The Beh of Datuk Lat (pun intended)

Remember Kampung Boy?

I took to the highway first-time after the Hari Raya. A friend was grieving over his Dad's passing. I simply had to console him, knowing how sad I was letting go of my Mom. The guilt feelings that one had not done the best, yet there were circumstances beyond your control.

I had to recall the great times I had with mom, and be grateful for the 'ingenuity' I created. When Mom was alive, many years ago, it dawned upon me that my phone call brought her endless joy. So I said to myself, a call I can pay for, but my mom's voice is one I cannot buy.

So I set on this love-affair with my mom. I called her on the phone almost everyday. Someone asked me "what did you speak to your Mom about?. I can hardly hold a conversation without going blank on what else to say".

So I recommended him the book "What do you say after you had said Hello". Know what? I bought that book but had not read it.

So what did I speak to my mom that requires the soap sequel on the following day, and the next, and.. Simple. I listened to her, much of the time. I could hear her enthusiasm. When I heard her happiness, i would add in re-cycled moments about happiness I shared with her. Sometimes just about her food, her hair, her temperature, her breakfast, her dinner, her feet, her sarong (it is ok to jaga tepi kain sarong Mek, as we called her).

To add enthusiasm to the call, I egged my sons, and daughters to speak to nenek too, one after the other.

On another day, I would ask my children to call nenek first, just to let her know that they appreciated her and missed her voice, and not just because their dad passed the phone over to them.

I went to console my friend. To let him know that whatever had happened, we cannot unravel time. We just have to move on. Just think about the good deeds he had made and gladdened his dad. He will soon be fine. But most importantly, he, being a son, need to keep doing good deeds and do some in his dad's name, for the deeds of his dad ended the day he was brought to the grave, but the ajr accruing from his sons and daughters who make doa for him will perpetuate for as long as the children remember to perform these duties.

The highway would lead me to his kampung. I was trailing a van with a familiar caption written on the back, together with the phone numbers to call. Ahhh.. Datuk Lat had resorted to advertising his comics on this van, thought I.

As I got closer the caption became clearer, and it read "Kambing Boy". Kami sedia membekalkan susu kambing dan daging kambing.

Behhhhhh...

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