Sup3rnality

Last Saturday had me waking with a panicky start, thinking that I was late for work. The sun was bright outside my window, and my mind was racing with thoughts of how Juliana must be mad at me for not showing up, my teammates wondering where I was and a product left hanging on its own. But as sense and logic rushed back in, only then I realized that it was Saturday, and I was here in Cyberjaya as I would be meeting up with the BENdits for Anis' baby shower. *slaps forehead* Duh.

So I rolled out of bed, and got to my usual getting-ready routine. It was only about 8.30am, and the baby shower was not til 5pm, but I planned to meet up with Sarah to do a little shopping before we set off to Anis' place. So I went through the normal bathe+tone and moisturize+pants+make-up+top+hair regime and set out.

It felt like a good day, panicky wake up notwithstanding, and I walked out with a spring in my step. It was a Saturday, I was in Cyberjaya, I got to wake up late and I didn't have to go to work. Those were the makings of a good start. Then, the Bangladeshi worker I passed by who mopped the corridors every morning looked up from his work and greeted me 'good morning' with a smile. It made me smile all the more and I greeted him in kind. I have to say that I am a sucker for old fashioned politeness and courtesy; and I miss that among human beings, who are now cold, lonesome robots without a smile to spare. So I salute you, Mr Block C1 Caretaker, for smiling when many wouldn't. Yes, it was a good morning.

I decided to take a cab instead of the bus to the ERL station, cos as I was walking, I saw the bus driving fast past, and it would be another half an hour til the next one came. So, screw it, cab it is. After the incident with the sleazy cabbie, I have been extra extra careful, but I was pleasantly surprised by this cabbie who was pleasant and friendly. On the way, I decided to ask him how much it would cost to go to Midvalley, and having negotiated a reasonable price, I agreed for him to send me straight there.

So I got there, I shopped at MPH while waiting for Sarah, bought loads of stuff, and when Sarah got there, we went to Gardens to get her Stila stuff. I was starving by then, and having been craving for Carl's Jr., I decided to belanje Sarah and have our brunch there. After that, we headed to OU to get more of Sarah's stuff (heheh...lotsa stuff, huh, Sarah?) and stopped by MPH to catch the Poetry Readings held there in conjunction with World Book Day. Managed to meet with Madame Sheena and watch some poets do their stuff. Right after that, Sarah and I immediately met up with Fidzy and Shu and headed to Kota Damansara to get donuts and go to Anis' place.

When we got there, I have to say it was a huge relief to see some familiar faces that I haven't seen in such a long time. These are the friends that made MCIIUM bearable despite being depressing as it was. These are the faces that taught me alot about a friendship that I had yet to discover. These were the people who were very much a family to me. Sadly, Aaina and Zeph couldn't make it cos Aaina had work at the last minute and Zeph had to fly. So, it was just the 6 of us. Let's see if I still remember this: It was Pesky+Kitty+Sleepyhead+Philosopher+Fingerprints+Responsible-Silent-Horny=6 BENdits.

Lemme say this, no matter how long we get separated, we can still laugh like the bunch of 17/18 year olds we were all those years back in Matric. It's been about 6 years since then, and we are still the BENdits who hogged the Lepak Place and shared stories, laughs, food, tears and the like. Heck, we shared a lot back then. We're still the bunch of girls who had nothing in common, but found friendship in spite of our difference in background, lifestyle and mannerisms. We are still the same, but we're not.

What makes the now different from those years long gone is that we're now on a new phase in life. And while we don't share the same situations like we used to when we were all cooped up in the Holy Grounds v.1, we still find ourselves to be kindred in ways. And I find comfort in that.

It was nice sitting around the table and catching up, joking and laughing, and reminiscing on memories. Who'd have thought we'd be see each other through this far? We've had our misunderstandings and arguments and yet, there we were.

And the reason we were there in the first place was to celebrate our very own Anis and Matt, whom are expecting their knight in a month's time. We came bearing gifts to welcome their baby when he is born. Their very first child. And also the first child, shall I say, in our BENdit family. We are going to be aunts. Hehe, I'm going to be Aunty Linzy...

It's amazing to think all those years ago, when we were all just girls who found friendly faces in a sea of unknown people, that we would become the women we are, here and now, as a family of sorts--still.