A Mother's Hunch

Mother was very fond of her that she couldn't wait any longer to tell me about it the very same day she coincidentally met her at a nearby car service centre they visited to recently. I said I didn't want to get to know this young woman I barely know but she said "who knows someday it might work out." I hold my ground that I would never dream about mustering up courage to date this some random girl Mother found somewhere down the street.

Mother pictured her as a petite, fair, polite, demure lass coming from a state up north of Terengganu. She shuffled daily between a rental house and her white-collar profession at a nearby general hospital in Dungun. Her genuine smile has stolen Mother's soul by the time Mother walked over to the entrance. From then on, she seeped through Mother's heart with her impeccable manners as she spoke.

Their encounter had sparked quite a merry conversation leading to some awkward interrogation. She blushingly said "no man has ever shown interest to me" as henna painted ornaments on her hand beckoned Mother's curiosity. She got that from her role as clamp bride at her cousin's wedding recently.

"You can befriend my son!" Mother spouted the unthinkable. Well, that was what Mother told me.

"Jange lah gitu, malu lah sayo..." she said, demurely in her thick Kelantanese accent. I feel embarrased of myself.

"He too has no special friend," Mother told her about my life. Almost true. "Just like you, he's just got himself a job." Nope, not true. I have been sitting behind desk for two years now whereas she was just six months. Mother told me that she told her later that I just got a job after graduating from a local university and she responded, "malu lah sayo..." and "sayo blaja setakak STP jah..." A self esteem-issue probably: I am an university graduate and she was a village damsel who had just finished high-school. Mother said it's alright with that. Neither of us in the family sees oneself from such worldly perspectives.

Mother told me that the girl's mother lives as a single mother Mother also is but Father died whereas hers found separation a better way to true happiness. It happened when she was still small. Mother also didn't forget to mention that the girl's car registration number was very similar to mine. Such an interesting coincidence. She admitted no young woman has ever attracted her but this one named Intan is probably one of a kind. Mother thought she might be the one. It was a mother's hunch.

Intan said "mitok maaf lah mok cik (I'm sorry, aunty)."

It was a body roll effect of Intan's Perodua Viva as she was taking a sharp corner. Mother was slightly pushed left against the door panel. Mother said it's okay. A few minutes later, Intan dropped Mother by the entrance gate of our house. Mother's car was left at the service centre.

Mother told me about this hours later. She gave me Intan's phone number. She told me to let the heart do the decision. I cannot give my word because I was already drawn to someone else before Mother met Intan.