Last Sunday I went into the trouble going to Banting to see my childhood friends celebrated as husband and wife. The reception was so good, it's supposed to be along the beach but only pokok bakau can be seen as far as my sight went that day...hehe... I loved the wind. Something about beaches really get me going.
Amrah + Abu + I went to the primary school together, although Am came in late in the picture in standard 5. Abu came in... oh I don't remember.... standard 2??? I had been in Banting since I was 6. But Am + I went to same high school, Abu went out to South Africa. Even he was not around, we still received news of him through his family. Some years later, Am went to UM and I USM. Abu was still abroad. My family moved to Shah Alam, Am's to Baling, Kedah - leaving Abu's still in Banting. I didn't hear anything of Abu again. All of the sudden, I heard Abu + Am got engaged but that wasn't made public to friends. I found out about it through my mom when she visited Abu's dad in hospital (car accident) and at his house again afterwards. Oh yeah I was pissed off since I've known them practically my whole life. And Am + I have been in contact. But then I realized that maybe we were not so close anymore to be receiving news like that....
Anyway, it took me over an hour from Shah Alam to get there. The road was fine except for minor bumps here and there. Minor as it sounds but my precious kancil won't survive it in little over a month! Kancil...what do you expect. Needs all the extra care it can get.
I wasn't alone. I have Ammar and Anuar (friends, don't get any ideas please) to keep me company. We arrived early. I was hoping to see Am before the perarakan + kompang + crowd + flashes of camera + etc. Also I was hoping that Abu would recognize me after all these years - we were neighbours once and his family was a close family friend of mine. I saw his brother running around helping out but sadly even though he walked past me so many times he didn't know who the hell I was. I kinda expected that since we didn't spend so much time together then. I was also looking to meet Khatijah but then I didn't know how she looked like now. I found someone who looked peculiarly like Abu's mom but decided not to say hi since she was attending the guest at the makan table.
I didn't know where Amrah was (Ammar was making faces...hahaha!!). So I had to make them wait. After all, I held the car keys.
Not until later all my former primary school's friends popping up. Some I didn't have the slightest idea who they were. Some looked familiar but couldn't remember the names. Azhar!! I remember you now. You've grown so tall!!! Erk... last time in standard 6 you were this tiny cute little thing with sepet eyes. And then all my former high school friends showed up.
Ame was there too with her mom. I was SO GLAD to see her since I missed her wedding - I still have the most uncomfortable feeling in the world for that.
Now she's another story. After catching up they decided to go to see Am in some house I did not know. I made Ammar and Anuar followed... *evil laughs*...
So I saw the bride and groom in cream colored baju pengantin. They look so good together. People there was so wanted to salam her and tell her how beautiful she looked (she was!). They were about to go with the kompang team so I didn' t want to make her nervous or panic or things like that so I kept quiet and watched from the side. Just about when the kompang theme started the chants and everything to start the walk, Am came through the people in front of me and hugged me and a few people around me. Neddless to say I was touched.
Then she got back to Abu's side and I saw Abu looking at me. I couldn't help smiling thinking he must've been shocked to see me there... it was amusing. There I was, the girl who always needed a ride to school, and a ride back home back, in his dad's car. The girl who once lived next door. The girl who came to his house during raya all the time. The girl who threw a stone to his brother once while he looked on stunned, she foolishly thought was protecting baby Ammar (wonder if there's a scar because she made somewhere on his forehead bleed - didn't get to meet Umar up close - he was running around all over the place). And there he was, a grown man now, married to a good woman, and was obviously couldn't wait to live the rest of his life together with her. The couple was made in heaven. I gave a nod of assurance and good wishes from where I was standing and he gave one back; and smiled. It was a good feeling. What a better way to reconnect the bond of a long lost friendship. I'm so glad our paths crossed. And I'm lucky to have mine crossed with these wonderful people's.
It was a good Sunday. On our way back, we stopped at the beach and eat ice creams and found Wawa and her fiance there! What a nice surprise. Now that's another wedding in to look forward to. We chatted a little and waved goodbyes and parted.
Ammar and Anuar slept in the car on the way home. I was listening to the radio and the songs were oh so coincidently romantic. They fit so well with the theme of the day - wedding!
It was a good Sunday.
