The Debilitating Garden

The lone rose in mum's garden.

I am currently on sabbatical leave; at mum's place keeping her company. Lending a sympathetic ear when she says, mak nak pergi baring - sakit kepala. Or giving her the odd paracetamol when she said, mak rasa demam - badan mak panas ke? Me : Mak dedar ni. Pergi la baring.

Ataupun buat apa2 yang mak mahukan. Azah, tolong sidai baju. Or, tolong sapu. Siram bunga mak. Masak. Whatever.

Dan melayan sembang mak, pasal arwah yang sudah pergi > 30 years ago. Pasal sekolah yang mak pernah mengajar di Jelutong (bila mak sihat kita pergi tengok sekolah tu ye? Ok mak). Or about her sister, my Mak Teh, di Matang (apa habaq dia agak nya. Nanti petang2 sikit kita jengok dia ye, Azah? Ye mak). Tapi kami tak ke mana pun. When I reminded her, mak kata nak pergi.. She said, ya ka? And then continued, mak sakit kepala. Or, dah petang. Or, dah tak larat. Or whatever else. Saya turutkan saja.

 

This is her garden, where she used to spend hours in the morning and afternoon when she was well. Now in need of much attention.

 

Defying the odds against them, these flowers bravely bloom.

Kata mak, buka tingkap2 tu Azah, nanti orang kata kita takde kat rumah. Much you can read about the windows, you can tell a lot about a garden too I think.



~xoxo