Yesterday was a day off for me as the State I am residing observed a public holiday. So as to excite my gang members' life, after we had our breakfast, we opt to roam a mall which is just a stone's throw away from our home.
While I stopped for red at a traffic light, I saw a guy who was actively offering to sell his kuih (cakes or pastries as we called it in English) to a few people at a bus stop. Witnessing the moment, in a blink of an eye my brain reminded me of my very first profession in the employment world that was as a penjual kuih (cakes or pastries peddler as we called it in English) in my early years. (Technically there was no salary by the way as the employer was my very own lovely mother...)
I then changed my focus to my fourteen year old daughter and ten year old son as they were in the rear seat. As to begin a conversation with my kids, I then uttered a sentence which caught their attention. I began with, "I used to peddle traditional pastries such as curry puff, banana fritters, etc. made by your grandmother when I was at your age". My daughter who was actually reading the newspaper, stopped and replied, "No way!" and my son who was at the moment reading the sports section perhaps trying to get some answers as to how and why the national football team could only recorded a draw with the Bangladeshi team (As far as I know cricket is Bangladesh's number one sport) stopped as well with disbelief and from their reaction, I then giggled.
As the traffic light turned green, I changed gear, stepped on the accelerator and continued with my story. I told them that during my young time, things were not as what they are experiencing today and it was tough back then. I continued by telling them that after school or during school holidays, I had to peddle between three to five hours around the kampung (village in English) with a rattan basket in hand (there was no plastic basket back then) and had to ensure at least three quarter of the kuih to be sold before I faced my employer (my employer was always a fierce one to handle). I shared with them too that during my time it was never easy to ask for things from their grandparents as I had to work for it and not as what they are today with me. Both of my kids threw lots of questions on my story and I answered them elegantly though I knew that it was tough for them to swallow and digest it but that was the reality. :-)
All in all, I hope my kids will understand that nothing in this world comes easy, they have to work for it, always be in gratitude for what they have, never complain for what they do not have and pass the story to the next generation.
As for the case, once we were at the mall, how I realised that narrating them the story had saved me some money as we had lunch at that usual food court which was extremely at lower cost instead of that ridiculous priced Subway. In the end, I sold my story and I guess my kids bought it! The icing of the cake was not only my kids bought it but my partner in crime as well. Hell yeah!!! :-)
See ya...
Rhymee
