Sole Searching

I've been stressed up lately with some financial troubles, and kept blaming it on not being paid enough. Of course in a way that's true actually seeing how expensive everything are in KL these days.

Anyway last week, the soles of my shoes were finally worn out until there's a hole that small stones can fit through. And my socks will get wet if it rained too. Since I don't have the extra money to just drop into Pedro and get a new one, I decided to just go get it repaired during lunch on Monday.

So I went to this pakcik where I usually repair my shoes, the same pakcik that I wrote about before. I took off my shoes, slipped on the flip flops that he has ready for the customers to wear while waiting and waited while he got to work on my shoes.

He's a chatty fella, so we chatted a bit about this and that. I then noticed he's been using his thighs as base when he has to hammer the new soles in place, so I asked him about it.

"Nak buat macam mana, besi tuh kena curik malam tadi. Sakit tuh memang sakit tapi kena cari rezeki jugak", he said with a shrug of the shoulders and smiled.

"Tak apalah, bukan rezeki saya".

I felt like I was hit by a truck. There I was begrudging my salary when I earned it in the comfort of an air-conditioned office, sitting in an ergonomical chair and at most I'll get a headache from the stress; while this is a man who works on a sidewalk with the dust and exhaust fumes around him, cutting, pulling, hammering (now on his thighs since the anvil-like thingy he normally used got stolen) yet he seemed more at peace with his life.

I realised then that I have not been as thankful for all the things that I've been blessed with. We often focus on the have-nots rather than the haves. Sure I might not get my Audi next year, but at least I already have a decent car to get me around. I might not have the cash for that nice property that is sure to skyrocket in value, but I already have a comfortable place to live. So I might feel a bit underpaid, but compared to his life I got it way easier. So many things I should be thankful for rather than go through the truckloads of complaints that I have accumulated.

That day I walked off not only with repaired soles but just maybe, with a repaired soul too.

Hi, I'm Brad

My younger brother is afflicted with a serious condition called 'perasan hensem'. He is always crafting tall tales of how girls swoon and sway because of his hensemness. Being the elder brother, of course I can't let him have his day.

Well one day, we were watching the idiot box when he quipped:

"I'm so handsome, girls froze in their tracks when they saw me"

"Yeah right, that was because I was right behind you"

"No, they didn't even see you because I was glowing with awesome handsomeness"

"Those are just streetlights reflected off your oily pimply face lah"

"Ceh, ini adik Brad Pitt tau?"

Before he realised it, I already said thanks =D