Personae Grata
After a full circle, I managed to get a parking space right outside the building. Confident that I have enough cash (and a little extra) to buy food for Sungkai (and maybe Sahur), I grabbed my cell phone and locked my car. I was greeted by two men (looking foreign and non Malay) standing by the road side looking lost.
"Do you speak English?" The younger, in t-shirt and male sarong (kain pelikat) looked at me hopefully. His partner dressed in Jubah, was quiet and looked as confused.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Naturally trying to be helpful at the same time realizing that not all help is helpful.
"We tried to use our credit card but it seemed that the ATM does not accept our card," taking out his wallet showing his credit card that looked foreign enough to me. I ended up being the interviewer. I could imagine myself stranded in a foreign country with a rejected credit card, no cash and no one to turn to. It surely is a tough situation to envisage. Being a woman (and not so tough), I thought my resources and assistance were only limited.
"I can only help with these," handing over some cash. Ramadhan softened my heart to these two and never even want to consider if I was being conned (I am always a sucker for sob stories) or not.
"Will you be all right?" I repeated my question.
"Allah Kareem" he replied. That phrase stopped me in my track and cut my arguments. I bade farewell and went into the shop to get my food for Sungkai. Curious, I went out of the shop and tried to get a glimpse of where both men were heading. They were gone.
I was driving and crying (really crying) at the same time. Remember when you were caught with reddened eyes welling up with tears, and you brilliantly came up with "smoke" or "dust" that got in the way? Well, it was not that kind of tears.
Their complete trust and faith in Allah, that Allah will always be there to help, really touched my innermost being.
"Do you speak English?" The younger, in t-shirt and male sarong (kain pelikat) looked at me hopefully. His partner dressed in Jubah, was quiet and looked as confused.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Naturally trying to be helpful at the same time realizing that not all help is helpful.
"We tried to use our credit card but it seemed that the ATM does not accept our card," taking out his wallet showing his credit card that looked foreign enough to me. I ended up being the interviewer. I could imagine myself stranded in a foreign country with a rejected credit card, no cash and no one to turn to. It surely is a tough situation to envisage. Being a woman (and not so tough), I thought my resources and assistance were only limited.
"I can only help with these," handing over some cash. Ramadhan softened my heart to these two and never even want to consider if I was being conned (I am always a sucker for sob stories) or not.
"Will you be all right?" I repeated my question.
"Allah Kareem" he replied. That phrase stopped me in my track and cut my arguments. I bade farewell and went into the shop to get my food for Sungkai. Curious, I went out of the shop and tried to get a glimpse of where both men were heading. They were gone.
I was driving and crying (really crying) at the same time. Remember when you were caught with reddened eyes welling up with tears, and you brilliantly came up with "smoke" or "dust" that got in the way? Well, it was not that kind of tears.
Their complete trust and faith in Allah, that Allah will always be there to help, really touched my innermost being.
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