SIBLINGS 21: INTO A NEW WORLD

From left: Amalina and Lin

This evening (20.05.2009), Lin and Amalina paid a courtesy visit to us. Lin drove her mother’s car with Amalina as the sole passenger. Both Lin and Amalina are grand daughters of Salleh Khir and both of them has done well in their 2008 SPM Examination. Lin was offered a place in the University Malaya to pursue a Foundation Course in Biological Science while Amalina would continue her tertiary education in UITM Shah Alam in the Foundation Course for Law. Lin would travel down to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow while Amalina would follow a day later.

In fact in Alor Setar, there was a flurry of activities for both of the girls’ parents. Lin’s mother Rohani has drawn a complete list of items needed by Lin which should be pre bought in Alor Setar. The lists include different types of slippers according to its difversity of usage. Then there were the cloth hangers that could accommodate the dress turn over of about three weeks without washing. Even a pair of pails for washing purposes should be bought in Alor Setar.

On the other hand, Amalina’s mother Noraini has also over stretched her aching body in the event of buying spree for Amalina’s needs. As expected, Amalina’s father, Wan Mansor has shown his anxiety as the parting day for Amalina is coming nearer and faster. His anxiety was reflected clearly when Wan Mansor without realizing it, took away my certified true copies apparatus instead of the documents concerned. As the parting days for Amalina are coming nearer, so does the state of Wan Mansor’s mind which is getting more unbalanced in his focus.

It was a melancholic atmosphere at my house as both girls bade farewell to us as both of them are very closed to both of us. Coming next week, both of them will enter into a new world on their own as compared to our meagre preparations for our admission into the new world 43 years ago.

We were thrown into the new world without any parental guidance with only a traveling bag that could accommodate dresses for the turning over of only three days. One multi purpose pail would cater for the whole dormitory while talcum powder would hide our lack of washing capabilities. Boiled eggs and sagun were the only fast foods that accompanied us to Kuala Lumpur if ever they could survive the gruelling journey south. Other wise they could only survive the journey up to Kokbah Station only.

Time has changed for the better as both girls would be over equipped by their respective parents arming them with various ammunitions to face their new worlds. Maybe their parents themselves were not well equipped to face the new world of their daughters. Lastly, we do sincerely pray for the blessings of Allah for guidance and in ensuring success for both of the girls in their pursuit of their chosen endeavours into the new world. Insya Allah.

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