Speak to My Finger

I think whoever read the article written by a youth today in a daily free paper in Kuala Lumpur would definitely slap our forehead without fail. Let me tell you why.

The writer was writing about justice. And so a friend happened to share an incident which he witnessed a month ago. He was passing by an orphanage home and witnessed a caretaker raping a disabled. The writer asked the friend to be the witness for the police report but he didn't want to because he didn't want to bring trouble. So the writer asked why was he telling her after one month. He replied so she could do something.

Ouch.

It reminded me of a friend who I have just made friend with from another friend. She is a law grad and she was sitting beside me during a reunion dinner with some foreign friends in September. We were in this popular Malaysian restaurant which I hated a lot because the food sucks and they are very expensive. Anyways, she and I ordered Laksa (a local Malaysian food) and I was angered when I could not see any fish meat in the noodle. I only had noodle and soup to eat with. I wanted to complain but I have 3 foreign friends sitting opposite me, and I don't want to make a scene. As I was eating, I felt I was suppressing my feelings for justice. (I call this food justice, ha). Hitherto I was angry to be paying RM13.90 for a bowl of noodle with absolute no ingredients and on top of the bill is the guest's food bills. I didn't want to pay for something that I was no satisfied. So I asked this law grad what she thinks of the noodle. She was disappointed as well. So I told her I'm going to COMPLAIN. I kept calling the captain and he finally appeared. So I told him the problem. He asked why I had not bring this matter up when I was still eating. The reply I gave was I have guests and I don't want to make a scene that might create discomfort among my friends and guests. So the captain brought additional fish... While I was calling the captain, I could hear the law grad mumbling under her breath: Maybe we should not complain. And then she was digging into her noodles. Clearly, she was pouting when the captain appeared. I really complained about the food quality, which also embarassed the person who suggested that restaurant. At the end of my meal, the suggester said she didn't know the Laksa was not good since she only eats Nasi Bojari whenever she frequents this restaurant. So I learned my lesson from this experience: Excuse myself to have food somewhere and then reunite with friends who are having meals at restaurants I don't agree with. I cannot be giving face at the expense of my health and pocket. And you know what? I have done this before. I read the menu and nothing was pleasant to me, so I just walked out and grabbed a soy burger within 20 minutes and joined back my friends. Of course, the suggester was sorry because he never even bothered to ask if renaye is vegetarian or not!!!!

A few months ago, I had dinner with friends. I told the waitress I need all change back. Instead of giving back $4, she gave me only $3. Apparently, she stole a tip that she didn't deserve (she was not a good waitress). But my mistake was that I never cofronted her about it and just left. My friends encouraged me to report it to the other restaurant staff, but like the writer said in your entry "I didn't want to cause more trouble." v.v I won't take that kind of crap anymore.

RE: I don't use Photoshop. I use a freeware called GIMP. It's wonderful and I have grown used to it because I have used to for the past 6 years. ^.^ I'm sorry that I can't help with the Photoshop. I don't know anything about it.
» Kirei on 2010-11-18 01:21:37

A few months ago, I had dinner with friends. I told the waitress I need all change back. Instead of giving back $4, she gave me only $3. Apparently, she stole a tip that she didn't deserve (she was not a good waitress). But my mistake was that I never cofronted her about it and just left. My friends encouraged me to report it to the other restaurant staff, but like the writer said in your entry "I didn't want to cause more trouble." v.v I won't take that kind of crap anymore.

RE: I don't use Photoshop. I use a freeware called GIMP. It's wonderful and I have grown used to it because I have used to for the past 6 years. ^.^ I'm sorry that I can't help with the Photoshop. I don't know anything about it.
» Kirei on 2010-11-18 01:22:20

I don't understand what's going on in the first paragraph, so I was completely lost for your friend-of-a-friend story. D:
» middaymoon on 2010-11-18 04:49:32

I invited my friend to a restaurant because I love it soooo much. I told her what I thought was good to eat, but she got something different. Later when I wanted to go back there, she said she didn't really want to go back because she didn't like the food there, and her other friend didn't like it either. I felt really hurt and sad that they didn't like the restaurant because I love it so much and I had recommended it to them. I wished that they had just ordered what I recommended and then maybe they wouldn't have been disappointed. I wished that she had never told me how much she hated my favorite restaurant, now I never want to invite her to any restaurant I like because she probably won't like it. :(
» Zanzibar on 2010-11-18 09:25:10

I know how you feel in this story not because I have similar experiences but because in Malaysia, it is hard to find a restaurant that is famous for its good food, affordable and yet doesn't lose its quality over time. The most recent one I heard is Eurodeli. I've been having it for occasions ever since I moved to Damansara but just last week, another friend of mine went there and her party finds that the food sucks. I don't know if the chef just screwed up the food that day or if the quality really went down the drain.

Another thing about Malaysians is that very frequently, people don't know or don't want to stand up for their rights just because they don't want to create trouble for everyone one else. Plain ignorance of their rights, I should say. I think it is just the culture and upbringing here where you have to be submissive and just take crap from other people. This is one of the reasons why there is so many things that are wrong with this country. No one wants to voice out their disappointments to the right people, they don't want to "create trouble" and so all they do is lament about the state of things here. I guess that is really why we have a huge lot of failures that we are supposed to be proud of. A lot of people just hide behind courtesy, give face, my bad luck, and all that kind of shit. At the end of the day, nothing gets done and gets chalked up as an epic fail.
» Nuttz on 2010-11-19 07:13:41

Renaye, good that you complained about your laksa. Your idea of eating separately is a good idea.
» mun (60.51.90.101) on 2010-11-19 09:26:26

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