Back...

Sunset At Telaga Harbour, originally uploaded by botakeu.

I'm back... actually I didn't go anywhere. Just didn't feel like posting anything. It's exactly 3 weeks now since my last post and that 3 weeks I lost all my readers as per Google Analytics.  As they say... out of sight, out of mind. I had zero visits since the 14th... all the more reason not to post daily... after all, I'm posting this mainly for myself. In the past 3 weeks I have been trying very hard to stay sane with my photography. The picture above is my favourite... I took this after receiving my ND8 filter.

Let's see what happened in the three weeks... let me try and do a quick recap.

I managed to find someone to cut the grass for RM150.00. Unfortunately, on that day he could only manage  to finish 30% (he took too many breaks, I watched him)... so I paid him RM100.00 and made an appointment for him to return the following week on his off day to finish it. Come Friday, he doesn't turn up nor does he answer my calls. He works here at my apartment block and when he sees me he tries to avoid me, thinking I might approach him. Well, I won't... I can only provide opportunities... it is up to you to utilize and maximize these opportunities. Sad to say... most Malays and forgive me for going racial here but it is a fact and even Ayu agrees... most Malays can't see past their nose. I then call the other group who wanted to slaughter me with RM400.00... now they change their price and say RM700.00 so I politely told them "Go fuck yourself!"... then they asked me what was my offer... I said RM400.00 is max or forget it... they never did call back. I checked at the machinery store here. That grass cutter costs RM399.00. So you know what's going to happen next right? Don't the Malays have a Malay version of the Aesop's fable, The Goose That Laid The Golden Eggs? Sigh... everything has to be fast and/or a lot... greedy and lazy. Terrible sex lives they must have.... and I pity the Malay ladies.

Aah... this is what I got while trying to catch a sunset.. almost 2 inches long and about 2mm deep... lots of blood. No jab was necessary as per doctor nor stitches... just some dressing.

Then the car again... cost me another RM1320.00. From drive shaft problem to bearing to disc brake. Sigh...

Last night, I called the boss. She seems very jovial despite having not paid my salary yet. I guess the bigger boss will sign the cheque on Monday. It seems they managed to escalate this problem of ours to a very, very VIP... I'll give you a hint... the co-owner is the Ex-Deputy Minister of Defense... who was the Ex-Minister of Defense? Well... so my boss seems very positive and so I feel a wee bit better.

Last but not least... the juicy part of Malaysia Boleh. I have been here for 3 months now. Ayu has been living at her place for the same amount of time... and me here at my apartment also for the same duration. We decided on this arrangement to preempt any 'unwanted incidents'. Last night after I had sent Ayu home and had left her place after a drink and some chit chat, she was visited by 'the goon squad'. Brazil had just gotten their ass whooped so the 'goon squad' was probably waiting for the next match with nothing else to do. The 'goon squad' is akin to the Western's neighborhood watch which we call Rukun Tetangga. The main reason these 'goon squads' exists is for the safety of the residents of a particular housing estate but here in Boleh Land they're more interested in who's getting into whose pants.... especially Muslims where they will cause a big hoo-ha and have been known to get physical on the male. I have no problems with them doing their checks but I have a problem on how they do it. They came after I left which was almost 2am. They didn't identify themselves but had asked for Ayu and her brother's IDs which is actually unlawful. If you intend to raid with  the suspicion of khalwat (closed proximity) then the party has to be of 4 persons which in this case only 2... and legally you must have the presence of the police... apparently there was another dude quite far away walking up and down with a stick in his hands so I assume there should have been another idiot at the back of the house. They... well not they,  just one of them... who seems to be the 'whistle blower' was not happy with the fact that there was nothing immoral going on.

Unhappy, he asked... who is the tall guy who comes here all the time? Where is he?  

So Ayu replies... that's my BF... is there a problem? Yes, he comes here all the time to pick me up and send me to work. 

The calmer guy who seems to be the religious officer was okay and said... well, if that is the case then okay... I think you know what we mean.

The whistle blower was still not happy... are sure he's left? Is he inside? 

Ayu said... Yes, he left.

Still not happy, he asks again... you sure he left?

No dude... not only does my car have auto-start, I have since installed an auto drive feature as well so it can drive itself away. Duh!!!

This is what we do with our time. If you are really interested in the safety of your neighborhood, you would know who we are and what we do and our relationships within the first week of us moving in and not come knocking on our door three months down the road. And if you were smart enough you would have checked with our neighbours on what our patterns are and my pattern is that the front door is ALWAYS OPEN AND THE GRILLE UNLOCKED WHENEVER I AM THERE...I know I look like an idiot just like you but looking like one does not make me one.

Next week, Ayu and her brother will be in KL for their sister's engagement. I will be here in Langkawi. I have half a mind to stay over at Ayu's place and since my car will be parked outside and we have the World Cup Semi-finals on, as sure as God made little green apples the 'goon squad' will come and poke their nose where it don't belong... and it would be nice if I had members of the press in the house with me to observe their conduct... no?