just minishorts.

You make up your own views of why I'm writing this.

We had a conversation over teh tarik and canai last night. A friend, whose sister had fallen in love with a Muslim man and had decided to agree to marry him. The family, a staunchly Christian household, was trying to come to terms with what the youngest daughter's decision meant.

'My dad is more than upset. He behaves as if he has brought her up wrongly.'

'But they're still speaking to each other,' I asked.

'Yes of course, we respect her decision. In a marriage, it's not the beginning that counts, it's the process, and the end. Actually, let's hope there's no end to this marriage,' said our friend, the brother. 'I just want my sister to be happy, you know? I mean, maybe she wouldn't be as happy as she is now if she chose a Christian instead.'

There were about five of us, all of different races, well, except we were in a non-halal restaurant, so go figure. Maybe it was easier to talk about 'issues' like this in such a place. Seriously, the topic was really nothing sensitive, or at least, that's what I feel. I mean, marriages that bind people of different races or faith, always tend to be a little bit troublesome.

Ah Chong (not his real name, of course, a self-professed free-thinker who goes to the local medium occasionally, said, 'You all Christians leave it up to God. If me, I might go to a medium and see what the sifu can do. You know? Burn some paper, do a little charm. Dong chiang dong chiang, you know? Maybe things will be okay.'

'And then?' the brother questioned. 'Not okay how? Burn down the sifu's house izzit? This kind of things, up to God lah. God has greater plans, I cannot understand why He allows these things to happen, but I'm sure there's a reason for all of this.'

Muthu, a Hindu, replied, 'Like the Muslims would say, Insya-Allah.'

'We're not Muslims, do you think it's wrong for us to utilize their words?'

'Well then, 'God willing,' lor… Does it matter?' I said. 'Aiyah, it's your sister's choice, not like it's a BAD thing, why do we make as if a choice to believe is a bad thing?

Muthu chipped in, 'Yeah lah. If she wants, let her lah. I mean, everyone's fighting because of differences in opinion. Like this marriage, I think it's your sister, I know you guys care for her, but maybe she prefers to make her own decisions? Looks like she's decided anyway.'

The brother said, 'I know lah. We just want the best for her.'

That's the same argument everyone stands by, I think. I want the best for you. Sometimes, I feel like saying, 'Bullshit lah, the best for me. You just want me to follow and play by your rules. So that you'd feel good. If you want the best for me you wouldn't be arguing so much with me. You would let me try things out on my own, make my own decisions, and walk on my own learning curve.'

Someone please correct me if you find this post a little sensitive.

Deviations. On a more cheerful note, I bought myself a Sea-Monkey's kit. Have just purified the water, and am waiting for 24 hours to pass. April, kalau tak sampai 24 jam boleh tak proceed with the instant live eggs step?