Of Angpaus and more ...

Just came back from Penang from a rather nice and laid back Chinese New Year. It was as always, all about the food, the angpaus and of course the meeting up with old relatives you seldom see.

I must really say that the whole novelty of getting angpaus as the years pass is really starting to wear thin.

For one, it seems really paiseh and awkward for a working and grown up adult like me to still be receiving money for no apparent reason. Then there's also the underlying guilt that I probably should be the one giving out the angpaus.

So I did what was right this year. I refused ALL angpaus that were given to me and actually gave out some angpaus to the little ones.....

Yeah rightlar~! I refused my angpaus all right.... I refused them in this manner ...

Angpau giver ......: Here you go young man ....

Thick skinned me : Angpau ar? Oh no need lar this year... working ready mar (while taking angpau and pocketing it) . But I paiseh refuseleh. Thank you ar auntie. (while patting the angpau in my pocket)

Damn I'm shameless aren't I?

Eh kanasai .... it's impolite to refuse money lehhh ....

Anyway, another thing I noticed is that somehow when you're visiting relatives you see like once or twice a year, conversations can be quite a test on the nerves. I mean, it feels like you' re having the same conversation over and over again sometimes.

Me ..............: Hello auntie, Kiong Hee Fatt Chai

Kanasai auntie : Same to you. So what are you working as now?

Mea..............: Me?

*never mind the fact that I just told her a few months ago at our cousin's wedding. And never mind the fact that I just mailed her some Neurobion a few weeks back*

Me...............: Oh I'm a pharmacist auntie.

Kanasai auntie : OhHHH ..... You'r e a PHARMACEE ar? I see I see.

Kanasai .... I get that all the time man. Understandable that perhaps they're not so well informed in the English language, but then I get that from nurses and some times even doctors man.

See here. THIS is a pharmacy

THIS here is NOT a pharmacy. This is a pharmacist.

A rather retarded looking one at that ....

God forgive me should I sound really impatient, but then if someone kept calling you a pharmacy, year in year out, day in day out, wouldn't you get pissed off also ar?

How'd you like it if I talked to you lecturers and go ..... Oh so you're a lecture ar?

How about you biologists? ...... Oh you're a biology ar?

Then those poor rubbishmen? ..... Oh so you're a rubbish is it ?

Kanasai......

Okay, having said that, they usually go saying the word PHARMACEE like it's the most complicated word in the whole freaking world.

Me ..................: No no auntie, I'm a pharma-CIST. Pharmacy is where you go buy panadol when you're having a fever.

Kanasai auntie......: Huh?

Kanasai me..........: Never mind ....

Kanasai auntie.......: Oh ic ic, so you're a pharmaceelar. Actually ar, what is a pharmacee ar ?

Very-kanasai me.....: Auntie, a pharmacy is where you go buy ubat when you're sick

Kanasai Auntie.......: But you say you are a pharmacee?

Really-kanasai me...: *with great restraint* No auntie, I'm the person who works in the pharmacy . I'm a pharma-CIST.

Kanasai Auntie........: Yeahlar. I heard yoular. You're a PHARMACEE mar. So what do you do ar ?

Too kanasai me.......: Excuse me ar auntie, let me go to the kitchen so that I can bang my head on the wall again and again until I start bleeding...

Equally testing in the nerves department is when you finally explain to them the whole concept of the pharmacy thingy, then they talk to you like you're supposed to know everything in the bloody world.

Same kanasai auntie : Oh so you like doctor wan lar ? Give medicine one lar?

Me.....................: Erhm, no auntie, I only give medicine. The doctor is the one who asks me to give medicine.

Kanasai auntie........: Oh so you not doctorlar. Then how come you don become doctor wor? Same same what.

Kanasai me again.....: *with a little restraint* No auntie, it's a different type of job. I just give the medicines, but it's also in the medical line.

Kanasai auntie.........: I see I see, ohhh .... Then you sure know this lor. Eh your uncle ar, he just went to Institut Jantung Negara leh, the doctor said he go for bypass but then the heart ar not so strong ready one leh. They say his left heart the pump going to collapse liaow. So hor what other test must do to confirm this ar?

Me.......................: Erhmm … I'm not so sure bout that auntie.

Kanasai auntie..........: Huh?

Then she looks at me like that was the biggest sin I've ever committed.

Kanasai auntie..........: You don't know ar? But you're a PHARMACEE worrr....

At which point I thank God I was holding some cookies in my hand, otherwise she'd been strangled by a pharmacee.

Anyway, this Chinese New Year I noticed one thing. Angpaus are getting bigger...

The food spread is expanding every year ...

But my dear old granny is shrinking in size with each passing year. But my granny here is no pushover I tell you. She's the first grandmother I know who's pushing 80 and still does the garden every morning, sweeps the floor, does the cooking. And check this out.. she's so healthy she eats burgers, fries and various other oily stuff quite frequently .... and she's not on any medication.

Salute to you grandma ......

Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2008 ....