Funeral observation....

My auntie ( I called her Abok ) from Muar died a couple of days ago and last Sunday, mom, my brother, Liang and I together with my 1st uncle's wife decided to go for the funeral service. I remembered receiving a call from mom informing me of my aunt's [ dad's second sister ] sudden passing away. She was 82 actually and so, she had had a fulfilling life. Anyway, when mom told me that 1st uncle wife was coming along, I almost balked at the thought that I have got to give her a lift to Muar. You see, she's sorta.........pain in the "you-know where" character! Always boastful and demeaning at times towards others. Dad used to joke with me and told me if I was looking for a faster way to my graveyard, choose a woman like my 1st uncle's wife! It's a perfect recipe for disaster!!!!! Ha....ha.... Yunno, she wasn't that bad but more to irritating , bossy, boastful and downright mean at times. She's also the type that would bring up long-long time ago family feud and stir & riled up emotions in everybody. That's why none of the relatives were willing to take her to the funeral service and she approached my mom who then cornered me to take her with us. Being a son, I had to comply and I knew that it's going to cost my patience.

True enough , actually. She made my mom to ask me to go to Muar by 8.00am. For crying out loud, the funeral service starts at 11.00am with the dings & the dongs, the cortege would probably leave the parlour at about 12.50noon. Again, I was right on both counts. After relenting to my mom's request, we arrived at the parlour at about 8.15am. Then it was meeting up with all the long lost relatives and more relatives and more grandchildren. As for 1st uncle wife, she started her stories of the 1940's nonsense [ that's how I would call it !!!] and got everybody riled up and bad vibes were soon felt. Mom and I played down the tense conditions by trying to soothe everyone down and thank God, we managed to get our relatives to understand our position to cool things down. Soon, it was back to calmness and other relatives begin to arrive for the funeral. Soon, auntie's daughter, Eng confided in mom & me that two Malay robbers robbed them in the wee hours of the morning while they were asleep at the parlour! We sympathized with her and told her to work things out with her family members. To me, it was cruel of these robbers to do that to a grieving family. Anyway, soon, it was time for prayers and all the ceremonial things they have to do before the cortege leaves for the funeral plot in Bakri. Phew! It was such a hot day and the ceremony was quite long. Soon, it was time to go to the burial plot and I noted that the so-called priest was driving a shinning mocca coloured Mercedes Benz!!!

Anyway, to cut the story short, I missed the turn to the burial plot and we had to turn back to the original site. In the car came the barrage of questions , the ridicule ad soon frustration crept into me and Liang. My brother, Liang and I wanted to just leave our 1st uncle wife by the road side on the road to Yong Peng after an exchange of eyes contact. BTW, brothers are telepathic in thoughts when travelling together!!! Anyway, mom was there to pacify us and we soon get to the burial grounds and laid dear good ol' aunt to rest. On the way back, we had the same stories being told over and over again. It was like listening to an old gramophone spinning out the old records. As we stop for a pit stop, I told my brother to buy a bottle of paraquat plus a few drinks. He stood there for while, stunned but soon, his smile widened! Anyway, we didn't get the paraquat but we wish we did!

One thing I learnt when I was at the funeral parlour was that you just need to smile and nod your head. Say nothing , do nothing but smile,smile and smile! Afterall, relatives will give you a lot of comments and 1001 theories on how my aunt could have been saved and so on. Honestly, I was there to pay my last respect for my dearly departed aunt. She was nice and good to our family ( dad , mom, Lee Lee and Liang ] Soon Ling and I. She was always having a good time with mom & dad. I guess, they were very close as I came to know that dad usually hear her problems and helps her out in whatever way she could. Oh Yes, She actually taught Soon Ling how to make kuih koci too. All I remembered of her was that she was a great , smiling and full of joy lady. She was witty, always with a ready smile and she helped out at my wedding and I really appreciate her for that. Good bye, Abok!~ Rest in peace!~