The Abah Story.

Last week (15 June 2014) was the father's day.
As expected, my timelines were flooded with praises and pictures of fathers. Everyone was trying to show how awesome his/her daddy was, like it was a race or something.
No. It was great to show appreciations especially toward father but too many of something was kind of like...hm...boring?
Nevertheless, some were sharing good stories, but others just to celebrate.

So,
for my story not to be engulfed by other stories, I waited one week to share about my Abah.
..and this is my story of Abah.

When I was a little snot, I was taught not to manifest my problems through facial dan behaviour expressions. Somehow, it makes me seem like I'm the one with no problems, a cheerful and happy-go-luck type of person. But as human, I also have my own issues.

Last week, I was in my lowest pit of morale. When all your efforts seem not to be in any fruition, you have nothing to feel except to feel down. But yet as a very good life actor i am, no one ever notice it.

Proceeding the story, my parents informed that they were going back to kampung on three-day weekend. So as for the weekend, there would be only me and my two sisters. Then a weird moment came in action.

"Will you please water the plants when I'm gone?"

Bizarred, Abah asked me a favour. It was weird because as a man, Abah never asked his sons any favour. Never. Especially when there were two of his daughters around. Why me? Why not asked my sisters as you always did?

"..and talk to the plants while you're watering them. It helps the plants to grow healthy and happy."

As a biology major, I never heard anything about talking to plant will make it healthier, or happier, or at least not scientifically proven. But as a good son I'm pretending to be, I agreed to water his garden while he's gone.

Day 1 (Friday).
I watered the plants just once before dusk, without talking to them. For me, it was unheard of to talk to plants. I might be mistaken as a crazy man with a sad love back story. Watering plants just took 10 minutes, which was for me it's okay.

That night I wondered, what if I give it a try.

Day 2 (Saturday).
I went to water the plants in the morning. While showering them with water from a pail, I tried to talk to them. From a simple topic like the hot weather, I realized I went too far when I was about to talk about my issues. Then I stopped. Never realized it already took 30 minutes of my time. I was too enjoying it.

That noon, as the soliloquy hit me, I couldn't deny that talking to the plants somehow eased me.

So that evening, second time for the day, I watered the garden again. This time I was all in. I talked mostly about myself and my problems. I complained about my luck. I carped like a carp. I even whined like a swine. Seriously, it effectively helped me ease my feeling.

Day 3 (Sunday).
As I was about to water the garden for the morning session, I realized something. The thing that made me felt ease was not talking to the plants, but to talk about the problems. It was nice having someone (something) to talk to, especially about problems and life issues. It might not solve the problems, but at least the problems was not being kept inside me and rotted.

For the last two sunday sessions, I kept it simple. I was just asking about the plants' conditions, touching their leaves, branches, roots just to make them felt appreciated. Being connected with nature somehow ease the sore inside me, and for that, I thanked them.

But mostly, I thanked my Abah for asking me the favour. I learned a life lesson; not to keep problems to oneself. Find a listener. Talk about your problems.

"How the plants? Did you watered them?" Abah asked right after his return.

"Of course I did-lah, Abah. I even sang to them."

I am not sure Abah asked me to do the chore on purpose but I would like to think that because he saw me in my lowest state that he would ask me to do it as to ease me. Maybe it's his little way to say that he cared.

For that, thank you Abah.
You may not the world greatest dad, but you definitely MY greatest dad.

Here's my drawing of you riding a shark, as you have always dream of.







Sebaldi aku berpeluh nak menulis dalam english.
Sekali-sekala tulis dalam english, memang penat otak nak kikis karat.
Maklumlah, hidup lama sangat dalam negara bangsa sendiri...hahahaha.

Kalau ada tersalah tatabahasa atau ejaan tu,
kalau nak betulkan, silalah.
Kalau nak buat bahan pun aku tak kisah.
Hidup kan satu proses pembelajaran. Gah Gah Gah!


post-scriptum:

Jumaat lepas Abah aku kemalangan motosikal di sebelah pagi. Alhamdulillah, dia selamat. Dia pengsan di tempat kejadian, dibawa ke hospital dan terima 14 jahitan di muka. Dapat MC 5 hari.

Tapi, yang bawa bebelan kepada emak aku ialah walaupun dia kemalangan sebelah pagi, tapi ahli keluarga tiada seorang pun diberitahunya. Dia melarang sesiapa hubungi keluarga semasa di hospital. Lepas keluar dari hospital, dalam keadaan badan dan tangan berbalut dan muka berjahit, dia ke pejabat dan sambung kerja dia macam biasa sampailah petang habis waktu pejabat baru balik. Kami di rumah hanya tahu bila dia sampai ke rumah selepas melihat keadaan dia. Dia juga sempat pesan dekat rakan sepejabat dia supaya jangan bagitahu ahli keluarga dia. Katanya, "Nak buat surprise!"

Emak aku merah muka tahan marah.

Doakan Abah sembuh cepat ya.




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