Summer time - Bujang time!

Last night I was surprised by a question from LiL, “Is it true that men are happy when their families left them alone during the summer?”

I was driving, and the children at the back seats stopped their own chatter and went silent, awaiting my response. We left a friend's house about 11.30pm, having gone there directly after the YDP Agung’s birthday celebration. Ten other friends also converged there – having second round of Nasi Lemak dan Lontong brought back from the event.

click the logo to read about the YDP Agung event!

We spoke about topics men talk about. Nooooo!! Not sex. And Noooo!! Not football either. We did not talk about sex, serious! But we spoke about politics and its impact on individual rakyat and the future of our next generations. Serious topic! Different views were exchanged, and whenever the conversation got a bit too hot – one or two injected some humor. Serious, there were no sexy jokes either! The jokes were mainly about politicians and their broken promises.

One thing about my new found circle of friends which I find clinical is that they don’t talk about girls, or women or sex. Sometimes I wonder if it is because they think I will be offended – in which case, I want to reassure them I am a normal man. Other times, I wonder if they think I am too old to talk about girls or sex or topics yang sewaktu dengan nya. If that is the case I want to tell them, I am still young at heart!

I tried to prolong the silence. LiL kept looking at me urging for an answer. My children at the back seats have gone one stage further – they were pretending to be asleep.
So I resorted to the best trick I have up my sleeve. I answered her question with a question. “Why do you ask?” I glanced into the rear view mirror and I could see Luqman straining his ears wanting to make sure he did not miss anything.
“I noticed your ‘bujang’ friends were looking very happy just now!” She said.
Oh, so that was the reason. And I recalled that a couple of our ‘bujang’ friends actually arrived late and came in looking very cool in black T-shirt and even were wearing socks. Those two who normally go around with sandals were actually wearing leather shoes too. We were teasing them the whole evening, “Wah….pakai stoking….ada event dengan dayang-dayang istana pulak ka?”

Earlier at the YDP Agung's event both Lil and I overheard a group of men talking about their joy of being ‘free’ for a couple of months. One said, “Aku dah bujang, anak dan bini aku dah balek!! Semua pun dah boleh!” The other was heard saying, “Bini aku tak nak balek la pulak. Jenuih aku sughuih dah!” Noooo, I don’t know them. I think they were probably from Abu Dhabi or maybe from one of those effluent neighborhoods in Dubai. From their dialect I also guessed they were Oghang utagha la tu kut naa!

“Kenapa pulak men should be happy when they are left alone?” LiL persisted.
“I really don’t know la. I know I will miss you and the kids when you leave!” I said while overtaking a lorry. We were already passing the Global Village, only ten minutes before we reach home.
“Betul ka tu?” She asked, but she was smiling.
“Betul la…. kenapa la pulak nak curiga nya!” I squeezed her hand.
At the instant all three at the back seats said almost at the same time, “Betul ka tu ayah!”

Hahahaha…..macam ada konspirasi la pulak!

“Betul!!!” I said. My little laughter at the end of my responce made LiL glanced at me sharply.

Her last word as I parked the car in our garage, "Jangan nak over-over nanti bila I tak der!"

A few of my 'bujang' friends are coming to our home tonight to watch the Netherland / Russia semi final game live. LiL will be preparing 'Teh Tarik' dan keropok goreng. She may even join us watching the game. To my 'bujang' friends, "Better conceal a little of your 'happiness' guys!"

You may even talk about how lonely it can get to be left alone.

*wink!*