The Birthday of a Princess

About twenty three years ago, my brother and I were puzzled and worried by the drastic change in mom. She was bedridden and in such a bad state that Dad had to do the cooking and on days when she felt a bit better she’d piggy-back on Dad’s back for a trip downstairs as she could hardly walk! Those too were the days when I started getting acquainted with the rice cooker, the measurement of water and rice so that we could still have rice for lunch and dinner while dad cooked his all special Chinese dishes since mom was too weak to even move a muscle.

Soon we were to understand the reason behind the acute nausea and various sicknesses that mom had. She had a baby in her tummy! And because the baby was giving mom such a bad time, my brother and I were already imagining the horrible things it would do to us! Which left us, brother and sister, quite unsure about the baby, especially as it had just been the two of us for 8 years in a row.

But it’s not like we had a say in things like this. Mom's tummy grew bigger and she soon was almost herself all over again. On January 10th, 1980-something (can’t remember the year, you do the math!) Dad rushed off to send mom to the hospital in the middle of the night. Early the next day, he came back with news that SHE had arrived and that we were to get ready to go to the hospital to meet our new baby sister.

It was a baby girl and we despite all our reservtions about her, we couldn't help but love the tiny pink creature we saw. Bro and I were given the honour of naming her. So we did and named her after Princess Diana who was always in the papers those days. Yes, the late Princess of Wales. And a princess, the pink little thing turned out to be indeed.

D has always been the center of attention and has always seeked for it. When she was three, she was already performing in front of us..shaking her tush about - OH-MY-GOD, daily. She always said "look at me. look at me!", "watch me, watch me do this!" as she twirled around in long flaring skirts that mom made for her, trying out new steps to dance with the song she was singing, holding an imaginary microphone. Her favourite song those days was...what was it? Jejaka Idaman? By Raja Ema? And anything out of the Sound of Music. She was so into the Sound of Music that she had memorised the entire dialogue from the movie, ALL the songs and even the little performance that the Von Trappe children did in the movie; which she forced us to watch her imitate and perform every other day, AND then clap for her! After a while, instead of calling dad, “Daddy” or “abah” like the other normal children in the house, she’d be about the house calling dad, “Father..father!”, just like how the Von Trappe children did in the movie. Thank God that died off after a while!

22 years later, she is still one who likes to be on centerstage. You’d find her performing in Melaka on various theatre shows. You give her a microphone, she’ll never let go, she loves singing. She is always in one performance or the other. At the same time, she claims to be serious in her studies, which, actually she is..and intends to be a super-duper-kick-ass business woman someday..It’s just that, she hasn’t decided actually what exactly she’ll be business-ing in just yet.

But D is serious and amazingly independent although we have pampered her all these years. There are days when I can’t help but marvel at her strength and determination to do what she wants; which can only be possible when one is as stubborn and hard headed as she is.

And yes, 22 years on, she is still the princess of the family. She claims that she is the unlucky one to have missed all that my brother and I had together in the 8 years that she wasn't around. But she doesn’t realize, that really, she is the lucky one, to actually have what we wouldn’t have dreamt of having AND getting away with when we were her age! But we’re the ones at fault, really. We spoil her rotten!

It was just yesterday that she turned 22. Apparently I was late for a really happening birthday song for her by our Pak Aji backed up by a choir of other aunts, uncles, and cousins, including tiny little baby Sofea, who sang it in two versions..One original and the other ala pop-yeh-yeh. It was so loud, I was told, everybody on our little Bukit could have heard it, instead of the takbir Raya! Of course, the little princess was mighty pleased with this; to be the center of attention again. But then, it's her birthday..so it's allowed.

Soon, I will be attending her graduation. My little sister who is still afraid (sampai nangis-nangis) of clowns will soon leave her little cocoon of friends at university and venture into the real world. Not long after, we’ll hear wedding bells ringing for her. Sighs.. But before that, let me tell you Adik, that life has been a lot sweeter and errr…spicier with you around. And although, abang and I don’t say it often and although we nag at you all the time, we actually do love you to bits and have you in our prayers everyday and wish that life will give all things beautiful, just for you.

Happy Birthday Princess D with all the love from my heart!

Ps. By the way, she's single. LELONG! LELONG! hehehehe...