NO GUIDANCE NEEDED

I can still remember the first time mak tok brought me to get my first telekung.

I was 5 or 6 years old.
That place was called "Jua Morah". Well, that's how it's pronounced in Penang accent. But I think the real name was Jualan Murah kot. So we went there, and mak tok stopped at this one kedai.

"Mami, telekung besaq dia pakai punya ada juai?" mak tok said, pointing at me. Aku pun pulled off the cutest face possible.

"Ada... sat na," that mami said, looking for "telekung besaq aku pakai punya".

Then she took out one telekung, mak tok tried it on me, and it was perfect.
So later on, we went home with my first telekung, and a small prayer mat.

So the next step was to pray la kan. Takkan nak pakai telekung pi main hambat-hambat, polis sentri, boya-boya apa semua. But the problem was, the 5/6 year-old me was confused. "What am I supposed to say anything during the prayer? What do I say? I don't even know the steps! I need guidance!" I thought back then.

Mak tok made it easy for me.
She said, "Ikut ja mak tok buat apa." So that was what I did. I stood beside her. I heard her baca Al-Fatihah. I followed. When she rukuk, I rukuk. Dia sujud, aku sujud. But I didn't know kena baca apa when you sujud and all, so aku baca baca alif ba ta. Hohoho..

Later on, when I could memorise the steps, I started to pray on my own. At that time, I felt so grown up. I could pray on my own! I don't need guidance! It was so exciting.

One day, mak tok was about to finish cooking when azan Zohor berkumandang. (ceh, formal pulak).

Then she said, "Anis! Pi amik ayaq semayang, semayang lekaih. Ni dah bang dah."
So aku pun dengan confidentnya pi masuk pancoq (bathroom) and amik wudhuk.. I was so happy that I didn't need to ask mak tok bahagian mana nak basuh dulu. Konon dah expert la. Tak yah guidance la katakan.

Then aku bentangkan sejadah dekat area katil mak tok. It was in the kitchen compound jugak. So I started to pray...

Then, I heard something.
It was Abg Bob. To those who have read the post "AKU DAN BANJIR", you might recall who he is. For those who haven't, GO and READ! Anyway, Abg Bob is my cousin who lives just beside my house. He was in primary school at that time. About 8 or 9 years old.

"Ajam! (that's what he called my mak tok)" he shouted.

Aku *dalam hati* ni mesti kat luaq ni depan rumah ni. Apa dia nak?

"Awat Bok?" I heard mak tok tanya. Thank you mak tok for verbalising that for me.

I was in my second rakaat when I heard him replied, "Ni Bok nak pinjam beskal Anis sat. Nak pi kedai."

Aku *dalam hati* alamak aku sayang beskal aku tu. Aunty Bayah beli kat Amarica! kalau dia pelingkop macamana?? Abg Bob kan samseng Dhoby Ghaut! Balik-balik nanti tinggai handle beskal ja macamana?! Ahh tidak!!!

Dengan pantasnya, dalam rakaat kedua tu, aku kalih belakang and shouted, "TAK BOLEH PINJAM BESKAL ANIS!!!"

Lalu sambung rukuk.

Tak yah guidance la sangat, kan?