Isi minyak

This morning I stopped by a petrol station to fill up. It's the one that I go to because it's in the way thus convenient, I have a loyalty card and sometimes they serve free coffee in the morning. Tapi yang buat slacknya adalah layanan sub-zero dari the cashier atau pump attendant mereka. I always wonder why do people with no communications or interpersonal skills work at the counter. If you plan to live the rest of your life sulking and being nasty to others (tanpa mempunyai alasan kukuh seperti PMS ataupun menderita water retention disebabkan oleh PMS) then please do everyone a favor and go work in a place where you don't have to meet people. Like in a store, doing stock-checking. Or in a aquarium, as the one diving into the huge tanks to feed the sharks. Memang confirm tak boleh bukak mulut untuk mengeluarkan kata-kata yang kurang menyenangkan kerana nanti tertelan air.

I get annoyed with the pump attendants because they keep trying to sell you wipers and engine coolant even if you tell them that you don't need any at the moment. And be cockily arrogant when you start questioning them.

-Akak engine coolant ni kena tukar ni. Nanti brake hose pecah.
-Adik, apa kena mengena engine coolant dengan brake hose?
-Alaaa...akak perempuan, mana tau.
(Rasa macam nak backhand kan budak macam ni? Tapi saya hanya senyum dan suruh dia pergi main jauh-jauh)

Anyway today I went to that petrol station as usual and as I was queuing up I saw that budak ''engine coolant/brake hose'' at the cashier counter. Aisey ini mesti akan ada adegan siut sebab budak ni memang suka buat hal dengan aku. In front of me there was an old man standing to pay as well. Di dalam lingkungan 60an, berpakaian kemas, berambut putih. He was counting and mumbling about the rising price of petrol. And looked at me. I just nodded and agreed with him. He took out a loyalty point card which was not the one to be used at this petrol station. So I told him gently that he got the wrong card out. He looked at me and thanked me. And got out the right one. He smiled at me. I smiled back.

When it was the old man's turn to pay, he took some time to take out his money. Everybody in the line didn't seem to mind and just waited patiently. But the budak siut had to open his mouth and say something nasty.
-Cepat sikit pakcik. Ramai yang nunggu tu ha.
-Kejap ye nak. Pakcik nak keluarkan duit ni. Kunci kereta pun tak jumpa.
-Haiiii....pakcik ke tepi la dulu nanti beratur balik boleh tak?

At this point I had to open my mouth (sedikit sahaja sebab tak cakap banyak sangat) and told the kid to take a chill pill. I said to him that when he gets to this man's age he might just behave in the same manner as well. So rilek je la. And he glared at me.

Anyway by this time the old man had taken out some money and the loyalty point card in his right hand. He gave RM10 to the kid and said ''Merah." Budak siut bertanya kepadanya, ''Pam berapa?''. The man replied, "Entah. Tu ha yang tersadai kat luar tu.'' And grinned at the kid at the counter.

He was showing at his basikal Raleigh tua yang berwarna hitam. Kalau di kampung mak saya di Kuala Sepetang basikal jenis ini dipanggil basikal jantan sebab ada palang.

Oh. Orang gila rupanya.

Everyone queuing up was either smiling or laughing quietly or trying hard to hide one. But I just cannot tahan la. Terpaksa gelak terbahak-bahak bila melihat senyuman aku tidak bersalah pakcik tua tersebut and the kid's red face. Entah menahan marah entah menahan malu.

My day really started with a big smile!