Season's Greetings

Wow, I have not written here since Hari Raya. So much for the "will write more" resolution. Well, what are promises if not temporary truths.

This holiday season, I wish all 3.5 of my readers a Happy Christmas and New Year!

I leave you with these two annedotes: unrelated, save for the exasperation I felt in both situations.

Also, if your holiday cheer is the type that runs thin, perhaps you might not want to read further.

Yesterday evening, 4.30pm.
Turning into Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman from Jalan Raja Laut, I immediately regreted not using the Mahameru Highway via Jalan Ipoh; my car was stuck in a horrendous jam lasting a good 30 minutes (moving less than half a kilometre).

This jam could have easily been controlled because the green lights for inbound traffic were unnecessarily long since most cars were outboound. The traffic police were ...no where to be seen. "Maybe they're on holiday", I thought.

They weren't. I turned towards Jalan Sultan Ismail and there was not one, not two, but THREE traffic policemen there doing absolutely nothing but "waving" cars along to the northbound Jalan Kinabalu turnoff.

Amazed and annoyed at the absurdity of the situation, and wanting to help, I called a friend and asked him to google for the traffic police hotline for me. I called the hotline, explained the situation to the officer on the line. WIthout asking for further details, he simply said "Yeah, yeah, yeah" (like I was whining to him) and a curt "Thankyouverymuch."

Well, you are most welcome indeed, PDRM.

***
16th December, about 5.50pm, Gardens Mall. 

After a man and his family exit a lift, I enter. 

Overheard:
Young lady: Oh my gosh, what what was his problem (referring to said man)? Why would you stand there if you're not controlling the lift buttons. If you're not then just get out of the way! I can't believe some people!
Other young lady: Yeah and the whole family just blocked the place. So blur, can't th...ey see people were trying to push the buttons?
Very young girl: Yeah and all the children also like that.
Young lady: Yeah either you control the buttons of don't block the way.
(This went on for a few more rather unsavoury and condescending sentences).

Other young lady: Eh this lift went down first now only going up?
Young lady: Yeah but we got it first. We're experienced "Mallers" [sic]. Haha we're so kiasu right? Ahahaha...Eh that guy just now ah, I tell you mean, this is why our country is going to the dumps.

You don't say...