Waiting for the inevitable

I know a lot of people graduating this year. And almost everyone posts shout outs like 'One more week and I'm done with studies' or 'I can't wait to leave college and start working' or 'Two more papers and I'm set for life' on their Facebook or YM or whatever so called "social-networking" applications that the youths out there are using nowadays.

If only they knew that they're inching closer and closer to hell.

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My brother just got engaged last Sunday. As the traditions call for, we sent out 7 dulangs of hantaran, and the other side gave us 9. Ours were as usual, the ring, tepak sirih (why people bother to give it when nobody ever take sireh anymore is for Fox and Mulder to guess), bunga rampai (again, chopped pandan mixed with perfume, make no sense at all), and the rest are gifts like cloth, make up kit, fruit basket and cake.

The cake has caused a polemic on our side. Mak wanted to give a fruit cake. I suggested a cheesecake since my sister in law is a master at making cheesecake. In the end we baked both cakes, one for the gift, one as a spare in case anything happens to the other one. Bapak said we should give the cheesecake, because according to him "orang muda lagi suka cheesecake", although it was really because he wanted the fruitcake to be left at home. However, I wanted the cheesecake for myself, therefore suggested the fruitcake to be sent under the false pretense that it is more traditional and not everyone eats cheese.

My sister in law baked another cheesecake. Problem solved.

Now that my brother is engaged, and subsequently (god willing) get married, the limelight is now on me. Everyone in our rombongan asked the same question when they gathered at our home in the morning before leaving for Ipoh, during the lunch in Ipoh, and just before going back afther returning from Ipoh, "Yang ni bila lagi?". Since most of those who asked has daughters and sons older than me, and yet to get married, I casually replied "Ala _____ (fill in with the appropriate title acik/wak/atok/nenek) ni, takkan la saya nak potong queue. Mestilah ______(repeat title) dulu".

My brother once told me "Girls should not get married to guys who hang their clothes, girls should get married to guys who fold their clothes". I ain't seen him folding no clothes before.