a laughter ....

I just saw an add on the msn website. It says, `baby´s laughter triggers mom´s brain.´ Does it really? If that is the case, let´s have a laugh.

When I was studying in Indonesia, my professor called my attention one morning.

Prof: Mbak Maria, you make me sick. You hit the wrong note twice.
Me: Go to hell!

After saying that, I collected my things, stood up, and stormed out while tears flooded my cheeks. Everybody was looking at me with a somewhat bewildered and confused look. Truth is, I was so embarrassed. Imagine, I made somebody sick with my music!

Hours later, Emma, my English classmate, dropped by my place. At first, I didn´t want to talk to her, so I told her to go away. I just wanted to be alone.

Around that time, my grandma just had a heart bypass and I was far away from home. I just actually wanted to go back to the Philippines. But Ma said that specialists are looking after grandma and there´s not much I can do.

Besides, if I go home during the academic school year, it will definitely have consequences which will include paying the university a full refund and perhaps even getting fired for breach of contract! (I was a government scholar then.)

So I was double upset when my professor told me I make him sick! But Emma was waiting outside my door. She wouldn´t leave. So I let her in and spoke to her.

Emma: how are you?
Me: I´m not really in the mood for a chit chat, Emma.
Emma: But why were you so upset?
Me: Won´t you be upset if someone told you that you make him sick?
Emma: Who told you that?
Me: Pak Joko (the professor), who else???!
Emma: He did? When?
Me: EMMA!!! during our class.

Emma stared at me. Then there was a pregnant pause.....

Emma: Oh that!
Me: Yes, THAT!
Emma: Marissa, Pak Joko said Mbak Maria, you MADE A MISTAKE. You hit the wrong note twice.

I was silent. And then, we both laughed. Poor Pak Joko.


But the thing is, some Indonesians have problems with pronunciation. So Pak Joko sounded actually like this:


Pak Joko: Mbak Maria, you mek mestek, you het rong not twez.


Which sounded to me like: Mbak Maria, you make me sick. You hit the wrong note twice.


But like I said, I should always clean my ears when travelling/living abroad! THE END! HAHAHAHAHAHA



Pak = Sir or Mister
Mbak = miss