"Summer Bachelor's first day!"

The one hour waiting time at the check-in counter was a joy killer. A few times I was on the verge of shouting to the counter staff - but each time I turned to face my wife and she calmed me down. At one point she said, "Abang...your face look like you are ready to punch an elephant!" That was when the supervisor, a malay man came to me with both his hands held together to his chest gesturing apologies.

That little episode aside, I bid farewell to LiL and our three boys at the airport last night. They are now safely back home for a summer vacation. Today, I called her every one hour until I received an sms with a goodnight greeting. Eleven phone calls!!!

I wanted to know how was her flight, what did she eat, did she manage to sleep? I asked about their transit in Karachi, and how did the three boys cope with flying economy for the first time? Apparently, Luqman had asked "why we can't change the movie channels?" hahaha. I don't blame him - for all of his long haul travels until last night have been on business class. Well, previously our flights have been paid by my previous employer. This time, the new employer has given us the equivalent budget for business class travels but we have chosen to travel economy and save the difference to pay for the higher petrol price and other increased expenses while back home in Malaysia - negara Barang Naik! tercinta!!

"Back to basics! That will be good for him...otherwise he will be more spoilt!" LiL reasoned with me. Ermmm, with the situation in Malaysia nowadays, I think it is wise to prepare my children for hardship! So, back to basics is not a bad thing!!.

She is only gone for a day, and already I am missing her. The house is too quiet without Luqman! Coming home was without the usual cheek kisses, and the usual voices from upstairs responding to my salam! In fact, this morning when I slept again after the Fajr prayer, LiL was not home to wake me up for work. I overslept, and arrived in the office at 11am!

"I have dinner date tonight!" I called her after work while driving.

"Wow...so fast you get a date already? With who?" She laughed, but I know she was curious. Truthfully, I wanted to make her jealous.

"With a pakistani!" I said, avoiding to divulge more than necessary details.

But she knew my game! Hardly five minutes passed after the phone call, Adi called me, "Ayah dinner kat mana....?"

"Oh...Dinner kat restoren near Lamcy" I told him, then asked, "where are you?"

"I am on the way to Lamcy...nak beli kasut! Maybe I will drop by to say hello!" cakap Adi.

Coincidence?? Or was there a 'talian hayat' going on between mother and son??! Hehehe.

My date and I got to the restaurent at maghrib prayer time. We prayed together with other diners who arrived early. After prayer, I mentioned to my Pakistani friend Danish that my son was in the neighborhood.

"Why don't you call him to join us for dinner....."

Tonight, father and son had dinner together, treated to a Pakistani cuisine by a friend who wanted to cheer me up upon learning that I was feeling the blues of "summer bachelorhood".

Thank you Danish! ....And Congratulations on the arrival of your second daughter!