435. Ok daah bang..

I once worked in a posh indian restaurant,

where the nepalese chef wears high hat,

the crew wears tight skirt and the pay

is much higher.

we came to scan in by 4pm cause dinner serves at 5.

That day the owner's wife came working in too.

Its either she's worried about saturday's night

or she got nothing to do. ohh the great life of those

who are rich. U can choose whether to work..

or not.. wah wah wah!! lemak kamu!!

since the Madam of the floor is in the house,

i worked in a very much faster pace.

Well of course, she's the one who count our

total working hours by the end of the month,

have to show off and kipas a bit la kan.

the cabbage salad ready within the first 15 minute

of the hour, the carrot slice is extra fine today,

u can fit them in the needle hole. and the curry

is ready 15minute before opening.

All spick and Span ready to be served.

'kriiinnggg, kriiinnngggg' the phone rang.

distance talking in polite words.

'kletak' as the sound of the gagang

safely secured on the phone deck,

'Owner nak maaaaiiiii!!!'

shout one of the chef.. adoi! adoi! adoi!!

off we went rushing to the toilet,

clean everything again.

replace the toilet paper and fold it

to the redtangle shape u often found in hotels,

candle! where is the candle!!

Someone is wiping the floor with

cloth using her hands. The label was cleaned.

the rice was checked and then rechecked.

'jangaaan la mantah! jangaaan la mantah'

after everything checked and rechecked.

we sat down with 3 minute to opening.

Some customer was already wondering

around the entrance hoping that we would

let them in. oh no we wont!

with owner on the way,

we need all the extra minute to rest.

'pocket.. semua dah ok kan?'

the owner's wife asked.

'ok dah cik' shortly answered.

'konpom balik ngan chef..

semua dah ok dah kan?'

she starts to tremble, her hand shakes.

her knee was kept together like little

child keeping her wee wee.

'cik... tak per cik.. janganrisau,

semua dah ok dah' i tried to comfort her

'satgi abang mai, tak dak apa lagi yang tak

buat kan..' her lipst was trembling like little girl

about to cry... sucking the

hingus that was not there.

and then she cried. with her lips now

forming the upside down half moon,

she start to cry.

Cried like little baby crying.

with sound that something like

'wahaaaaaaa.. wahaaaaa..

ohee daaaahhhh ahang..

ohee daaahhh' was what she was shouting

out loud. something that i thought sounded

like 'ok dah abang.. ok daah'

the hand gestures freaks me the most,

she was grasping them together like she's

pleading for her life.

somewhat like the hand gesture when u greet

a chinese guy 'GongHeeFatchoy!'

ohh... the chef came hastily from the kitchen,

hold her by the hand and start to comfort her,

hug her, lead her to a chair back in the kitchen.

they were talking to her..

i could not hear them as one of the other chef

was handing me towel to clean the pee left

smeared on the floor.

As disgusting as it is, i did it.

as i was wiping with my hand,

kneeling on the floor... i was thinking

what made her terrified of her husband

so much that she cried like that?

demon oh demon away u be,

let this poor soul alone and happy

we are nothing but weak flesh of soil,

burnt by your blaze that brings the blood to boil.

now human, now human, how far can i be,

when u hold me dear till i cant be free,

practicing what i do till my pride is empty,

of the devil in you that have no pity