You.

Moving on.

It has been officially confirmed by my CFO that I will be going back for good end of July. Inderjeet, like you, I will be going through the task of packing. Although I've done it 4 times in the span of 3 and a half years, it will be daunting, nonetheless.

Owh, btw, Inderjeet, someone told me of a store nearby your residence - Unique House. Have you been there?

This time around, in addition to packing my own belongings, I have to pack the office too. Just the thought of it makes my knees all wobbly. Probably by the end of all this, I should seriously consider a moving business.

Apart from the packing, there are other personal things to do. Banyak pulak tu.

Time is against me.

Sambung.

A dear friend of mine, Peanutbutter, fell sick last week. Really, really sick. I got the news after reading her sister's Facebook status on Monday morning. I called a close mutual friend of ours and he told me about PB's worrying condition when he visited her the night before.

"She's not the PB we all are used to. Very pale and weak. She did not speak much," said my friend.

A call to her husband confirmed PB's worsening condition. I prayed hard for her. I felt sorry because I could not be there. I remained in touch with her husband and a couple of friends through sms and calls.

Later that day, I received a text message from PB's husband. The cause of her pain has beed detected. She had just got out from the OT and was in the ICU for further observation.

Today, a week later, the worse is over for PB. If she was taken an hour late to the hospital, then, according to the doctor, it could have cost PB her life.

PB is now recovering at home. From the sms'es I got from her recently, I could tell my dear friend is back to her usual self again. Alhamdulillah.

8 comments:

Roid said...

hahaha..ngapain tu orang pake topeng?serius? i should go to Pacific Place then,foto2 sama penjaga toiletnya. talking about customer satisfaction,penjaga toilet yg selalu ngucapin makasih is annoying bukannya memuaskan.

btw,it's okay Azuan. untung juga lu ga dateng,garing soalnya kemarin.btw,kita teriak2 manggil orang2 lewat kemarin," hei niko! hei gadho2!",siapa tau ada yang bingung ketemunya dimana.ofcourse,orang2 yg kita panggil itu ga nengok.silly emang.

Anonymous said...

Salam Azuan,

aiyoo really gelak lah, tenkiu for coming. no lah i have not heard of unique house, anyway what is so unique about it, the house i mean, heheheheh. We are going to Jawa tengah on wednesday (Tasik Malaya, Wonosobo, Unggara, Magelang etc) road trip, balik sunday, 1 week of clearing all my things after which to start packing.
Aiyoo kau not so bad, seorang, myself 3 kids n the both of us, pening kepla to sort out the things. We are leaving on the 15th july back to kl after 8 n half years being away.
So long my story lah.

inderjeet

gadhogadho said...

Roid - believe me. it's good enuf mereka ucap makasih. kalo di KL, jgn mimpi ada yg kasi kata2 manis.

Inderjeet - wow! road trip. sounds exciting. What's in tasik malaya? hope you dun mind a brief update on ur journey here.

MBI said...

Since when girls ever apologise for not making it to a non-business rendzevous (or date)? Take it as fact from an older guy. By the way, I am coming to Jakarte with a group of Malaysian PLCs' Chairmen & CEOs on business trip (with mandatory golf of course) early July - that will be before your departure.

thelaughinggas said...

syukur alhamdulillah..allah nak panjangkan umur aku..tq for your concern, worry and doa dari jauh tu when i was sick....sgt2 dihargai seumur hidup.

tu le...kawan2 aku kata...tq for cursing us again...you are really recovering well..bolehhh statement itu??? :P

anyway...can't wait to have you back in KL!!!! Welcome home!!!

gadhogadho said...

MBI - golf? bogor? i suggest u take them for dinner at sedap malam restaurant at pencenongan. u come to jkt often?

PB - aku pun tak sabor nk balik. mixed feelings really. sedih nk tinggalkan jkt. we have to make it our yearly destination.. ke quarterly?...

MBI said...

Thanks for the restro tip. Golf, yes Bogor's Jagorawi, time permitting, great caddies -;). Didn't get to Jakarta as often as I like to. Last was August 2007 helping to carry wife's shoping bags from factory one factory outlet to another around Bandung. (Though now resident in Malaysia, my wife is a Jakarta lass from Rawamagun, and she shopped as if never been to factory outlets in Bandung before!).

rerere said...

i thought i was the only one who bothered by those pacific place's toilet janitor...

as if they are tryin to say
"makasih udah kencingin toilet ini, please come back again later, now i have toilets to clean"