The Taxi - His Working Wife, Please Be Home, Now!

"Pergi mana, yang?"

Something not right ringing in my ears as I answered CIQ.

"Kerja petang ya, yang?"

"Taklah, tak kerja." It was 3.30pm when I boarded the taxi.

"Habis, pergi Singapore buat apa kalau tak kerja?"

"Saja, jalan-jalan."

"Ustazah ya yang?"

"Taklah, duduk rumak saja."

"Betul bukan ustazah? Macam ustazah aje. Ada anak yang?"

"Ada."

"Dah besar?"

"Dah besar, sangat-sangat."

"Betul ke dah besar? Tak macam ada anak besar, je. Awak ibu tunggal, ya yang" For the umpteenth time, he's been adjusting and re-adjusting the mirror in front of him for better rear view.

"Taklah."

"Kenapa tak jalan dengan suami?"

"Kerja." I started to feel very much uneasy.

"Bila balik yang?"

"Habis jalan, baliklah."

"Pukul berapa yang?"

"Tak pasti, jam ke tidak."

"Bukan ibu tunggal ke yang? Macam ibu tunggal je. Pukul sepuluh dah balik yang?"

"Tak pasti, jam ke tidak."

"Telepon saya boleh? Saya tunggu," Then he said out his phone number.  

****** 

"Rumah kat mana?" My turn to ask him to stop his yang, yang, yang that makes hair stands.

"Kat Bukit xxxxx. Pernah dengar tempatnya?" 
"Pernah." 
"Tau tempatnya?"

"Tau dan pernah pergi." 

"Rumah saya besar. Ada empat bilik. Cantik rumah saya."

"Orang rumah ada kat rumah?" I tried to remind him he has someone dearest in his life.

"Taklah, dia kerja."

"Rumah cantik, tapi orang rumah keluar kerja. Rugilah tak boleh nekmat cantiknya."

"Malam jangan lupa telepon tau." Again, he said out the number.

"Anak berapa?"

"Lima. Semua dah kerja. Ramai eh, anak saya."

"Taklah, sepuluh pun ok kalau kita didik betul-betul."

"Sebenarnya anak saya lapan, bukan lima. Malu nak cakap, ramai sangat." He chuckled upon admission. 

"Pada saya tak ramai. Anak dah besar, semua kerja, kenapa orang rumah kerja lagi? Kalaulah rumah saya cantik sangat, keluar rumah pun saya tak nak. Nak duduk dalam saja. Rugi tinggalkan lama-lama rumah cantik."

"Orang rumah saya kerja kemas-kemas bilik hotel. Balik sebulan sekali."

"Hah?" I was surprised upon hearing the once a month coming home.
"Dia kerja kat Singapore." It surprised me more. Just across the causeway. 

"Ramai kerja kat Singapore, tapi saya nampak dia orang hari-hari balik."

"Dia kerja dekat dengan Orchard Road."

"Taklah jauh sangat kalau nak balik. Senang naik MRT sampai Kranji. Hotel apa tu?"

"xxxx xxxxx. Pernah dengar hotel tu?"

"Pernah."

"Semua awak tau, ya yang. Agak-agak pukul sebelas dah balik? Saya tunggu. Kalau malam saya selalu ada dekat dengan CIQ. Saya round satu Johor makan-makan."

"Kalau orang rumah ada kan boleh bawak dia makan. Anak tak masak?" This man is damn lonely.

"Anak semua kat Singapore. Sebulan sekali balik. Dengan emaknya sekali. Dia orang semua bawak kereta besar-besar."

Then he mentioned various places in the central and eastern side of Singapore where his children are staying. They will return to JB with their mother, a Singaporean, before coming back again the following month.

An ex navy who used to serve KD Malaya in Woodlands, he used to dive looking for treasures from shipwreck, and he is still diving for the treasures, which he is unable to bring them home.

He said there are aplenty at the seabed which he mentioned a specific beach in Johor.
He offered me bronze and porcelain.

But in between the conversations, there were many pleadings to use his taxi service, reminding me of his phone number, kept insisting that I'm a religious teacher and a single mother.

"Dahlah, cakap orang rumah tak payah kerja lagi. Duduk rumah lagi bagus, tengok rumah cantik, sayang tinggal-tinggalkan." I tried to hint the importance of his wife's presence and togetherness in his life.

"Itulah, rumah saya selalu kosong. Sebab itu kalau awak balik 2 pagi pun saya boleh tunggu. Nanti telepon ya, yang."

When the usual fare is around RM9.00, it was RM12.00 yesterday, as he was too absorbed looking for companion. 

"Kenapa macam nak lari? Jangan lupa telepon tau. Pukul 10 saya dah ada, tunggu  kat sini, ya yang," as passed me his phone number.

I alighted the taxi with soft limbs and shakened.

Last night, the incident led to me having a bad dream of the outcome of hopefulness and frustration of  his deserted inner soul.

Should any drastic action is taken by this 'angau' driver, and crime committed, situation at home needs a good reflection.
Contemplation is very much needed.

Marriage is between two parties.
Physical presence is very important.
Yes, absent makes the heart grows fonder.
But too long, grave consequences do usually cross the paths.

The longer the marriage is, sense of loss is always felt.
Whenever the other half is not around, funny feeling is there whenever we go around alone, by ourselves.
The invisible attachment is always there.

******

"And among HIS Signs is This, 

that HE Created for you, 

mates from among yourselves, 

that you may dwell in tranquility with them, 

and HE has put love and mercy between your hearts. 

Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." 

- Surah Ar Rum: 21.

******

Girls, daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers and all readers, money provides us great living comfort, but there's thing that money can't buy.

Wives, you have children, who will have their other halves.
They will have their own lives.

Wives, your husbands are the other half of yours - Complete them.
Live your lives, you and spouse.
That's complete living.

*** Another pining heart is here.