XY: So I started working


B: 9 - 5?


XY: It’s 8 to 6:30 now.


B: That’s because you don’t work on Saturdays anymore.


XY: It depends. Some companies still make staff work on weekends.


B: Then that’ll be more than 44 hours a week.


XY: Yup. Just like speeding lorries and vans with tinted windows, the authorities doesn’t seem to be bothered about it.


B: That is life. You’ll have to work.


XY: I do not understand. When we die, the company moves on without us. When the company dies, we die with it. There are 7 days a week but we have to work 5 days of it and only 2 days for ourselves. There are 24 hours a day but we have to give 12 hours to them. That is half. We then have 4 hours for ourselves which most of the time are spent on commuting and stuffing our stomachs and then 8 hours of sleep. We normalise a lot of things in the past decades but we do not realise that spending more time at work than for ourselves is not normal?


B: As I said, that is life.


XY: So it is live to work and not work to live.

Categories : The Short Story Series

you know what is not fair
it is when you want to grow your hair


you think its cool
but you have to go to school


primary secondary tertiary
sorry i dont have degree


and then ns calls for me
followed by reservists and ippt


by the time you rod
hair gone already

categories : The Short Story Series

In and around a hospital.

Mrs A: Now that you are discharged, how are you feeling?
Mr A: Feel good la. If not good how can get discharged?
Mrs A: You sick of hospital meals?
Mr A: Hospital meals play a part in making me well.
Mrs A: Want to get your favourite dish? We can get your favourite Dish A or Dish B or Dish C
Mr A: Don't want. Doctor said I cannot eat them. Avoid those already. 
Mrs A: Maybe once in awhile?
Mr A: Maybe can lah. But not now la. Must avoid. Must follow doctor's advice.


Mdm B: Mak teringin sangat lah... macam kempunan.
Mr B: Mak nak apa?
Mdm B: Mak nak makan Lauk A, nak Lauk B, nak Lauk C
Mr B: Sekarang kan masih dalam hospital.
Mdm B: Makanan hospital tak sedap.
Mr B: Nanti besok orang datang, orang beli ok?
Mdm B: Doktor tak kasi.
Mr B: Nanti dah baik, dah keluar hospital, kita makan banyak-banyak ok?



Categories : The Short Story Series

​Lunchtime. 

Kawan: Nwar… hari ini engkau hendak makan apa?

Aku: Aku tidak tahu. Aku tidak rasa hendak makan apa-apa hari ini.

Kawan: Tidak lapar eh?

Aku: Not so.

Kawan: Time makan kena makan.

Aku: Engkau hendak makan apa?

Kawan: Apa-apa yang ada lah.. tidak cerewet. Engkau kalau hendak makan epok-epok, engkau beli dekat mana?

Aku: Old Chang Kee.

Kawan: Kalau Nasi Lemak?

Aku: Qiji. Dulu ada Ananas.

Kawan: Kalau nasi dengan lauk?

Aku: Yong Tau Foo. 

Kawan: Kalau nasi ayam?

Aku: Foodcourt. Bagus ke Cantine ke MyKampung ke.

Kawan: Engkau makan makanan Melayu bukan dekat kedai Melayu.

Aku: Kadang-kadang aku hendak juga makan nasi dengan lauk-lauk Melayu. Tapi….

Kawan: Ok hari ini engkau sapot kedai Melayu pula ok?

Aku: Hmmm… mana?

Kawan: Hendak makan nasi dengan lauk kan? Pergi kedai nasi padang sahaja.

Aku: Ok.


Kita pun berjalan ke arah kedai nasi padang. 


Makcik: Ya hendak apa anak?

Aku: Nasi. Makan.


Makcik pun cedok nasi.


Makcik: Letak apa?


Aku tidak selera makan sangat hari ini. 


Aku: Hmm… letak ayam goreng dengan sayur kangkung.

Makcik: Kuah?

Aku: Asam pedas.

Makcik: Lagi?

Aku: Itu sahaja.

Makcik: Sambal hendak?

Aku: Sambal belacan boleh.


Makcik bawa pinggan aku ke meja pembayaran. 


Aku: Berapa?

Makcik: Tujuh ratus lapan puluh empat ribu dua ratus tiga puluh sembilan ringgit enam puluh empat sen.

Aku: Terima kasih.


Aku bawa pinggan aku yang berisi nasi kuah asam pedas, kepak ayam gorend dan kangkung bersama sambal belacan duduk di meja makan. Aku teringat emak aku pernah cakap, dulu-dulu, kangkung boleh petik tepi longkang.


Kawan: Sedap?

Aku: Sedap. 

Kawan: Besok hendak makan apa?



Tags : The Short Story Series