Message to all the women who're in love with STAR old boys!

"If you are looking for a ride through calm waters, don't marry a STAR old boy!"

"STAR is unique! Unlike some other institutions, STAR has been breeding wholesome men; men who knows how to enjoy life and unless you are on the same wave length (reads as equally lepak or cracko!), he is capable of spoiling yours (life) !"

"And if for some unknown reasons, you ended up marrying a STARIAN, then I can safely say, the things which are constantly annoying to you now are the exact same things which enchanted you to him in your carefree days! Contradicting the law of nature where most things change with time, STARIANs do not! It is your mistake Mrs Wives if you expect us to mature along with you and change! We joke when the situation call for us to be serious. We prefer a night out with our ex school buddies regurgitating the same old stories such as the one about our own Mat Hero kicking the winning points thrashing the Kolej Melayu in rugby final. When a family gathering gets a bit too serious for comfort, and in the presence of your parents, you can count on us to break the ice and bring some light moments. We wouldn't think twice about breaking wind out loud, and in all sincerity we would hope others would laugh! Trust us, it is never our intention to be impolite but we are so often misunderstood as rude, unpolished, and lacking social grace!"

"As wives to STAR old boys, it is encumbered upon you to defend us. For some reasons not yet understood, STARIANS believe the world have got most things about us all wrong and we are grossly a misunderstood lot!"

"Bear with us when occasionally we ask to borrow money from you! You see, in our younger days we used to share everything, that includes our pocket money. We were habitually 'broke' by spending on Sunday Matinees, Laksa sold from the back of Pak Pin's (after whom I was given my nickname of Pakpin) Raleigh, and Kacang from Muthu's Honda cup! On hindsight, I started to think there could have been some kind of conspiracy between the head boy and those peddlers! How else could one explain how those peddlers were allowed to come in and enticed us into spending the money we didn't have. We did enjoy the Nasi Lemak Kak Melah, but while most of us paid for them, a few managed to extend their hands through the crowd and walked away with another self justification why they deserved free lunches!"

"Dear Wives, Please do yourself a big favor by not expecting too much from us; materially speaking! We were the sons of farmers and fishermen and are happy to live moderately. BMWs or Bungalow on a hill are not really our scenes, we are way too modest for those worldly symbols. With us, it is the thought that count! We stress intention rather than execution. It is our intention to romance you when we invite you for a romantics dinner at Leha food in Taman Melati. We believe only pretentious insecure husbands burdened with guilt who bring their wives for candle light dinners at posh places!

Emotionally though, we can compete with anyone in loving you, through thick and thin.

Just when you thought that we have ran off with the neighbors' maids, we come back to you, tails between our legs maybe but we come back. We are really bad in breaking up our own marriages, although we are quite capable of causing havoc to someone else's marriage!

In that sense we are very loyal to our wives!!"

"You would be happier if you stop believing some of the bravado talks from STARIANS. There are amongst us who like to brag about our libido, affairs and the like; take my word for it, most of us lie! The truth is, STARIANS generally are not even capable of asking a woman for road directions without feeling awkwardly shy, what more to woo and date them. Only a handful are gifted in this arena; and the few whom I know are past their prime, age wise! Worry not, dear wives~! "

"Girls of today, if you are in your courting phase, and your boyfriends happen to be one of the STAR old boys, what I have written above does not necessarily apply! I am really talking about the STAR old boys when STAR was what it was! A school for winners from kampung across the country. A school who took pride in winning, and whose students were proud to be known as "Budak STAR!"

This posting coincides with the 1st of April...my license to 'fool' around a bit as pointed out by one of the readers~! Hehehe.

STAROBA: 35 years after...

"Jahat Tapi Cerdik!"

"Ha ha ha ha !" I laugh out loud seeing the above picture. Only STARIANS could come up with something as hilarious as that! The slogan makes a bold statement about who we are "Budak STAR!" I could visualize HM Pak Ya saying those very words about STAR boys, in hindsight of the infamous demonstration. I can also visualize certain STAR old boys turned politicians living the very spirit of the phrase. Afterall, doesn't they say that in politics, you need to be a little bit of both to survive! But on this particular score, I will leave to the politicians amongst us to comment.

I came across this photo in Nuar Hassan's FB albums. Thank you for sharing many wonderful moments of STAROBA everywhere, with STAROBA everywhere!

Once I stop laughing, the tag line makes me reflect...

"Jahat!" The word when taken by itself does not reflect generalization of Budak STAR accurately. "Nakal!" would be a better descriptive. "Mischievous" is also quite true, not too different from Dennis the Menace character in Beano comics.

The era I was in STAR, it was the era of 'Dandy', 'Beano', and 'Mad' Magazines. Without the benefit of an extensive behavioral research, I dare take a risk in saying that those magazines had some influences on us.

"Cerdik", to me is a notch higher than 'Bijak'. I like 'cerdik', and I think it describes most of 'Budak Star' very well (Typically 'perasan' type that we can be!) 'Cerdik' is both intelligent and cunning!

The 'perasan' does not last too long. I then ponder a little more...

Yes, STAR days shape us! Yes, STAR memories, stay with us. Yes, going down the memory lanes, warms our hearts! I can go on to list all the 'Yes(ses)' and convince myself that the world should have stood still and let us live those days in the past - happy and carefree! Even lulls us into a dreamy world of 'Hippies', 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna', bell-bottom trousers and the Bee Gees!

Then I remember this quote, "The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be!”

And I reflect on conversations amongst 'Budak Star' whenever we meet at re-unions; whether its is a chance meeting at a wedding, or at organized functions such as the 'Majlis Jamuan' as announced by the banner in the picture.

Going down memory lanes itself is not a problem, to the contrary, it is healthy! However, bringing everything back to the past, is denying the possibilities that people may have changed. Three decades is a long time for us to unlearn some of the negative traits, and to learn and develop better and new ones. The evil eyed, mischievous Dennis the Menace may have developed into a man who have graduated from a few schools of hard knocks. A man re-defined!

In my humble opinion, there is a difference between 'Enjoying & Leveraging the past' and 'Re-living the past!'

I am all game and fun for enjoying the past, and leveraging our alliances to benefit each other, STAR, and the society, for the present and the future.

That is where I draw the line and my pondering stop...

Thirty five years after, I am a product of STAR who have benefited from aging. As an 'orang tua' I no longer wish to be known as an orang 'Jahat!' I want the 'Cerdik' side of me to take over and lead me to 'Jalan yang lurus!'

Another page from STAR!

The past few nights I have been going through the STAROBA official website from cover to cover. So much nostalgia, so many stories told, and secrets unfolded. Even when I was reading funny stories of old, I was biting my lips holding back emotion. Yes, we the STAR boys have 'Been there and done that!" Whether re-written by 'super seniors' or 'juniors', I related to every account of rules broken, every ring of the bells, every mentioned of teachers' names. I was there, and STAR is still very much here. In my heart!

I was low profile then, achieving 'cukup2 makan' in exams and participated just enough in sports to escape being called a 'bodger!' I didn't break too many rules, but I joined a few of the 'crooks' for an occasional smoking session simply to be known as 'rugged' to ward off a couple of seniors who had made advances with intention to treat me as a 'jambu'.

What ever they saw, I was darn certain of one thing, 'jambu' I was not! My tactical move of joining the 'crooks' and to be seen as a 'rugged' was effective. To further convince the persistent one or two, I enrolled myself into the under 15 rugby squad! Little did I knew then, it was the rugby players who were mainly, 'manly'!

Although I didn't want to be known as a 'Jambu', I was conscious not to be labelled as a 'Jebon!' Even at a young age, I was acutely aware of organizational dynamics and psychology. A 'Jebon' was not just the opposite of 'Jambu', it was downright degrading! The stigma might have eroded the self-esteem of a few, way into their adult life, prompting them to over-compensated by marrying more than one wife!! Errr, could this be a theory which can be used to justify? Maybe not! hahaha, so just forget it lah!

During my form 4 / 5 years of 1974 & 1975, I was pretty active in co-curriculum activities. My moderation turned out to be an asset; not many considered me as a threat. I was elected to the committees of a few clubs; memorable were the Science club and the BM club! As it turned out, I was announced as the best student in BM for MCE 1975! Thank you Cikgu Yang Razzali!

STAR built my character. Among others, STAR taught me that it was okay to share; we shared toothpaste and a packet of instant noddle, we shared 'joke beruk' and 'petai jeruk', we shared our joys and our sorrows! We were brothers we didn't want to admit!

On my second day in STAR, I nearly had a fight when an equally new arrival who sat on my bed and made my 'cadar berkedut!' During my final years, he and I rarely had moments when our shirts, trousers, what more cadar were not 'berkedut'. We were 'rugged' and berkedut was stylish! I met him last August when I went back to Malaysia for a brief vacation, I didn't get it at first when he laughed to my face while touching my shoulder. Then he said, "Hang pun dah berkedut! Aku ingatkan dok negara Arab tak berkedut!"

It was just what we needed to throw out formalities and awkwardness after years of physical absence, even if emotionally we have been under each other's skin!

It is funny what we remember of our dear old friends! Two weeks ago, a certain member of red house one year junior to me, came over for Umrah and with some connections via the TKC-OGA we got to meet. His wife and mine happened to be classmates in TKC, and they both decided long time ago that STARIANS were better lovers than MCKK boys! (Amran Rejab, pls note!) From afar, when I first saw him, despite not having met since 1975, I instantly recognized his walk! Of all the things, and after all these years, I remember the way he walk! Then after he greeted me, I remember his voice!

While having coffee, he quipped, "Pak Pin, hang masih funny macam dulu2 jugak!"

'Being Funny' happens to be what he remembers of me!

If I were born again and get to re-live those years in STAR, would there be any thing I would do differently? Nice thought, and one which makes me grinning at the possibilities. I am a sucker for happy ending, and would close this recollection with those thoughts. At least in my mind, I would get a second chance to be a Head Boy, move over Azlan, and I would be forcing my way to the touch line in rugby final with MCKK playing as the fearless wing forward wearing the famous white jersey worn by Jalil Yaakob!

Alas...in the end, it is not the what if's which makes memories of STAR linger on into the sunset of our ages; it is the what have been! I am what I am today because of what I have been through between that space of six years, with everyone who was there as he was! Ah, that includes Miss Pearly, Kak Melah, and anak dara Pak Hasan too, so I just need to be more aware in not being too gender specific!

As a last note, I finally found out who stole my rugby jersey! Hahaha. I shall not name him here, but all is forgiven since we are, after all, brothers~!

Found this too...! :-)

Saya Budak STAR

Blog Old Boys

Written by Ariffin Mamat

Tuesday, 14 April 2009 00:00

As the train pulled into station, I joined a disorderly queue rushing up to one of the three coaches marked "Reserved - STAR - Pantai Timur." From experience, I knew there will be enough seat for everyone, so except for making sure I was at a distance where I could get on-board should the whistle blow I was quite relaxed. The more senior amongst us responsibly helped the more junior ones with their bags and ushering them to seats. The more cute the juniors, the faster they got helped!! Ironically, the younger boys were seen carrying much bigger bags than us seniors. I was in form four then! I thought to myself, "Must be gifts for everyone at home - perhaps they even packed one or two Limau Tambun and a dozen packs of Kacang Menglembu!" I smiled, as I recalled those similar acts during my earlier years.

Home bound train rides at the end of every school term was something I always looked forward to! Long before the term finished, the more adventurous amongst us would have been writing letters to our counter parts from TKC, or Sekolah Perempuan Kolam Air, or STF. Counterparts could be in the form of similar examination number, or a prefect sending to another prefect, or a soccer player to a netball captain etc. A few used friends to intiate the introductions. So when the train ride begun, we waited with abated breath for stops at Kuala Lumpur ( Kolam Air ), and Seremban ( TKC ) and Gemas ( to be joined by our country cousins from STF ). I didn't belong to those groups who had 'girl-friends', however I belonged to a group of wide eyed silent and envious observers who pretended not to care but who was watching every moves made by our more adventurous friends. All the same, term after term I anxiously waited for the train ride home....in the hope that luck would be with me and a cute girl from TKC, or Kolam Air or STF would smile in my direction and gestured for me to go seat next to her.

Alas.....

In my six years, which translated to 36 train rides to-and fro, the closest I ever got was when a girl with a crew cut hair came and sat next to me when I was having a hard-boiled egg and a cup of tea in the train canteen. I wanted to smile back, but egg yolk was sticking all over my teeth, I thought it was best to keep my mouth shut! She was later joined by another girl who came to stand next to her and kept glancing at me with some kind of body languages so apparent that even a half-blind man would understand ~ she wanted me to buzz-off and vacate the seat for her! Less by intention to be a gentleman, but more by a hidden motive to impress the girl with the crew cut hair, I actually got up and vacated my seat while still trying hard to swallow the last few crumbles of the hard boiled egg. In return, I did get the sweetest of smile from her....the girl with the crew cut hair!

Whenever I arrived in Kuala Krai, the station where I disembarked every time - my uncle was always there waiting for me. He would offer to carry my bags to his rickshaw. I always made a point to let him carry any bags except my STAR school bag - a white bag with the school badge proudly and prominent printed on one side of it, and with the words Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ipoh scribed in a semi-circle just below it. That bag would hang from my shoulder, and always with the printed side facing outwards. I was a proud 'Budak STAR' showing off to every girl in Kuala Krai and all the way to my uncle house in Gucil of my status - "A STARIAN". Judging from the outcome, none was impressed. I did not get any favourable second glance. Even the dullest amongst them did not show any interest to know who was the sunken eyed boy with unkept hair and egg yolks sticking to the side of his mouth.

My boy friends in kampung however were always keen to listen to my stories - about my train rides and how the girls from the all girls boarding school would date us from STAR during those journeys. Throughout the years, I learned to spice up my stories so as not to lose my audience. One of my friends actually got so inspired he persuaded his parents to send him to a vocational school in Mentakab Pahang after his LCE with single objective to experience the train rides. One little problem was, he actually took my stories about dating literally and tried to en-act the same. He got into deep depression because he thought he was a loser since nothing close to my stories ever happened to him. Out of a rigging sense of guilt and nudging sense responsibility, I explained to him that I made up most of my stories in previous years.

He recovered. I knew he truly recovered when one day during a train ride home when we were in form five, he searched for me once he came on board in Mentakab and by his side was one of the prettiest damsel I ever seen during all of my previous train rides. She was tall, had dark flowing long hair, big eyes, and a smile which shook my heart to a rhythm I never knew existed. I was in danger of falling in love with my best friend's girl friend. I came to understand later in life when we had a session of a group confession at one of the old boys' meeting that almost all of my friends had fallen head over heels in love with any girl who made a mistake of smiling generously at them.

We were 'Budak STAR', we needed help with our social grace especially when it came to being in the company of girls.

Fortunately, we were also fast learners. I stopped eating hard-boiled eggs during train journeys. Instead I learned to bring things I could offer to girls as a form of ice-breakers such as chewing gums or scented facial tissues. I was encouraged by the results and made the mistake of sharing my experience with a few of my friends. Whoaallaalalaa, the next thing I knew, during the next train ride a whole bunch of STAR boys were handing out chewing gums to unsuspecting girls from TKC, Sekolah Kolam Air and STF.

As fate has it, I ended up marrying a girl from TKC. And I have been having a ball of a time trying to win her over on daily basis - so much so I suspected they actually taught in TKC on how to play hard to get!!

Ariffin Mamat, batch 75, is a typical success story of STAR. Popularly known as Pak Pin he has held various senior positions with Texas Instruments, Unilever Asia Pacific and Unilever Middle-East Africa. He currently resides in Jeddah.

If you know her...she died tonight!

It is with deepest regret, shock and sorrow, I am sharing the news of the sudden departure of Ruby Ahmad. She passed on to meet her Creator tonight, at the Gleneagles Medical Center, KL.
Innalillah hi wa inna illai hi ra jiun...Al Fatihah!
Our condolences to her beloved family!
I am sure her departure is mourned by thousands of her friends and fans from all over the world!

Sama2 lah kita berdoa semoga roh beliau bersama para Solihin.....

Her blog here.

Ruby that I came to know through blogging a few years ago has always been a cheerful, friendly, and kind hearted person. I always find her enthusiasm as contagious, and her smile so heart warming. May God Bless you Ruby! Keep on smiling...

Test Market~!

Pak Uda Karman merenung jauh ke luar tingkap pesawat. Kehijauan ladang kelapa sawit semakin sayup dari pandangan. KLIA di tinggalkan, begitulah di tinggalkan juga isterinya Mak Uda Salmah bersama tiga anak-anak belasan tahun. "Abang pergi dulu test market di Dubai tu macam mana, jika okey nanti abang bawak lah Sal dan anak-anak!" Begitulah kata Pak Uda Karman kepada Mak Uda. Penerbangan ke Dubai demi mencari rezki di perantauan. Pak Uda Karman mendapat peluang bekerja di Dubai pun secara tak sengaja. Di suatu hari dia memasukkan 'Resume' nya ke website agensi pekerjaan di Timur Tengah. Waktu itu, Mak Uda datang duduk di sebelahnya, bertanya, "Abang buat apa tu tekun sungguh nampak?"

Pak Uda Karman menjawap, "Ni hah, abang test market, saja masukkan resume ke website ni, mana tau ada rezki di Timur Tengah pula!"

"Eh ada kah orang nak employ orang dah tua macam abang tu?" Pertanyaan Mak Uda Salmah ihlas, tetapi di dengari oleh Pak Uda Karman bagaikan satu perli yang pedas. Isu usia sememangnya isu sensitif, apa lagi Pak Uda baru saja melewati mercu tanda usia lima puluh tahun! Sehari sebelum ulang tahun hari lahir, Pak Uda secara diam-diam telah ke salon dan mewarnakan janggutnya yang sejemput itu berwarna hitam. Tidak ada seurat pun lagi yang putih! Sebaik dia pulang, Mak Uda tercegat bercekak pinggang di pintu, 'Amboi amboi...buang tabiat kah bapak nya ni!"

Pak Uda cuma terkebil-kebil, sambil tersenyum hambar dan berkata, "Usia jer tua, tak semesti nya kita pun terikut nampak dan rasa tua!"

Pak Uda terus melayari saat-saat bersama Mak Uda, dan bagaimana dia sekarang berada 30,000 kaki di udara menuju ke Dubai buat pertama kalinya.

"Abang jaga diri di sana nanti! Jangan pulak nak test market dengan Minah-Minah Arab di sana!" pesanan terahir dari Mak Uda tak kala bersalaman tadi.

"Eh, tak kan lah abang nak test market pulak. Lagi pun siapa lah yang hendakkan orang tua macam saya ni!" Pak Uda menggunakan balik ayat2 Mak Uda.

"Awak tu memang suka test market! Buka saya tak tahu! Janggut tu biarkan lah putih bang....tak baik kaler2 hitam begitu!" pesan Mak Uda, sambil mengusap2 janggut Pak Uda.

Anak-anak datang bersalaman, tidak berkata apa-apa.

"Jaga diri masing2. Dengar cakap ibu!" pesan Pak Uda kepada anak bujang nya yang sulung dan dua anak-anak perempuan.

"Ye lah...bapak pun dengar cakap ibu tu...jangan dok test market di sana nanti!" sampuk anak perempuan bongsu. Dia tersenyum, mengilai kecil sebelum melangkah masuk ke dewan berlepas.

Sejak ahir-ahir ini, memang Pak Uda sering juga di serang keinginan mencuba. Apabila asyek di cabar oleh Mak Uda kerana selalu saja tewas apabila bersama, dia terus kehilangan mood.

Bahkan, senjatanya yang dulu pantang di sentuh pasti bingkas berdiri, kini bagaikan getah paip tidak berisi air, terkulai lemah. Di sentuh, di geletek, di pujuk pun sama saja! Puas lah juga Mak Uda berbedak, berwangi-wangian, berbaju kelawar baru, masih juga Pak Uda tidak menunjukkan minat. Jika tidak ingatkan malu kepada diri sendiri, teringin juga Mak Uda mencuba teknik yang selalu di syorkan oleh Puan Kiah, janda yang baru berkawin dengan suami orang itu. Tapi, tak terbuat oleh Mak Uda. Setiap kali dia ingin mencuba, baru saja dia membuka mulut dia terasa malu dan jijik.

"Eh Mak Uda anggap jer lah mende tu ice cream! buat jer, pasti suami suka!" Begitulah Puan Kiah janda bercerita, sambil memuncung-muncungkan mulut nya bagaikan membuat demonstrasi!

"Tak mahu lah aku Kiah! Kamu tu jika pandai sangat kenapa di ceraikan suami kamu dulu tu!" Sebiji Mak Uda bagi terus ke muka Puan Kiah janda.

"Eh Mak Uda ni. Bukan dia ceraikan Kiah lah, Kiah yang tinggalkan jantan tu. Mana tahan, asyik asyik kita jer bagi dia puas, dia tak peduli pun keperluan kita! Dah lah begitu, Kiah tangkap dia bercinta pula dengan perempuan lain!" Puan Kiah menjelaskan.

Pak Uda terlena, mulutnya terlopong kepalanya melenggok ke tingkap pesawat. Pramugari melihat Pak Uda agak kesejukkan, menyelimutkan nya. Tak kala itu, Pak Uda terjaga, tetapi terus pura-pura tidur. Terasa seronok di hatinya di selimuti begitu oleh pramugari jelita tadi. Berdetik di hatinya untuk test market dengan pramugari tadi. Dia melihat jam di tangan, dan mencongak. Ada 4 jam lagi sebelum mendarat. Sempat lah sekadar test market tu, fikirnya.

Dia bangun untuk ke tandas. Di dalam bilek air kecil pesawat, Pak Uda memberus gigi, menyikat rambut, dan merapikan janggutnya. Sempat juga dia mencabut dua urat bulu hidung yang terkeluar menari-nari. Dia senyum! Melihat senyuman nya sendiri di cermin, membuat dia berpuas hati! "Manis masih ada!" bisik hatinya.

Pak Uda kembali ke tempat duduk dan menekan button memanggil servis dari pramugari.

Dengan senyuman pramugari tinggi lampai bersanggul berbangsa melayu datang menghampiri. Pramugari yang tadinya menyelimuti Pak Uda, semakin manis. "Time to test market!" bisik hati Pak Uda.

"Pak Cik, boleh saya bantu?" Kata pramugari.

"Apa pulak pakcik? Nama saya Karman!" Kata Pak Uda yang terasa bagai dipotong stim dengan panggilan 'Pakcik'.

"Oh maafkan saya Pak Cik Karman! boleh saya bantu?" Ulangi pramugari tadi, menjeling ke arah penumpang lelaki muda di sebelah Pak Uda yang tersenyum sinis.

"Tak per lah. Bring me one packet of kuaci please!" Mendengus suara Pak Uda, bukan marah tetapi kecewa!

"Kuaci tak de lah pak cik! Peanut boleh?" kata pramugari.

"Peanut pun peanut lah!" Kata Pak Uda yang sudah hilang sabar.

Setelah pramugari beredar, Pak Uda merungut kepada lelaki muda di sebelahnya, "Apa lah kapal terbang ni, kuaci pun tak der! Ingat kita ni monyetkah nak di berinya peanut!!"

Lelaki itu hanya tersengih dengan senyuman, tidak menjawap. Agaknya, dia tidak berani berkata-kata kerana tahu yang 'Pakcik' di sebelahnya sedang berang.

Ketibaan di Dubai di sambut oleh wakil dari majikan, seorang wanita Filipina yang berdiri di ruang ketibaan memegang poster tertulis namanya. "Mr. KRASMAN" Terbeliak mata Pak Uda membaca nama nya yang telah di eja begitu rupa! "Nak kena budak ni!" bentak hati kecilnya.

"Welcome Mr Krasman! My name is Lolita, and I will take you to your hotel" Berkata wanita itu dengan nada riang. "Errrmm, manis!" bisik hati Pak Uda. Sepanjang perjalanan, Lolita bercerita tentang Dubai; cuacanya, penduduknya, bangunan tinggi-tinggi nya, dan sebagainya. Pak Uda pula melayan fikiran nya yang berkecamuk; "Nak test market ka dengan si Lolita ni atau tidak". Jika di lihat dari bentuk badan, boleh tahan walau pun muka nya tak lah se cantik si pramugari tadi. Bahkan Mak Uda lagi cantik, sekurang-kurangnya gigi Mak Uda tersusun cantik dan masih original, bukan seperti si Lolita yang agak jelas bergigi palsu! Tak semena-mena Pak Uda bersuara, "Where you sleep tonight?"

Terkejut juga si Lolita dengan soalan itu, namun dia menjawap dengan skema, "Oh in my bed, in my house, beside my husband!"

"Set, Game and Match! Game over!" bisik hati Pak Uda. Nampak friendly macam boleh, tapi dah kawin rupanya. Dia cuba cover line, tetapi fikirannya agak lembab, mungkin kerana pertukaran udara yang begitu panas membakar di luar tadi.

"And Mr. Krasman, you should not ask any woman with that kind of question here especially to local ladies, they can report you to police!" Nasihat si Lolita apabila perasan yang lelaki di sebelahnya di dalam limosin itu agak miang.

"Oh, cannot test market here?" Tanya Pak Uda.

"You are too old already for that Mr krasman!" Direct jer jawap si Lolita.

"By the way, why you write my name as K R A S M A N? My name is KARMAN!" Tanya Pak Uda Karman yang dari tadi agak kurang senang dengan ejaan itu.

"Don't know. But your secretary from Malaysia sent us that spelling for your name!" Jawap si Lolita.

Huh, Pak Uda teringatkan secretary lama nya yang telah berkali-kali dating, tetapi belum berjaya berbuat apa-apa. Bukan kerana si secretary tidak sudi, malah telah bersedia di bilik tidur menunggu, tetapi kerana Pak Uda tidak dapat menghunus senjata. Secretary itu juga lah yang telah memberitahu rahsia untuk menguatkan kembali tenaga lelaki, "Abang Karman makanlah buah kuaci! banyak-banyak!! Jika boleh buat powder masukkan ke dalam air ye bang!!"

"Your hotel is here Mr Karman! I will be here at 8am tomorrow to take you to the office!" Kata si Lolita apabila limosin mereka memasuki kawasan hotel Crowne Plaza di Sheikh Zayed road.

"And, I suggest you take a good rest Mr Karman and no need to test market here. The market is for younger men, those with less stomach and more hair!!!"

Pak Uda menarik begnya keluar dari Limosin dan mengucapkan selamat malam kepada Lolita.

"Errrrmm, nasib baik aku bawa bekal kuaci lima kilo! Nanti kau Lolita, satu hari nanti dengan kamu tu aku test market!" Kata hati Pak Uda!