Terms of Endearment

When I was very young we used to laugh quietly at mum when she got out names mixed up. She would want to beckon me but ended up calling some other sisters’ names before she got my name right. We told her she has too many names to remember, that’s why she jumbled all our names up – which is very plausible actually.

Now I find the kids are laughing at me for the very same reason. In the end I find out it’s much easier to call everyone by one name, ie yang. Let them find out whom I meant when I call out yang.

But recently I decided that I really should be more prudent when using the endearment. I discovered that I had called the boy at the pasar tani yang. And the waiter serving me at the gerai. And the girl at the launderette. And oh my gosh, people in the office and at meetings too.

It didn’t stop there – I started calling the parking attendant bang. And of course the driver of the school bus and .. and.. The guy in the office blushed when I called him bang (hey, dont take me too seriously here!) which in turn made me feel uncomfortable and almost turned beet-red too!

So these days I am more restraint, so to speak, and is more sensible when using any terms of endearment. Everyone got their proper names back again. & the people at the pasar tani, gerai and launderette? They all remain nameless.

I also stopped calling anybody macha – my sons said that means abang. The young man serving us looked bashful when I asked him what is the meaning of the word macha. He said macha is like calling abang to your spouse and ane is like calling your own brother. So now we all know. And lately any terms of endearment are used very prudently indeed..

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