An Unexpected Encounter...of

An Unexpected Encounter...of the Third Kind.

Hmm...something's wrong! Either my connection is bad, or there's something amiss with blogspot.com. Then again, perhaps its my pc. What ever it is, I can't seem to put my text aproper to the title.

Anyway, the thing I want to write is this: had an unexpected visit from a childhood friend yesterday. For certain reasons, I will only name him as Aie. And believe me, Aie is a dear old friend.

While we were talking, I received a call from Wak Kasiran, my partnet-cameraman from webtv8. They received a last minute invitation to a dinner cum political ceramah, and needed someone to be the on-the-scene reporter. Sigh...well, yours truly said ok but only if could bring Aie along. It was agreed and soon there we were, just after Maghrib, at the new Puteri Restaurant in Taman Tun.

Ok, the Guests-of-Honour is none other than Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the Menteri Besar of Kelantan, and Dato' Seri Anuar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Oh wow! I mean, I was not fully briefed about this! But sadly, the chance to meet Tuan Guru did not materialise as he is recuperating at home from work fatigue. Still, there's DSAI, and the lucky decision to bring Aie along.

Now, we shall not concern ourselves with what transpired during the dinner. Rather, it was the after dinner thing that had me nearly in stitches.

When we arrived at the restaurant, Aie had a pleasant surprise. Among the guests that had turned up, and rather unexpectedly, was Aie's uncle, an Encik Zainal Yassin. Thus while Wak was busy with the camera and I mingled with other reporters, Aie spent some time with his uncle. It was only later towards the end of the evening Aie rejoined my and Wak at the exit, in our hope of catching DSAI for a short interview.

As soon as DSAI finished his speech, he walked out the restaurant to head to another ceramah in Ampang. On his way out, he noticed Encik Zainal - they are old friends during DSAI's ABIM days - and talked briefly. But in the brief moment they talked, DSAI managed to ask for Aie's identity, as he had noticed both of them being together. So, Encik Zainal mentioned Aie's father and DSAI turned around and offered his hand and said: "You're Dato's .... son? Goodness! No wonder you look and move quite like him! Dato' ... was my friend in UM!". Surprised at the turn of events, Aie could only afford a sheepish grin and was blushing as heads turned towards him. Somehow that scene already had me tickled.

Now, while DSAI rushed off to Ampang, his wife, Datin Wan Azizah, stayed behind till the end of the dinner. As she stepped out of the restaurant, I rushed towards her which had her taken aback. Then, someone whispered to her about Aie, and she was beaming a wide smile.

Datin: You're Dato's...son? Do you know that it was your father who managed DSAI's very first campaign in Permatang Pauh?(her voice was loud enough for more heads turned towards AIE again). I remember your father very well and DSAI and I will always remember him! (Now, the next sentence or question had Aie stunned!)

Datin: Say, are you the son who married the late Senator Salmiyah's daughter?

Aie: Huh? Er...er, er (blanked face Aie coulnd't utter a single word!)

Luckily someone intervened and mentioned that it was Aie's brother and not him. Aie, very much like me, is still on a search mode, if you get my drift.

Anyway, because of Aie's presence, I managed to put some questions forward to Datin.

Later, I could not help but tease Aie, a 'can-do' guy who became tongue-tied at a pretty woman.

But I must admit, Datin Wan Azizah certain do look pretty, and certainly young for her age. It sort of makes me wish Nurul Izzah, her daughter, is still available :)