Al Fatihah

I awoke suddenly last night ....looked at the clock ......0143 am and fell asleep again .


At about 0815 this morning a friend smsed me . Our close friend, she said had passed away . She asked ....was she ever sick ?


I called her .....are you sure its our friend ? She found it hard to believe too but that was what she heard .....who had received the news from my late friend's neighbor .


I made a few calls here and there ...and finally managed to get thru my late friend's husband . Yes .....he said .....we are preparing her for the prayers now. She passed on before 2 this morning . I knew he too was in shock and feeling the loss of a love one ...I did not want to know more but just one more question " was she ever sakit ? " She died of low blood pressure ......he said .


No.........I was not able to attend her funeral ........I'm sorry that I missed yours , my friend .


In my mind ..scenes of us growing up together .....attending the same primary , secondary and college together played in the pages of my mind . How we climbed their " cermai" tree to get the sour little fruits . How her parents looked on in amazement at us but never saying a word and say " not to climb ". They sure do have lots of confidence in us .


When she was young her dressing had always been clean , neat , prim and proper .Her hair at shoulder length and neatly combed or tied back . She would have ribbons in her hair . Most of the time we sat next to each other in class . She had always been the smart one ......very good in her English and other subjects too . And she had this appetite to read.......read and read .


She had this infectious laugh ; she just loved to laugh .......and she loved to smile too ; showing off her set of perfectly set , white teeth . I remembered once ........both of us receiving prizes for .........a set of good teeth !! I remembered she was not the kind to simply participate in the crazy things that me and other friends did . She would be at the side and looked on and laughed at us .


Rest in peace , my friend ...........you will always be in my memories . Thanks for touching my life and thanks too for being my friend .


Al Fatihah .


" Jamilah Binti Piee ( !961 - 2008 ) "
bersamaan
20 Rejab 1429 H .

I'm Not Your Friend

It was once one of those days when my only daughter felt chatty enough to tell me about her friends . During the course of this conversation she was telling about a particular friend whose relationship with her mother is not like the normal .........yunno a mother and daughter relationship. My daughter said , " They treat each other as friends "


I was asking ' What sort of friends ? "


" I don't actually know ," said daughter ." But I think friends like me and her ...she and her friends . That kind of thing lah . "


That certainly had me thinking for a while . I heard of this before where there are certain parents who thought that their approach in raising up their chidren is more of " as friends ". That's fine for me after all that is their way ....if they are comfortable with that and it works for them ...that's fine .


Me ? My hubby ? Honestly we never discussed about the sort of approach we should raise up our children . There was never a parenting talk that we attended . It was more like ...we brought these children into this world .......so it is our responsibility that they grew up with proper food , clothes and shelter .......plus education and to be counter balanced with a very good dose of Islam values in them . Most parents would like their children to be good citizens .......to contribute to society and the country . I mean how many parents out there want their children to be gangsters and rob and kill people along the way ?


I can't imagine how I would be like if I treat my daughter as a friend .


A friend ? Gee ........aren't friends are supposed to be like .......we can borrow each others clothes ? We can talk and gossip about that particular person ?...and if I go partying and drink and if my daughter do that its okay ........after all we are friends ? What if both of us had a tiff and called each others names plus the bad mouths ...gosh every Tom , Dick and Harry plus Minah and Timah and Piah will know about my household . Perhaps we will never talk to each other .......and that will make my daughter as .......motherless ?

Then where and who is her mother ? Who is going to guide her .........? Where is the respect I deserve ........after all my blood and her father's runs in those veins of hers and not her friend's blood .


No .....I can never be my daughter's friend ....I will face whatever squabbles both of us will encounter along the way ...I will not shrink my duties as a mother .


I hope .....Insyaallah .....I will get my daughter's respect and guide her. Definitely there will come a time when we both will go separate ways and when that time comes she is ready to face the world and be on her own feet .

The Chase .

Ok ....I need this break . The laundry is out in the sun : I have washed the two stairs at the back , scrubbed the small washing area , washed two floor mats . Had scrubbed the kitchen towels but still need to soak it for a while with detergent to give anither boost of cleanliness to it .....so that when it is dry it looks white and clean ; ready to be used again .

As I was preparing ingredients for my fried yellow mee .....I heard squeels .....as if one is in pain and in fright . I looked up ...horrors of horrors ........indeed she was scared . How she ran for her life ! He was bigger then her and the long legs ........wow !! He easily closed the gaps between them . In no time he toppled her down . She was scared and fighting back .

Well......me being the busy body must not stand and look and let things set its own course . I stood at the back door and cried out ....Hey you !!

Both looked up . He paused ...looked at me in the eye ....and if looks could kill ..I would be dead by now .The short distraction was enough for her to scramble on her feet and off she ran for sheer life . There was no place to hide . Its all grasses ...shrubs here and there ...and in broad daylight .....you are a goner !! He gave chase ; toppled her down again . They were at a corner of my back neighbor's yard . Quite far to distract him again ......even if I did attempted he would pooh pooh me off .

She .....was still on the ground ......trying hard to save herself ........he was looking down at her ....now and then stalking around her ....looking for the perfect moment to pounce on her again .

She moved too ...not going to give up to him ...she spat ......growled .......yunno in a more feminine way . Atta girl !! At least you are fighting back . She got up .....ran ...ran ..and ran, He gave chase ..he was enjoying it ...I bet .....you dirty scum !!


Then I heard another back door was being opened . Finally help is on the way . Out came my neighbor .......with a stick in her hand ...a big meter long stick .

I saw her walked up to my neighbors fence .........and with a loud " Shoo !! " plus harsh words in her Tamil language .......it scared the shit out of him !! He darted off .


Our young back alley beautiful cat is safe .......for now ...from predators .....their own species .

Had seen two of them lately in the back lane . Eyeing the beauties in the alley ........though standing a safe distance away . I could see the gleam in their eyes .......and what transpired in his mind ......well!! I know what he is up to !!