Crazy Conversations.

Conversation 1
A few days back, I was at Gurney Plaza's MPH bookstore browsing through the multiple racks and shelves of books, stacked orderly and neatly, at the Fiction section of the bookstore. I was actually there, looking for this month's issue of DCM but was distracted by Tuesdays With Morrie (Mitch Albom) at the "This week's bestseller" section when I walked in. It so happens I was halfway through my copy of Tuesdays With Morrie that week and I was just being a busybody to check out the wrapped new copy of the book on top of the shelve. I moved further and saw other publications of Mitch Albom's work. I've heard of them before but never actually bothered to go buy them. It was only natural for me to pick them up and glance through the back cover to see what critics it received and what not.

They had numerous stacks of Albom's work arranged attractively at the glass display, on the table and on the floor with posters of it all over the sides of the glass that greeted the passing shoppers outside. They had Jodi Picoult arranged at the another side also. I was just looking around to waste time before checking if this month's issue of DCM has arrived yet - I like my copy fresh from the oven. I was reading the back cover of Jodi Picoult's Keeping Faith when I noticed these two typical Chinese guys entering the bookstore. They totally didn't look like they're coming to hunt down another heartwarming bestseller novels to spend the weekend with because they had their eyes on the magazine section.

The 1st guy was wlaking past the Fiction section, where I was at, when he also noticed Mitch Albom's Tuesday With Morrie. He walked into the section and held up the copy of the book among other titles like The Five People You Meet In Heaven and For One More Day and stared at it for a brief moment while his friend tailed his back and looked over his shoulder. Obviously, I couldn't help but to eavesdrop, considering I was just a foot away from them, while pretending to be so interested with the book I was holding. Of course, they were speaking in Hokkien.

Guy 2 : Haven't you read that book before?
Guy 1 : Yeah, I had. I borrowed it from a friend.
Guy 2 : So? Is it a good book?
Guy 1 : Ok also lah. Not bad. The book isn't as thick as other books. (he throws the book back)
Guy 2 : Then you want to buy now?
Guy 1 : No lah. You should read it too.
Guy 2 : Maybe I will. Such a small book only.
Guy 1 : Doesn't have alot of words, you know.

I was like... OMG, these people pick and read their books according to the number of pages and words? I was disgusted surprised to hear it myself that these guys - I'm sure they're no younger than 20 and not older than 25 - practice such kind of an sinful act to books. Where's the respect, people? I know I haven't been an avid fan of books (can barely find the right time to read) but I've never took any regards on the thickness of a books or the number of pages it contains, for that matter, when I go on a reading frenzy. I've never been afraid of a BIBLE thick book since I was young and still am not now. Unless the book was a seriously lousy book that doesn't suit my cup of tea, then I beg to differ. I do have my reasons for my lack of collection of books and reading (and 'nothing to read' has never been on of the reasons) but it has certainly got nothing to do with the thickness of a book! Seriously. Is this how Malaysian readers are? Never judge a book by its cover, I'd say!

Conversation 2
I was in church today - one of the places I do alot of quality thinking - attending the Sunset Mass and I was fairly disturbed by something someone did. I know, I'm not perfect also, especially when it comes to mass. My mind probably doesn't stop speaking in my head, saying stuff about everyone I see in church! Hey, c'mon, I know everyone does their fair share of gossiping and judging in their own head or with someone else, once in a while. This is a bad habit of me (which I'm working very hard to stop) to be quite judgemental at times that sometimes I feel judged by everyone myself, that it pulls down my self-esteem a lot (not that I have alot, to begin with). It's a sin, in fact! I study people. Still, I never go blabber to a friend or some stranger sitting next to me about some random thoughts swimming in my mind at that time, in church. No wonder Grace says I can be quite an observer when I'm quiet!

Anyway, let's not mention names here cause both of the people involved in this conversation are close friends of the family and both, whom I look highly at. I was on the line among the other few hundred people who were queueing to receive the Holy Eucharist (Communion). In my mind, I was taming the bitch inside of me who bitches about everything it lays its eyes on, and succesfully, I did tame it. Behind me on the line was Aunt 1 and Aunt 2, lining up solemnly like everyone else in church. At least, that's what I thought. I heard the both of them exchange some soft whispering. Initially, I thought it was just a whisper of reminder or something. I listened harder and it went like this. Once again, they were conversing in Hokkien.

Aunt 1 : Eh, see what Anne did to her hair?
Aunt 2 : Ya lor, ya lor. Her hair like that better. Makes her look very pretty.
Matt : (I secretly peered around to see which 'Anne' were they talking about, considering that there's probably a hundred 'Anne's around, but couldn't see any Anne I know with a new hairdo.)
Aunt 1 : Aiyo, why this line so long cannot move one?
Aunt 2 : This line have to wait for Father to come one mah. He has to divide the Eucharist to other Communion Ministers as well first.
Aunt 1 : Haiyo *grumbles**grumbles*

I couldn't hear anymore of their conversation as the line had started moving. I tried listening again but it resulted me on accidentally stepping on the tip of Aunt 1's shoe-tip. I know I've sinned for eavesdropping and not paying any attention during mass at a time when we're only supposed to be focusing on God... but the two aunts also did! LOL. I was brought up never to talk in mass, especially when we're lining up to receive the Eucharist (the bitch in me do strike occasionally) but after witnessing what happened, I guess all of us do commit our fair share of sins (gossiping) during a sacred period like during mass! That was also totally not a good example of patience!

Conversation 3
After sending akak off at the air-port, dad, mom, Edmund and I were in the car, on the way home to mull over the absence of our dear akak and start with the house chores. Mom and dad were discussing about how akak's going to arrive at Indonesia and all that nonsense, when Edmund suddenly asked, "What's Jakarta?" upon hearing dad mention the word that akak was going to land there. "It's the capital of Indonesia," dad replied promtly. That lead to a sudden quiz by dad about capitals of countries, which used to (and still do) amuses me, while mom was on the line with someone. Dad fired us with the common countries.

Dad : What's the capital of America?
Matt : Washington D.C..
Dad : That's right. Brazil?
Edmund : Not New York ar?
Dad : No la.
Matt : Rio De Jeneiro!
Dad : Correct. Thailand?
Matt : Pnom Penh?
Dad : No lah!
Matt : Oh wait, Bangkok?
Dad : Yes!
Matt : Japan leh? Tokyo is it?
Dad : Yea. China?
Matt : Guang Dong or Guang Zhou?
Dad : No, China is Beijing. Argentina?
Matt : What?
Dad : Don't know ar? I also don't know. Wait let me think. India?
Matt : Oh, I know! Taj Mahal!
Dad : LOL. It's New Delhi!
Edmund : Argentina's capital not (some footballer's name) meh?

LOL. That depicts how shallow my General Knowledge is! Dad couldn't find the answer to Argentina's capital and the quiz stopped there with all of us laughing. Seriously. Our family has not been the proud producers of any kid geniuses so far. Grace and I both had recorded history with complete illiteracy of politics (any kinds), low IQ and bad General Knowledge. Honest! We were once quite well-known for it. Not much has canged since and I can already see Edmund following in our steps! It either runs in the family or it's an incurable inheritary disease!