Sunday, March 13, 2005

newest update until the next newest update which is also until the next newest and so on and so forth

Hi readers! how are you all? I do hope that you all are doing ok. Today, I'm going to tell you about my trip to UTP a couple of days ago. Yes, I went to UTP.

I was a typical tuesday night. The sky is overcast, probably because of the bad weather covering Malaysia with haze, or maybe its just my poor perception. I did not notice anything exceptional with that night. It seems so mundane, so ordinary, so tuesday. Tiring. That night, we (me and tamin) drove all the way to UTP, to do some inquiry to Dr Abas (our former lecturer) about the possibility of doing a trainee lecturer program.

The ride to tronoh was tiring. The day was spent working. Hence tamin was mostly asleep during the journey. As for me, I let my mind wander. I wonder; what will be of me two to three years in the future. Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Que Sera Sera. Fuck off and Die. Sorry dear readers. I don't give a damn anymore.

Anyway. We arrived to tronoh at around 1:30 am. I've booked a room in Macai's Old Boys Inn which is convieniently located just 15 minute ride to UTP. Macai, the innkeeper was already fast asleep when we arrived in front of the inn's sliding gate. A short phone call was enough to rouse the innkeeper from his slumber. I felt rather ashamed to have to wake good ol' macai from his sleep. I was never a person that'll force myself onto other, unless under special conditions. Though I do regret it. But that is a different story and I am not going to go into it.

After a short small talk with macai, we retired to our room. I managed to grab hold of a pillow during our small talk with macai. Hence I get to sleep with comfort. Poor tamin, he had to rest his head on level mattress. At around 3 am, tamin started to snore, and boy! he could really snore. I felt a pang of guilt for taking the pillow for myself because I think if he had the pillow for the night, he'd not snore. I read that snoring could tire you and cause you to not get a really restfull sleep. So I shoved the pillow to tamin's general direction. In hopes that he'll instinctively put it under his head. But he never did. Most of the time, we don't get what we want.

That morning, I woke up at 7 am. I prepared breakfast for everyone* before I have my cold shower.

After the morning rituals, we head to UTP.

When we arrive to UTP, we head to the IT school.

We climbed steps. On the top floor, we're met with defeat. no thats too dramatic. We're met with closed doors. A little less dramatic but still is. Nobody is around. Just nice.

We waited.

And waited.

I saw a glimpse of Noreen Izza. She was our classmate during our student years. She have this japanese teeths that looks so cute on her. She's a good lecturer. She drives a kancil. I saw her in penang during the last Raya Haji. I was also a glimpse, much like this one. She always wear her hair tied in a pony tail. Her skin is tan like fair olives.

Then we waited some more.

Then we stumbled upon Md Nor Ibrahim. He was my network security lecturer. I avoided him just because I dunno what to say to him. Tamin did his usual thing. He chatted with him for a while. Then he left.

We continued to wait.

Then the lecturer's office desk clerk came to the office. He invited us to sit in the lounge area. I reluctantly accepted his offer. He plonked our asses in the ultra modern sofa chairs. Simple yet elegant. So petronas. So KLCCish.

Some minutes passed before Mr Shuib stumbled upon us. We exchanged some pleasantries before he left for his room.

More minutes passes. Then Monseiur Jale, UTP's most hated lecturer arrived. He checked out some bulletin posts on the clear glass door before entering the office space. I caught him checking us out prior to his entry, while he was checking the bulletin. He walked pass us without acknowleding our presence. I felt elated. We were never liked by him. We were are what we are. We sucked but he sucked more.

After a long wait, Dr Abas managed to drop by. We were ushered into a meeting room. The very same room that we used to discuss our final year project with him. The same room where i made excuses for my failure to hand in my weekly reports.

He proceeded to asks us about work, job prospects and everything in between. While doing that, he managed to give us advices on our careers and encourages us to do well in it. I sensed some hidden agenda here. It seemed to me back then that out presence there was unwelcomed.

After his long introductory speech, tamin managed to interject and tell him of our main reason of being there; to scout the possibility of doing a trainee lecturer program. As if hearing a cue to start another lecture, Dr Abas goes on to explain to us about UTP's strategy and policy. It seems that UTP have stopped taking trainee lecturers and are now focusing to attract phd holders instead. Its our cue to leave. But the lecture didn't stop. I made some efforts to end the conversation there, but it was to no avail. I even made fun of my boss to make him conclude. That too did not work. It didn't stop until after a quite some time.

During the exchange, I noticed that he used that casual 'aku' and 'kau' to call himself and us. It seemed to me that we have reached the stage where we are no longer below him. We are being treated like people of equal standards. Only our standard is not enough to lend us lecturing stints.

I felt an illogical sense of disappointment. What I heard in the exchange was all true and logical. Some of Dr Abas' suggestion to gain more experiance and qualifications was actually my original idea. This whole trip to UTP was in reality, us entertaining a big 'why not?'. It proved to be a little bit of a waste of time. But It was neccessary, since without it we'd probably be asking ourselves if lecturer trainee program was indeed plausible option.

With mixed feeling, we went to have some food at Syed Mohammed. A local mamak eatery. Syed mohammed caters indian muslim food. It is UTP's favorite breakfast spot, usually frequented by people with the transport to convieniently get there in the morning.

Tamin and I was discussing about the matter of our future when our past walked into the restaurant. There it was, In the restaurant entry, stood a bunch of young girls in their early twenties. Their slender figures was framed by a soft glow of morning light, coming through the restaurant entryway. Stood in the middle of the group was Rocket. The ever radiant. Beside her was eima. With her ruffled curls tied in a pony tail. Encircling them was some unnamed extras. Yes, I am being mean. When in the presence of Rocket and Eima, no other girls are worth glimpsing.

Ahh.. Rocket...

The End

*lies

7 comments:

Fadhil Luqman said...

Yes, it was a bit of a dissappointment, wasn't it? But I guess you're right, at least we got that out of the way, instead of never finding out if we _could_ have done it. Now we know.

And Monsieur Jale is a bitch. I hope you'll read this Monsieur, and I hope that you choke on some French Patisserie while reading it and fall off your seat, grasping at your neck while you choke and gasp. And as you breathe your final breaths, I imagine you thinking "why couldn't I have been nicer to these children?Why didn't I give them knowledge instead of suffering them through stupid lessons in french pronunciation?". You deserve worse than this, but it will suffice. And when I read about it in the papers the next day, I believe I shall be wishing I was there to see it.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Abas actually addressing himself and u guys as 'aku' and 'kau' heh? At last, we are equal to u..'Abas'..hehe

Monsieur Jale is a bitch, but i forgave him a long time a go..u guys should be more forgiving though..hehe

Yours Truly said...

who's jale by the way? huhu~

Taqiyuddin said...

yes, and if i am there when jale chokes on the French Patisserie, and if he asks me for help.. i'd ask him back if that is a help with a capital H or a small h

Dils said...

Wouldnt the view of Jale choking on French Patisserie would be grand~ It will even surpass the Eiffel Tower..
Damn I hope u choke becoz u're trying to mouthed out French pronunciation.
Revenge is sweeter

Dils said...

Wouldnt the view of Jale choking on French Patisserie would be grand~ It will even surpass the Eiffel Tower..
Damn I hope u choke becoz u're trying to mouthed out French pronunciation.
Revenge is sweeter

Anonymous said...

wah.. he's that bad huh?

eRm