SIMPLE STORIES

We had Tony Fernadez's plane to catch at 3pm and we had half a day to do a quick run to Tumpat to visit a newly-born "cucu saudara", buy our keropok lekor and head back to Pasar Siti Khatijah for my boss' last minute shopping of beras Nasi Dagang, Nise (Gula Melaka) and several Kelantanese "must buy" items.

As a faithful driver, I had to kill time while my boss did her shopping. What could I do?

Well, observe people going about doing their daily activities. The very first person I bumped into was Pua Chu Ke (Kelantanese version).

Pua Chu Ke was coming out from Pasar Siti Khadijah carrying what looked like PISGOR. He happened to be a local Pua Chu Ke. If you are an Indon, you will know what's PISGOR.

Next I saw a cycling buddy, well not exactly a buddy la....but I always have a soft spot for anyone with like minds!

Then I turned my attention to this taxi. Kelantanese called the beca a "teksi". By the way, Kelantanese have used English words for a long time. As a kid I've heard fishermen spoke about "PLEWENG" and "EJUH", two important parts of an engine. PLEWENG is Flywheel. EJUH is exhaust (pipe).

Back to this beca. It was certainly over-decorated. The only view offered to the passenger would be left and right. Right would have the passenger viewing the poor beca man huffing and puffing to carry you. More huff and more puff if you, the passenger, is over-caloried. If you know what I mean! Maybe that was the beca man's intention. After all, JPJ have no fixed metre charge ruling . So hopefully you pay by emotion!

On a more seious note, the becas had seen their days. The beca peddlars are all in the late 50s or early 60s. They would have clocked kilometres that would put our national cyclists way behind. The fact that they could carry on pedalling passengers and goods at such age is by itself a miracle, necessitated by economic poverty.

And TESCO is in town, occupying a sizeable area at the new river-bank development along Sungai Kelantan where the Sultan Yahya Petra bridge spanned the river.

And MYDIN said they are going to build their biggest superstore in Kelantan. After all, Kota Bharu was their place of birth.

I was almost amused by this MPKB signboard MEDAN SELERA BULUH KUBU. Below it was stated 'DULUNYA PASAR MALAM PARIT DALAM". I'm sure DULUNYA BUKAN PASAR MALAM DALAM PARIT".....