Sixty Eight / Cita-Cita

Let me tell you a story.

When I was 5, Uwan used to take me out religiously and teman her go shopping for groceries at Bintang Supermarket (now known as Giant Hypermarket). She will be driving while I stand on the passenger's seat (I can't see anything if I sit!) and my forehead will be glued to the window, with my wild (small) eyes staring at the outside world.

One time, on the way back home from Bintang, Uwan decided to drop by a small stall by the roadside that sells kuih muih beraneka macam. What I remember (vaguely) was an old woman, frying goreng pisang, and there were various kuih like keledek, ubi, karipap and cikodok lined on her metal counter.

I remember staring at the old lady. She wore kain batik, kurung Kedah top, and instead of wearing tudung she wrapped kain batik on her head, like a pesawah-ish.

Ok I'm tired. Story too long and I'm not making any sense.

Well basically, when I was 5, I had my first ever ambition. I told Uwan, I wanted to be a penjual kuih. Reason being? I feel the need to help that old lady sell (or eat) the kuih muih.

Grandmother thought my 'ambition' was a bit dodgy. She said 'Tolong lah bercita-cita tinggi sikit.'

Ok.

2 years after that, when I was 7, the same situation reoccured. We were on our way home from Bintang. I saw thousands of people wearing blue and white by the street. I fell in love with the uniform.

"Who are these people?" I asked Uwan.
"Oh, pekerja kilang."


Guess what my next ambition was?