Agreed to lunch, or so I thought, at Greenlane McD with SK
and Al at 1.30pm today. Knew it would be jam cos it’s off school hour. Penangites,
we like to spice up traffic congestion during peak hours with the addition of:
a broken down car, a car bumped up against another one and an ambulance with the
siren on desperate to pass, all within a 5km stretch of a very straight road. I’ve
not been to the newly renovated McD. Thought it looks almost like an extension
of Penang Free School.
When SK and Al arrived not long after, they just walked to my car and demanded
I drive to somewhere nearby, saying they’ve promised to meet up with some
pretty girls, which I couldn’t care less. I was pissed with driving under the
mid-afternoon sun and protested vocally that I ain’t eating with no
air-conditioning but we’re on the move nevertheless cos I’m forever such a nice
guy. Now they said SK’s gotta pick his car up from a workshop. Upon reaching I
saw no car of his and was told to drive my car up to the porch of the workshop.
We got down and they asked the mechanic to check why my headlights were so dim
and what we could do about it. Only then that I realized all these are
premeditated – it was about me and for me. Light-heartedly I protested that I
ain’t gonna spend money on some dim headlights. SK and Al said they’ll be
willing to pay for it cos they were thinking more about my safety, and
sometimes … their safety too. I was slightly moved by the gesture but really, I
said, my dad asked me to change all four suspensions for 400 bucks or more cos
my car drives like a rickety rickshaw on Penang roads. SK said I can spend 300
bucks of my own money and they’d be willing to top it up to 400. I stayed under
the shade and everyone else had a car talk. I’m not a car buff. But with
engineer friends one can’t help having car buffs as friends. Everyone else is
driving a Vios so out of curiosity SK asked the current value of my car … um … let’s
just say … a more pioneering generation
of the Vios. After some calculation the mechanic says that my car can still
fetch a price of 5-6k. So after 8 years my beloved car has lost half its value.
Then the mechanic asked why we would want to sell off a reliable car like my
“old Vios” …. ahh … even though you’ve given me lots of trouble and haven’t
helped me in winning the heart of my imaginary lover … I still love you … my car
… my first generation Vios …
** 3 weeks ago the three of us had seafood at 好友, my treat … despite my
disappointment with the performance of my orchestral piece. On the way home it
rained heavily. There was a little leak at the back screen in my car, the
headlights were dim, and the wipers were crappy. I could hardly see the road
but I got everyone home safely. **
After the surprise stint at the workshop, I bought a tote
bag as a birthday present for my brother and drove him and Mon to the airport for
a fun trip to KL. I’m bored of spending money on myself or my car. To spend
money on your family and friends is ok. Sigh … come into my life my sweet imaginary
lover. I’d like to spend money on you. I’ve always wanted to …
