“Ikut Mak cari kerja ya Nak…”, said Mom. As an eight-year old girl, I was just too happy to follow my mom as rarely did we get out of the house unless necessary. We were too poor that taking a bus ride was a big liability. That morning was not just a bright and cloudy day but an important one because my Mom was hoping to get a job as an Amah of a Nyonya’s household. An Amah simply does the washing, ironing and drying of the laundry, sweeping and mopping of the house, and cleaning and wiping of the tables and chairs…. all within 3 hours (say that in one breath, it’s easier than having to do those chores :-). A Nyonya refers to the rich, Chinese lady who would prefer to sub-out the domestic work to an Amah like my mom because she herself is too occupied outside the house. I was fascinated upon reaching the 2-storey apartment of the Nyonya as there were many shops on the ground level that we had to pass through including a reddish Strawberry Shortcake shop. I recalled reading a big signage, Bukit Timah Plaza, outside the building as we were walking from the bus-stop a distance away. The door opened to a big living room with a big table in the middle of it that was filled up with bundles of cloth, long ruler and scissors, a significant hint to me that this Nyonya could be a tailor (I found out later she was a fashion designer or boutique retailer, yeah, it’s more sophisticated and glamorous than being a tailor). We were not there long and soon we had to leave the house with the Nyonya into her car, a big luxurious car. The Nyonya was perhaps in a hurry to go to her retail shop and had brought us along so that she could do her interview with my mom in the car. Fast life, fast game, I suppose. I was seated next to the Nyonya in the car while my mom had to settle at the back seat. There was a reason why it was me and not my mom that had to sit in front… it was because I was the one who could speak English and that instantly empowered me. Wow! I felt important all of a sudden! And “Wow! What a big car”, I felt a gush of excitement at the same time. It marked a significant moment for me as I remember dreaming that “One day I shall drive this big car, just like the Nyonya”. The rest of the journey, I had to become my mom’s interpreter, even negotiating for my mom on her salary from a $200 to another $20 more. The Nyonya accepted the term and all because she pitied me, I suspect. This poor ‘lil girl. Within those 2 hours, I learnt about feeling important. The trick was to have knowledge… with knowledge I became much more needed, my value went up higher than my mom ‘cos I sat in front, VIP seat okay… :-) . I remember feeling so good because the Nyonya talked to me and not my mom. Both women were actually depending on me for help, to interpret their words and get the communications going and that made me feel so good, sooooo goooood to be exact! I remember telling myself too to be clever and knowledgeable if I want to drive a big luxurious car :-) . What an awareness and exposure for me! That Moment of Happiness and Realisation of the importance of ‘ilm is what I hope I could pass on at PPIS, sending more positive vibes to others, and others and more others around us. Cheers, MM (Life’s Moment of Happiness series, Part 1)
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