Storytime: Mosquitoes

Dang mosquitoes gave Eva a kiss on the cheek last night. It's her first but I've yet to hear her complain. She has more to complain about the cold weather and rain; makes her hungry faster and her horrible cries are proof of that. Tonight, Eva's dad will be installing the mosquito net for her, although I'm sure the cold weather has taken care of that problem.

Speaking of mosquitoes, a story a cab driver told me comes to mind.

We were on our way to the airport to catch our flight back hometown for Chinese New Year. The cab driver was a very nice Malay guy, doting father of four; the eldest is a son who is already 22 and he himself has barely entered his 50s.

"I married young."

He asked when are we tying the knot. My husband replied him we are already married and that I was about 6 months pregnant.

"Really? Your tummy doesn't show much. First baby? Congratulations. Boy or girl? Oh, a girl. hehe.. Mr. You're very lucky. If your first child is a daughter, she will stick to to you like glue until she gets her first boyfriend. Why, she will be asking to hold your hand when crossing roads. Mama, dia tidak mau punya (she doesn't want the mother's hand)."

Eva is barely a month old and she is showing signs of preference towards her dad so I guess he was speaking the truth.

"Having a daughter is a godsend. You know why? Daughters are more filial, they listen to their parents more, they don't make them worry and they will take care of you when you're old. Not like sons."

At this point, I thought he was just trying to make me feel better because the cynical side of me find it hard to find Malaysians who approve of having daughters, in open conversations.

In reply, I just smile... weakly.

"I tell you ah. There is this ah sou...

(Ah Sou: Cantonese phrase meaning "wife of your big brother", used in a form of respect to both the big brother and the wife; was particularly useful in hongkong mafia movies to show the hierarchy in a gang; used in this sense by Mr Cab Driver to clearly show a picture of a Chinese lady who is older than him.)

... who is a widow and only has one son. You know ah, she.. would.. not... let... a mosquito... hurt her son. That's what she told me lar. Golden child ma, sons they are. Whatever he wanted, she gave him, no matter how difficult it is because he was her son. She let him study high high, then he went overseas to study, married a mat salleh (foreigner / Westerner) and now he says that he does not want to come back! Now as for me, being a man, you have to be responsible towards your family, the more so when it is your parents. At least send money back for the mother to use lar, but you know what? He sent her nothing! She has to depend on the goodwill of her neighbours for food. Remember, this is the mother who would not let a mosquito bite her son. See what this lead her to..."

Being the skeptic that I was and since the hormones have not triggered the sympathetic side of me at this point, I asked him how did he come to know this ah sou.

"I live near her. We live in the same neighbourhood. Sometimes I give her a free lift to places she needed to go since she doesn't have money to pay for public transport. She has no one to take care of her. What else are we to do as her neighbours?"

I told him that was very nice of him and he smiled quietly, which gave an indication that this was no cock and bull story.

I wanted to believe that it was a cock and bull story because I don't think that I could accept the fact that a child can be so cold towards his own parent. But one last thing the cab driver told me gave me a bit of hope for humanity.

"He will realise what he has done when he has his own child. Believe me. Life is a cycle and if you treat your own mother that way, do not be surprised when your own child treats you the same way."

Wise words indeed.