Friday, December 21, 2007

Need Some Advice?

"When you go into a meeting for the first time - and you are the only person who is new to such a meeting - all eyes will fall on you to hear what you have to say. But you prefer to keep quiet, wanting to absorb matters. Still, you can feel it in the minds of several saying: this new guy must be dumb; he has not uttered a single word!

So you keep quiet and continue on giving attention to matters that count most. All of a sudden, you feel someone nudged you from the side and thought you heard your name mentioned. Almost by reflex you raised your hand slightly and said something incoherent. All eyes again fall on you and suddenly you feel like the very earth opening and swallowing you. At the same time, you hear the horrible unspoken words which says: Confirmed! This new guy is dumb!"

- slightly altered version of part of a speech by a very wise man, who's name I prefer not to put here for fear it may be viewed in the wrong context.



Hehe...judging from my 'talkative' mood on the blog these past few days, I fault no one if ever I am viewed as such. But heck, I'm on leave...from what ever. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I don't want to do anything relating to work, most especially my online political activities! I mean activist too needs a break every now and then! 6 days a week, 4-5 weeks a month, 12 months a year, even the hardy can go cuckoo!

Earlier today after Jumaat, I went to Giants at Kelana Jaya to get some electrical stuff. While I was there, I bought one of those new black casing Sunsilk shampoo. Reading the label, I thought "Ah! If it can do that, perhaps it can hide the sprinklings of white I now have". So I ask the promoter there and was disappointed when she said "No sir, I'm sorry it can't! All it can do is make your hair darker and shinier, but not the white hair". Sheesh! What good is it then? Still, I took it with high hopes that it might just do the trick. I mean, hopefully with darker hair, the white will be camouflaged somewhat. Fat hopes, a voice said in my mind. Later, I paid for the whole stuff I took, partly using 2 vouchers given to me by the Management of Giant.

Several months back, one of Giant's stores prohibited anyone from purchasing more than 5 tins of condensed milk. I made a fuss about it then called FOMCA's Sec-Gen as well as an officer of KPDN & HEP. Since they know me personally, they in turn gave advice and the FOMCA Sec-Gen personally got in touch with one of Giant's higher management. Less than 15 minutes later, their PR Manager called me and humbly apologised for the matter and asked for my full name and address. I asked why, and he said he will be sending me a gift as a sign of appreciation for my loyalty. And true to his words, he did. Not much though, just 2 RM10 vouchers. But my advice to my friends now, if ever any of the hypermarket gives you unwarranted trouble, do make noise about it. Not for the voucher, mind you. But to keep them on their toes.


Back to the story, I was feeling somewhat hungry and thought of getting myself a Soaking Ted from the 1901 Hotdog stall below. I do love their hotdogs and sometimes could eat 2. But as I approached the stall, I saw a large handwritten note saying "Gone to the toilet". Hullo! That's not really a welcoming sign, no matter which way you look at it! I mean, even when the attendant do come back, I would not purchase anything from him, no matter how hungry I am. Think their management needs to teach their people how to be more tactful in such matters. Perhaps the guy who advertise his service on the rear of his van here makes more sense. Yup, the 1901 managers do need some good advice. But then, not from the kind below.


Now, I really do not know who's to be blamed here. But let's start with the dear Miriam herself. But then, reading through it, I seriously think dear old Miriam was on leave and in her stead was a young trainee who has no experience of what so ever in matters relating to marriage. Or perhaps, the trainee was in fact a car mechanic moonlighting as a substitute to Miriam? Hmm...

What ever the case, then the print blooper must then be the fault of the editors for approving it. Would have been nice though, to know the reaction of the readers of the column. But one thing for certain, I would definitely not ask Dear Miriam to help me out if ever I experience a love problem :)

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I may ask for advice from a friend or relative but I will never ever seek advice in public. I don't know why but I won't do it.

Sometimes I do read some of these columns and I dare say quite a lot are pranks.

Unknown said...

Hey if that whatever you bought works, let me know coz I have more grey hair than black ones in my otherwise bald head.

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

Hmm...neither would I, especially after reading the reply at Dear Miriam lol! And true, I have read a similar columnist admitting that some of the problems posted were by friends, just to prod the public to send in their problems.

And insyALlah, I will tell you if the shampoo works! lol! :)

cakapaje said...

ps. It seems Pak Mior's family too are similar to my Keluarga 69.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

first and foremost, i'm a cheapskate and i'd make a fuss for something i created myself. rm20 worth of vouchers is alot man. but only that it would be easier to have you tagging along. you've tagged me, now everytime my dad does some provisions, i'll give you a call..pay-back time maa..haha...

bro, i know i'm such a fat-ass for having 4 vadeis at one sitting but 2 dogs? please tell me the extra is meant for supper. 1901 dogs are a foot long, you do realise that dont you?

and this miriam, i couldnt agree with you more!

err...for some weird reason, i've been following our local version of miriam, thelma weekly since the past 6 years!

Salt N Turmeric said...

iv read tht thing before but cudn remember where.
anyways, why get the shampoo when u can just get the hair color? u kno w tht u def wont have white hair. ;)

cakapaje said...

Salam kerp bro,

If ever any of hypermarts gives trouble, just ask your dad to show his government card, that should work even better. But then, the prob must be genuine le, dok malu nanti bro.

Foot-long dogs, yup, love them! But Soaking Teds come are a eat-alone dog without the bread; 1 is sometimes just not enough :)

You sure you're not related with Thelma? :)

cakapaje said...

Salam Princess,

You mean using a dye? Well, there's edict about it permanent dye, and except for inai, I don't know of any semi-permanent dye.

Further, I read a hadith about dyeing white hair black. Any other colour is not a prob, but it still has to use semi-permanent. Now, either I find one, or I might just botak :)

Mior Azhar said...

Shah,
In most cases, whenever I'm in a new environment, I'll clamp up and yes, I think of nothing then except that people around me must be saying this man is really dumb. So I shut up even more.

cakapaje said...

Salam Pak Mior,

Hehe, welcome to the club. I guess its better to let them to only think rather than confirming it kan? But hmm...occasionally, I do make the mistake :(

tokasid said...

Salam Shah:

Alhamdulillah, I don't have meetings, otherwise some jerk will think I'm dumb or I might think some jerk is really dumb!

About the hoo-haa at Giant,thats cool Shah! I mean I never thought of that. I always see the cards at certain Super or hypermarkets: Not more than two per customer. Esp at the sugar,flour or condensed milk sections.I wonder why they didn't put that signage at their clothing departments or shoes dept?

Nw that I know, I'll keep FOMCA's phone number handy. Aku nak bikin gempaq kat super/hypermarkets.

That Miriam thingy is really funny. Either Miriam is dumb or she pueposely answered that way to a dumb question.

cakapaje said...

Wa'alaikumusalam warahmatullah,

Doc, hehe, neither do I have such large meeting anymore...phew!

Er Doc, it applies only to items that not controlled. For items such as sugar and a few others which are controlled, the stores can limit our purchase...you have to check with FOMCA on that.

Lol! Kalau Miriam yang sendiri jawab, sure no one else would send in their problems! :)