Last night

The chores were done and the children were in bed.

Ayam was sitting outside the house smoking a cigarette while contemplating the imminent CNY.

Waifu came out. Hey, she said, what are you doing out here so late? Her voice, as usual, was like a fresh mountain stream. Ayam soaked in its serenity.

Nothing much, ayam answered, but some news for you.

A smile broke on her face. What is it, dear?

Well, ayam continued, I got a bonus. 5.5 months. And I’ve got a raise too. I got to know this earlier, but would like to wait for it to be official before telling you.

Oh, she pipped a short reply.

I didn’t mean to keep it a secret, ayam explained, but don’t want to celebrate prematurely. The bonus is in my account already and I’ll transfer it to you later.

Hey, dear, waifu said. Something I’ve got to tell you too.

What is it?

Remember the time we were so broke we thought we had to eat the dog?

Yes.

Well, if you keep throwing them cigarette butts on the floor, and the dog eats them and gets sick and dies, I’ll make you eat the dog.

Waifu kissed ayam on the cheek and walked back into the house.

Ayam whispered to her retreating back, I love you too, babe!


Ayam’s darkest days – or was it?

It was more than 10 years ago, 7 days before CNY.

In the past two months ayam had been getting 0.5 month pay. Ayam was owed total of a month’s salary by the company. Director said company collection very bad and couldn’t pay the staff. EPF deduction were not deposited into our accounts. By the looks of it, the current month salary would be, as the Chinese saying, colder than water.

To say that the company was running on fumes is like saying lava is warm.

Ayam sat down in front of the computer and printed a short and concise letter of resignation that ayam had written earlier, backdated to the first of the month. That gave ayam a head start on the 30-day notice. Reason for leaving was the company’s inability (notice ayam did not failure) to fully disburse salary and benefits, including EPF contributions. Additionally ayam expressed that ayam intend to pursue all those due by legal means.

Ayam printed the letter and gave it to the director by hand. Put the company Nissan Frontier keys on the table. Informed him that ayam will leave the computer unlocked. Also gave him a thumb drive containing all the work that ayam had done for the company on my own laptop.

Director did not open the letter nor say a word. Ayam asked him to sign as acceptance a copy of the letter, backdated by nearly a month. Ayam reminded him that HR had my account number. He nodded in response.

Ayam went out of the office without saying goodbye to anybody. My one subordinate knew what was up. He managed a weak smile and got up from his desk, carrying a folded piece of paper, and walked towards the director’s room.

Ayam did not wait for him.

Ayam walked out of the office into the scorching afternoon sun. Ayam remember thinking, good thing it’s not raining now that ayam have got no car.

Ayam extracted a cigarette from the box in ayam pocket, lit it and took a long pull. Not unlike a man taking a long breath before diving into water.

As ayam exhaled the smoke, ayam felt a tap on ayam shoulder. It was the young chap that used to be my subordinate. Let’s call him Johnny. Now, in our unemployment, we are equal.

Hey, he said.

Hey you back, ayam replied.

Where are you headed?

Home.

How?

Bus, probably.

Buy me one ais kosong and I’ll give you a ride.

I’ll buy you two.

So we both sad motherfuckers sat at a table in a food court near what used to be our place of work with four glasses of ais kosong between us.

Are you good? Johnny asked ayam.
In what way? I can walk. I have my mind intact, still. I’ve got RM120 in my wallet and RM1,500 in my bank account. I’ve got my home mortgage RM1,483 due on the seventeenth. My wife’s probably got savings of RM10,000 but that’s been partly eroded because I didn’t get full salary for 2 months. We wouldn’t last another two months.

Whoa that’s tough, Johnny cringed. I guess I’m a little better than you because I am single and only have to pay RM300 something for my car.

Good for you, ayam replied. Let’s finish our drink and go.

We did. The trip home was completely silent and seemed to take ten times more than the actual 25 minutes.

Just as ayam got out of the car, Johnny said, good luck and keep in touch.

Same to you, Johnny, same to you. Have a Happy New Year. Ayam closed the door of his Kancil carefully and he drove off.

Ayam was standing outside my own home and was afraid to go in. The dog came out to greet ayam, wagging its tail vigorously, oblivious of the tempest in ayam’s heart. Wag while you have it, doggo. If things get bad you’ll be good for at least five meals.

Waifu came out to meet ayam. She must have seen the dark clouds hanging over my head, because she gave ayam a hug. Ayam broke down crying, my tears soaking into her hair.

It’s okay, she said. We’ll be alright. The dog’s good for at least four meals, if it came to that.

You’re being conservative. I counted five.

One of a kind. Come in, said waifu, pulling ayam by my hand.

Ayam followed. We set up the table for dinner. As the family gathered round for the meal, ayam realized that this could soon be lost.

That night ayam couldn’t sleep. The future looked exceedingly bleak.

You should call Peter, waifu said the next day. Ask for your old job back. Ayam was working for Peter before resigning and joining cannot pay salary company.

Poor man has no pride and a broke man has nothing to lose. Ayam called to old office and asked to speak to Peter. The receptionist recognized ayam and very enthusiastically wished ayam Happy CNY. Ayam reciprocated flatly.

Hey, Mr Peter said he couldn’t speak to you because he’s got an important call at the moment. He’ll call you back.

Okay, ayam said. He’ll call me back?

Yes. He’ll call you back.

He didn’t call back that day. Nor the day after. Nor the day after that.

In the meantime ayam busied ownself with helping around the house – cleaning, changing the sofa covers, putting up the CNY decorations. The more ayam did these things, the more ayam was reminded that there was not enough money. Through all this waifu was a rock standing firm against the battering waves. She was unassailable.

On CNY eve, ayam got a call from Peter.

He got straight to the point. How many months’ salary didn’t you get?

Two.

Come back, Peter commanded.

I’ll think about it, ayam replied. Control macho is requisite in situations like this. How much are you paying?

Whatever they’ve not been paying you, plus another 10%, Peter offered.

Twenty, ayam countered.

Ten, and you get your old car back.

Ten, my old car back, and time and a half on overtime, double pay on weekends and triple pay on public holidays. And I want a coffee mug.

Deal. I’ll give you 50 quids go buy your own fucking coffee mug. Come get your car today. Report to work tomorrow in KVDT, 0900 hours.

It’s Chinese New Year tomorrow, boss.

Yes. I know. Triple pay. I didn’t forget.

That’s not what I mean– yeah OK I report to work tomorrow 0900 hours KVDT.

And that, dear /k, is how ayam started working during public holidays.

Sekian ayam cool setori. Terima kasih sudi membaca.