Nota Editor : Catatan ini asalnya diterbitkan di FB wall Syed Azmi, co-founder kepada #tamakpahala juga seorang sukaralewan yang giat membantu orang ramai. Artikel ini diterbitkan semula di website kami dengan keizinan beliau.
This was on the last week of school holiday.
These 2 kids were delivering boxes of heavy (very subjective) items to my shop. I know one of the kid whom I see often with the father (the lorry delivery guy).
“Cuti sekolah dik?”
“Last week abang. Minggu depan masuk sekolah.”
“Seronoknya.”
“Takutlah, belajar susah. Darjah tinggi cikgu lagi garang.”
“Cikgu garang sebab adik nakal kot. Kalau belajar rajin, cikgu sayang. Cikgu mau adik jadi pandai kan.”
“Ayah kata kalau malas, nanti cikgu pukul lepas tu kena kerja teruk macam ayah. Hari-hari angkat barang berat, balik malam.”
I kept quiet.
“Ayah rajin. Dia kerja kuat mau kasik adik senang. Itu pasal orang kata susah dulu baru senang nanti.”
Both kids laughed. I gave them lollies. I knew they want lollies as I saw them looking at it. Some paperwork needs to be chop and sign.
Off they go.
The father came into the shop.
“Azmi, anak cakap itu gula Azmi kasi. Betulka?”
“Alaaa, budak-budak angkat barang, upah kecik aje.”
The father said thank you. And as he was about to turn…
“Abang, anak-anak abang banyak sayang dengan abang tau.”
He smiled. He explained that the kids insist to do delivery. It’s not right but they insisted. So he let them carry the light boxes.
I told him it can be dangerous. Crossing roads, fragile items, etc.
He said that he double check the boxes. No worries.
And then he explained to me this that makes my hair all stands up.
“Every year when school opens, kids in their class will tell their holiday stories. My kids never have those kind of stories. So this year, my daughter wants to follow me with the little one to talk about the kampung I drove by. A road trip like her cartoon Dora.”
I looked at him. I smiled. He smiled.
Then the father said, “I am so happy the kids are with me today. One day they will grow up and they don’t want to follow their old daddy anymore.” (The effect in Bahasa Melayu is waay better, but it’s for public understanding.)
“Abang, you ada good kids.”
“Yes, kerja susah hati senang. Anak baik-baik. Mau apa lagi?”
I asked him to call his kids. The kids looked worry. I gave them free drug companies pens and sticky note pads.
“Jaga ayah baik-baik tau.”
They nodded. What just happened? It’s only lollies.
As they walked out, I took this photo.
They crossed the street together to their lorry. The daughter offered her lolly to her father. The father ngap the whole thing. They laughed. I smiled.
They know for a fact that they are blessed. What about us?
Syed Azmi writes. Syed Azmi in tears of gratefulness.
May one day I share such experience. It’s simply priceless.
Syed Azmi. #tamakpahala
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