I sms Sam’s bf on what time we would leave but he only replied on the wedding day.
“7.15″
I texted back, “Dinner is at 7 woh.”
The reply, “Ppl drive, depends on him lo.” Turned out another guy, our mutual classmate, was going to drive.
Malaysian time 7pm means 8pm especially for functions & dinners.
Still, it was a special occassion for someone and we should be early. The dinner venue wasn’t like a stone’s throw either - it would take at least 40min to reach there. I guessed the guys had an idea where the restaurant is…
I asked Car, “Have you been here before?” I wanted to know if I should wear really formal or just semi-formal. I’d been to wedding where guests bought newspapers to read and dressed in t-shirts & jeans! Was it cold?
“It’s normal restaurant only. Not cold.”
Sam warned me, “Be early if he fetch. Coz he’s very chiong hei.”
“Hahah, sure, sure. You must have kena a lot of times already.”
“Yah lah!”
By 7.15pm, there was still no car. Then I received a call from unsaved number, “Eh where is your home?” Couldn’t recognize the voice but it was male.
“Who are you?”
He said his name. I gave my address & landmarks. “Come out, I’m here already!”
True enough, before I could step into my shoes, a car appeared in front of my home.
We were late!
We still had to fetch Sam’s bf! He was standing in front of his home impatiently. Before he got in, he complained, “Why so loooooong? What time already now?” He tapped his watch. “Ha? What did you do? You went for game ah?”
They play badminton sometimes. This time, Sam’s bf didn’t go for badminton but the other guy stayed back for longer badminton session!
“Not enough people you know. So I mm hou yi si don’t stay back,” he gave his “excuse”.
“You know it’s important occassion, right? You don’t play badminton can die ah? Not enough people meh?” Sam’s bf asked.
“Got lah. Just ngam ngam enough.”
“Then why didn’t you leave early?”
“Aiya, that side they go home early so in the end, not enough.”
“Then others leave, you leave also lah!”
“Aiya, you know got 1 saying: if you come in late, that means you are high class.”
Sam’s bf and I snorted.
“Do you know how to go there?” I asked him.
“Oh, it was my dei kao (earth), I sure know!”
“You work there?”
“I studied there! UPM mah!”
When we reached there, there were a lot of cars parked & there was a minor traffic jam. At the roadside, Sam’s bf & I left the car & went in first. The “driver” would look for parking space ;) We weren’t sure which door we should enter. All the notice boards were in Chinese characters. Aiyo…
Then Sam’s bf called me, “Where are you?”
“At the end.”
“It’s at the 1st. I found it.”
So both of us got up the stairs & saw the hall was long & wide - with no walls separating all the guests! So weird! I had never seen anything like it. Where was the couple??
We asked 1 of the staffs and she said our couple was at the other end, “If you want to give angpao, better go up from the other end staircase.”
So we got down & rushed to the other end up the stairs.
Stopped at the top. Couple was going to walk in!! WOo hooo.. we were so late! I hid behind the wall-staircase but Sam’s bf was just standing there & shook hands with the groom, our Ass2 Prefect! Really, he didn’t mind the attention that every1 was looking at the couple & he was beside them. LATE!
After the couple had entered the hall & seated, we walked in behind (out of the spotlight, thank goodness). Everyone at our table cheered, “And here comes the wedding couple!”
I didn’t pay attention to that & just settled myself, glad to be sitting (& reaching there before the dinner started). Normally, I would balk at being the joke of marriage when the other guy is not someone I’m interested in - oh, wait, I would certainly mind if it’s a joke on me with the other guy that I like! - ahh.. but this time, maybe I am developing thick face attitude…
We all say