Clean Sweep (April26)

 

Touch before quart past landing @ Tanamera. Slow-pacing along the left, shaded side of Mangkubumi, where some of the last little shopfronts were still standing. Within the A/C-ed walls of TM not a single soul at the tables, unsurprising during Ramadan. There had been a narrow miss on the Tugu crossing, because of a motorcyclist shooting along on the opposite side of the road, as they do here. A spectacular WA from Sak arrived before leaving. 

            The pic of some blouses for suggested gifts had looked unappealing to the gal; looked like male attire. Couple jokes then following. After which Sak requested another item; a completely left-field other. No exaggeration—it was spectacular. 

            Here is the accompanying photo she sent:

 

 

            Well, the gal may have guessed by now the odd range of gifts preferred by her new beau, only her second partner since teen years: a tongue scrapper, blouse from the JB night market, A5 journal & pair of different coloured gel pens. The rest of it had been tehs & lunches at the street eateries.

            (The two month Bulgarian husband had complained about his wife’s halitosis; perhaps something to do with the changed environment in the Balkans, because back on the Equator it was all honied sweetness. Once Sak had taken a precautionary nip of the Listerine in the cupboard.)

            Now a broom would be a pleasure. Small, hand-sized, easily fitting in the suitcase, Sak had gone on to explain later during some to-and-fro. (Assuming a case and not knowing of the usual small shoulder bag.) Article needed for brushing her bed mattress, she said. 

           Outright pleasure. Truly. But best left for the return to Sing, where the pieces had been noticed in the passes of the older provision stores.

            Frankly speaking, you needed such an item for your own mattress at Carpmael, too. All kinds of matter always managed to insinuate itself among the creases and folds of the litter, after tossing and turning night after night, dreaming, composing, fantasising still.

            Over the journey the conventional gift expectation had always presented a problem—cards, wrapping, ribbons added; precious few had ever been bought any of the sweets as a consequence.

            Lottsa probs with Sak and some of the others in the Tropics, but a whole other order of consideration there.