During the school holidays, I had decided to visit Kak Long, my eldest, who is studying Dentistry (2nd Year) at UIA, Kuantan Campus, Pahang. Deqda, my 13 y.o. daughter, the youngest, had been pressurising me and my wife to bring her to see Kak Long for several months back. Coincidently, Kak Long was facing her 2nd Year Final Exams - we hoped our presence will act as a morale booster for her. My wife didn't want to be left out by cooking Kak Long's favourite dishes. The excitement of family gathering helped to ease out the long and tiring car journey along the North-South Highway and East Coast Highway.
Our meeting with Kak Long was a joyous occassion for us. Even my son, Munif, who is studying Accounting (Foundation) at the nearby UNITEN Muadzam Shah did join in. I felt happy and satisfied after observing the faces of all my family members, enjoying each other presence.
For myself, the enjoyment didn't stop there. One day, after we had our family lunch, I received a phone call from my SMS Perlis schoolmate, Azli bin Ahmad. It turned out that he is working in Paka, less than 100km away from the place my family was staying. Upon knowing that I am in Kuantan, Azli requested to see me after Isyak prayer and I agreed.
Restoran Alif, Balok Branch was the venue of our long awaited meeting. Azli informed me that he had arrived at the venue and I was about 2 minutes away.
As I parked my Gen-2 in an empty slot beside the restaurant, I glanced through the windscreen all the patrons that were sitting at the restaurant tables, hoping to identify Azli. Is he the one in a cream coloured shirt enjoying teh tarik at table 1C, or a man wearing a black NIKE cap, hoping to look like Tiger Woods at Table 2A?. In all the excitement, I slammed shut the car door, still glancing around the restaurant interior for my friend Azli.
As I approached a man wearing a dark round neck sweater, I queried, "Azli kah?". The man stood up and reached out his right hand and I swinged mine and grabbed his hand and gave the tightest grip handshake that I could. The man said, "Ya lah. Zauri kan?". We both laughed, feeling happy after more than 30 years being separated.
Our meeting started at 9:00pm and we parted at 12:30am. We talked about our own life journeys, updated our SMS Perlis friends, religion and family. We hope to see each other again in the future, most probably at the Reunion Dinner, insya Allah and thank you Azli for the Roti Nan and Ayam Tandoori.
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