Out of Service

How should I put it? Mixed feeling?

Today, I fitted something to the car. It costs. But you know lah, cars, the big boys' toy? I'm sure you get the drift.

Rewind a little to much earlier.



I don't have much cash with me. Nor cards. I canceled them during the robbery. Remember?
(Yeah, I know. The bank can send a new one over. But hated the bank. Given them my IC, and other photocopied documents, and still, they got my surname spelled wrong! Yes! So, decided to apply from other banks. And no, I can't apply for one. Not without my IC. Not with the temporary one. Just got it. Haven't got the time.)

Armed with only some cash and ATM card, what else is there to do? So off I go to the bank nearby. To my surprise, the balance was low. So low, I can't even make a minimum withdrawal. Are you kidding me? Someone hacked in? Not at this time, man!

Checked at the next machine. The same.

Checked at another bank. It's still low. I'm getting nervous here.

Checked at the last bank. WOI! What the fuck happened!? Where's all my money!?

Eyed the machine's card slot next to me. Jumped over. Inserted the card. Looked up.



"OUT OF SERVICE"



Okay... there's something digitally wrong with the screen. Try to take it out. Eh? Where's the tone? Fuck! This machine is not electronically connected. How am I suppose to get my card back?! It was printed on paper. Please don't laugh. Things happen. You know?

There were people around. I started to blush from "What is this idiot doing with an out-of-service ATM?", "hAhaHaHaHhaHaH. Sor hai!", "Aduh! Tengok lah dulu...", and other variance.

Yes. Very embarrassing. Sigh. The same old filling up forms and other bullshit again. In the end, Since Primary Two had to swiped for me. Will involves wire later.



As I'm writing these on my lappy, in the living, I catch a glimpse of the car. Well yeah, I'm happy with the look now. Oh, I found out the hard way that MEPS machine can't detect other accounts linked to the ATM card; stay calm all the time, don't easily panic; and sleep well, as in more than the 5 hours I had kinda well. Okay, okay. I've got it now.

But the stupidity stays.



Happy New Year, people.

The exhaust is alive!

Some months back, I was tailing this "souped-up" MyVi on the way to work. At the back of its windscreen, there's a large sticker running from one end to the other; I guessed he got it from the shop that modded the car.

Speed Racing Exhaust. Wow. Bold, white font. Slanted typeface, very "racing-look". The "S", is framed in reverse, with a very faint red/pink/maroon (couldn't really make up the colour, and no, I'm not colourblind) square background. It reads otherwise.

Oh, do Pampers come standard with it?

These exhaust guys seriously need to re-brand themselves.



Brands; could make you smile, could make you cringe. Not going too much into details about it, but here's a blog about branding. It's a good read, even if you are not in the branding business.

I let go. Again.

Met Banana today.

She looked exactly the same the last I saw her more than a year ago. Skinny body frame; almost too skinny to have the front and back visible through the loose black dress. Long straight hair. Indistinct voice and laugh (Har!? What? Speak louder la, please!). Same old, same old. Oh, took off the braces already?

She suggested a Thai restaurant nearby. As usual, the makan-minum-ing and other catching ups came along. After enjoying devouring the last piece of pandan chicken, I suggested to have some coffee instead of scaling the mall. "Too lazy to walk la after makan."

There's a lot to talk about. Hopefully not to miss out what had changed in this year. Being a very close friend to Her and me, she's very concerned.

"Have you let Her go? Fully?"

I knew this gonna come. I knew I can't get away from this. Just when.



"Yes."



Back then, I thought I let Her go already; after spending the night looking at each photos taken throughout the years; wetting my cheeks; laughing, and smiling at each; archiving them. Over the year, I kept telling myself, I had let go. Each time I said that, there's a sharp pain deep inside.



For the first time, I've answered this again.
Without telling just to myself.
Without doubt.