Thursday 1 April 2010

One Spring Morning in the life of a Mak Cik in London

It wasn't the kind of spring morning that one would like to get up to.  Given the choice, you know where I'd rather be.  The promised sunshine never came but instead more forecast of gloom and even doom.  I left the house well before eight, the spirit somewhat lifted only by the sight of pretty yellow daffodils by the front door. And with that and Wordsworth's ryhmes playing in my head in no particular order, I made my way to the station this spring morning sans any spring in my steps whatsoever! I was about to start the day without ryhme or spring.

(Cue violin)

Oh, daffodils, is it really spring when all I feel is perpetual autumn with the onset of permanent winter?  (Ignore this)

The station seemed a long way away and as I passed the green, the empty green, I imagined poor Sofyen playing football with the local boys, my Taufiq included.  At 15, his life was cruelly taken away by a group of schoolboys and girls who attacked him at Victoria Station last week. 

I passed by Betsie's but no cheerful hello from her as she must be in bed still under her comfortable duvet.  Eventually, after what must have been a thousand hours, I made it, swiped my Oyster and climbed up the steps. The tube was crowded and my plan to read was aborted as I didn't have a f ree hand to hold an open book.  No one looked up from their free Metro newspaper or their Blackberries and Iphones, to offer this Mak Cik a seat.  Self pity was fast setting in.  If, by the time I reached Nottinghill Gate and still no seats, I thought, I 'd take the Circle Line, which of course is no longer a Circle Line as it doesn't go in a circle anymore. (Drat!)  And of course, still no seats (more drat!) and I stumbled out with the rest on to the platform at Nottinghill Gate and climbed more steps with more self pity setting in at full speed by the time I reached Baker Street.

I was in a foul mood by the time I saw some ray of sunshine outside the station and dodging tourists and enthusiastic parents pulling their even more enthusiastic children to join the queue at Madame Tussaude, I finally reached my destination.



Regent's Park and the serenity at that time of the morning was a world away from the madness that was about to unfold just a few streets away. Regent's Park and its early morning joggers was a welcome sight to this tired, restless mind.
Regent's Park and its ducks swimming merrily in the canal and its empty benches evoked memories of a beautiful forbidden romance. Regent's Park and its Blue Bench were silent witnesses and accomplice of two lovers who met and sat on the blue bench and contemplated their futile future together. As I crossed the bridge and scanned the place for any blue benches around, I thought of Azhar and Sarah sharing more than just a flask of coffee together during one of their many illicit rendezvous.

As I reached the corner, turning into the big building where I was to spend most part of the day, I wondered whatever happened to the couple; their marriages to their respective spouses and even the originator of the deliciously woven plots. 

Taking more steps up to the meeting room, I found myself  wishing I could come up with something  as intriguing from something as mundane as a blue bench. 

The room was still empty when I got there and sitting down, I pulled out my documents which were about to be scrutinised and torn apart during the best part of the day.

Reading the first few lines, I knew I had better keep to my day job, as the saying goes.
The Mak Cik also rambles here:


29 comments:

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Mother of Tabby,
Keep on rambling. I like! Was imagining myself accompanying you on that trip...but no crowded trains, purrrlease. Don't appreciate other people's BO so early in the morning.
We are finally getting true autumn weather - gloomy, rainy and cold. The heaters and electric blankets are out now. purrr....meow!

Zendra-Maria said...

Pity they don't let you skate on that road there Kak Teh - skating's just the thing to get the adrenalin pumping on a drab unspringy morning...

Have a nice day at work! Say hello to the daffodils for me when you get back.

Pi Bani said...

Siap ada cue violin some more!

I wonder how you look like when you're in a foul mood...

Kak Teh said...

CIS, No crowded train fr me , esp during sama. Bau2 yang semerbak - tak tahan lah. But in winter it is not too bad. we need to share body heat.
I wish the weather is more consistent. My demam pun tak baik-baik lagi. A prolonged one. Just when i thinkI am getting better - rasa seram2 pulak.

Kak Teh said...

Zendra, i dont think the image of me roller skating into the park is that appealing. can you imagine tudung melayang2 while i try to steady myself, jatuh tungging langgang. - no thank you.I did have a nice day but lunch on offer was nothing to write home about.

Willsay hello to dffodils on the way out today. :)

Kak Teh said...

Pi, cue violin tu untuk special effects..hehe!

Foul mood...macam ni :((

NanaDJ said...

Kak Teh,

Got up on the wrong side of bed? Kesian you, but your descriptions are so vivid, I can imagine walking beside you at Notting Hill Gate talking non stop, exchanging gossips etc.Just console yourself that soon it will be summer, but you will get hay fever pula! Come and run away to Malaysialah...kita orang dah rindu kat you.

Kak Teh said...

NanaDJ, gitulah agaknya! hehe! Actually, I had to walk to he station when usually some kind souls will drive me there. it is not far, but AG had to go to the airport with nona to fetch Rehana nd i had this dreaded meeting so early in the morning.

Yes, it would have been nice to have you as travelling companion. We must arrange something the next time we all meet up. Take care nanaDJ!

3yearshousewife said...

Yeah this year's spring is dreary and can't get to spend time outside much because of the rain. Hence got back to Msia without much exploring and photographing.

doodlemom said...

kak teh,
i thot i was the only one who thot spring has arrived. dah siap simpan winter clothes, now kena keluarkan balik.

woodworth's daffodil poem? it reminded me of our may bank holiday in 2008 at lake district. we went to woodworth daffodil garden in grasmere where he was buried. this is the complete poem.
http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/daffodil.htm

tak pe la kak teh, make the most of the long weekend. we r off to north wales for a week, come rain or shine!!

mekyam said...

speaking of the romantic william berbaloikata, may i make the makcik in london a present of the original vs of his 'daffies' [courtesy of wiki] in the hope that it would brighten the spring in her steps and her heart... :)

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Daffodils;
Along the Lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: --
A poet could not but be gay
In such a laughing company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.

Nurie said...

ahh...reading your post,reminds me of my uni days in sheffield in the early 90s. Two years there I never really experience summer in the UK ;-)

I hope the sun will shine soon for you kak Teh!

Kak Teh said...

3yrshousewife, oh you dah balik? Ya lah not much to photograph out there when it is so gloomy. I am typing this and looking out of the window - alahai- gloomy betul. Tomorrow the boys are playing football in the park - kesian, mesti kesejukan. All the best to you and we are still in touch via blogs, kan?

Kak Teh said...

Doodlemom, I think lake district at anytime is good, kan? I have never been there in all my 30 years here. memang teringin sangat nak pergi.

This long weekend will be taken up by writing, writing and writing. I have done a bit of much needed cleaning in the house but i really must catch up on writing.

Kak Teh said...

Mekyam, thank you for the present of William Berbaloikata - it has indeed put more spring in my steps - am almost hitting the ceiling now!

How's the weather in your part of the world - and have you heard my dedication to you in FB via ipadio? kalau belum ish, ish , ish!

Kak Teh said...

Nurie, i have been to Sheffield twice and on both occassions it rained! hehe, may be there's no summer in Sheffield. Kesian!

mekyam said...

dah dgr and was going to come by and rakam my terima kasih, but got sidetracked till now. that was beautiful, kt. thank you much! :D

weather here is now super-gorgeous, between mid-teens and low twenties celcius. sun-shiny after a spell of miserable wetness. spring blooms slowly recovering and buds & new leaves are sprouting everywhere. hope the gorgeousness will last till h & i cross the pond again in a couple of weeks.

Pak Zawi said...

Kak Teh,
Salam.
Come back to Malaysia and enjoy summer all year round.

Kak Teh said...

mekyam, thanks for listening. See what boredom can do?
I wish weather is better here. Our two sons are out there in Regent's Parl playing football...in this weather! kesian.

Kak Teh said...

pak zawi, ya, i have heard about the all year round summer in malaysia. Anak saya balik selepas cuti, suntanned! hehe!

Desert Rose said...

Kak Teh, meleleh ayaq mata kak naz dengaq lagu Rapeah Buang...

Kak Teh said...

eja, dia teriak sampai selop!

Zubaidah Arshad said...

Beautifully written!

Kak Teh said...

ZA, thanks for kind words.

Tommy Yewfigure said...

Hi Zah,

I would have offered u my seat anytime, but alas they don’t churn out hero & gentlemen like Tommy anymore. This one to take u back old times & brighten up your otherwise 'gloomy' London day, cheer up luv;

Nothing Rhymed

Gee, I love that hairdo & outfit.

Cheers,

Tommy Esq

Kak Teh said...

Tommy, they sure dont make gentlemen like Yew anymore (sorry, can't resist that) and thank you for the song. Will listen to it while sipping my afternoon tea.

Kak Teh said...

(after yewtube): awww, yew are so sweet! nd how apt! Thank you!

DrSam said...

salam Kak Teh. You wrote you every steps with such a detail, I can feel the somber mode myself. Luckily the daffodils in their cheerful yellowish mode were there to enlighten your spirit a bit.

BTW, was that your masterpiece of 30 chapter-something I saw you mentioned somewhere in this virtual world Kak Teh? Hope the project turned out well.

Kak Teh said...

Dr Sam, i think i mentioned 10 chapters, three finished but seven more to do. It is a masterpiece as such. just a simple edition of my book that was published by Routledge in 1993 ( I think). Its a language book (yawn!)