The Car

"Going to SPB?" asked Jasmine.
The bus driver said yes.
I was standing behind them, still in the bus, when the driver started to drive away.
"Tunggu, tunggu!" I semi-cried for the bus to stop for I need to get down there.
I walked towards the housing area. As usual I walked in extreme caution, just in case someone decides to slash my shoulder and rob my backpack or whatsoever.

It was almost near where I parked my car this morning. As usual I would look towards the direction of my car, just to make sure it's still there. Yeah I'm paranoid that my car will be gone, this is, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for your information. It's the safest city to live in don't you know that?

Back to the walking. So I was walking, and looking. As usual, I panicked that I couldn't see my car. As I walked closer, and closer and closer, I realized that unlike the many times, I am not wrong, the car really isn't there. I walked further up the road. I walked back to the beginning of the road, scanning properly at every car parked at the road, just in case I've forgotten where I parked it. I walked up the road again.

I called YanLing. I told her that my car might be missing, but I'm not sure. I tried to remain calm, and walked up the road and down again checking every car out, checking every nook and corner of the road (it was a pretty straight road wth) just in case my car is hiding there. I remembered very clearly that I parked my car at that one spot. I stood on that spot, rubbed my shoes against the uneven tar road. It is really gone. I'm not hallucinating or overseeing the vehicle, it is really gone.

I called YanLing and told her that it is gone, hoping that she would come and help me find my car which I have overlooked. I just stood there 'mong'. I told myself it might be the angry owners of the house didn't want the car to be there so they towed it away. So I just stood there at the petrol station, waiting for YanLing to come and tell me that hey, that's your car, what a silly person I was to overlook such a big vehicle.

She came with her packed dinner. She didn't even eat her dinner and she came to rescue me. She drove me up and down the road to recheck and make sure that it isn't there. Then she drove me to the police station.

It didn't quite get to me when the police called the tow-company and the city town hall thingy (DBKL) and the traffic police and the JPJ to check if anyone of them has towed the car away. Questions like was the car locked, was it yellow line, what time did you leave it there, what time did you realize it was gone, number plate, whose name was it under etc. It didn't quite bother me that much until the police told me to call dad to check if the payment is not overdue or anything. That's when I turned into the emotional wreck.

I told him the car was gone. Tears and my paused breathing choked me. He told me to report to the police and just tell the truth (whatever that is supposed to mean), he reassured me that the payment is paid up, and the insurance will take care of it so don't worry. He'll try to get me a car as soon as possible, just tell the truth, and it's ok.
(It's amazing how he can figure all that out so quickly all in one short phone call, that being he was driving.)

The police asked me if dad scolded me. I, who was still in lots of overflowing tears, replied that he didn't, I just felt really guilty. Actually I don't know if that was guilt. It just felt really bad. It was as if it is confirmed that it is gone, I wasn't being absent minded for forgetting where it is, it wasn't towed away and left at someplace for me to go pick it up, it is really really gone.

So the police was making a lot of phone calls. I tried to control my emotions and eventually stopped crying soon enough. Then her conversation on the phone. She told the other person that I'm a Chinese female first before any other information. Then she asked me a question in English, then told the person the answer (the conversation was in Malay) and then mumbled so softly and quickly, but I caught it, saying, "She doesn't know how to speak Malay." I felt so discriminated and bullied. Then she told the other person that the payment of the car has been settled and stuff, and she added, " or that's what she (me) claims," suggesting that that's what I said and might not be true. I cried again.

A moment ago I was just being very grateful that the police was really nice and friendly and helpful, which contradicts all the bad images the police has. (I have encountered some really nice police before so I don't hold extreme stereotypes to police as a whole) But when she said that, I just broke into tears again. Is that what dad meant when he told me to "just tell the truth, don't be afraid"?

So the many parties confirmed that my car wasn't towed away. Then we went for dinner cuz we needed to go to a bigger police station to file the report and be investigated at 2 and a half hours later.

I called back home and told the cousin that I'm not going back for dinner. I didn't tell her why. I just told her that I'll be back later.

My uncle (from dad's side) called. He stays in KL. He told me he got the news from my cousin sister in Pg. Great right, how fast does news travel in the family? Wow

Mum called. The reassure things, checking on my schedule and making sure I have transports to school and stuff. The car roadtax was just sent to me today. Yay now I have a new sticker, wth. I started tearing again. She told me that it's ok, as long as I am safe. and she's going to arrange a car down for me as soon as possible, perhaps tomorrow. (I'm going to tell you how sudden this all has happened to me and how fast the family has reacted and planned and make arrangements it scares me so much) Then I told her that I'm waiting to see the inspector at 2030hours, and she went, "why is it so long so late we should complain about these police" and I heard dad's voice at the background saying, "aiyo no need la as long as she is safe..." parents. =)

We just stayed at the Indian store and sip on our ice-lemon teas while waiting for the time to come. We chatted. It was nice talking to YanLing, at moments I would interrupt her to tell her the thoughts that are bothering me at the moment, and she just listened. It was really nice chatting with her, as usual; but to feel that we are waiting for something just didn't feel that perfect.

Anyhoos. It was time to go lodge the report. So the police inspector asked me how many siblings I have. I was at a total lost of words. Then she asked which birth order I am (eldest, middle youngest etc), after I told her I have a younger sister and a younger brother. So logical right. Yeah.
Anyways. So she asked about where I'm currently living in, with whom, what is their job etc. Then she asked about the car, was it locked, do I always park there, did I ask anyone around there if they've seen it, what time was it left there and realized, where was I when the car was there, and she told me to draw a picture of the place that I parked the car. And she praised my drawing for being nice (so out of place but still boosts esteem for something that I just sketched simply, frankly it looked like shit, but apparently she liked it oh well)

Aunt called. She told me that she knew about it from my mum. (Thanks mum for breaking the news!) And offered to fetch me back from the police station.

The time was almost up. So we left. And YanLing dropped me at a point where my aunt was waiting for me to pick me up and go home. I was really worried that I would break down and cry and I don't know, go emo? with the people in the house, but thanks to the time I spent with YanLing I cleared out my thoughts and stabilized my emotions. She knew, what I was worried about, and I really appreciated that.

In the end, I handled it really well, or so I think. Aunt asked me how it got stolen, I told the story in a very positive and joking manner. "I parked the car there, and when I went back it wasn't there anymore, so I called my friend to check and make sure. Then we went to the police station and made a report." I made it sounded like I just lost a RM1 note. I was amused by myself.
But I stayed quiet like I always am after that short period of question and answer. I just needed to sit and laze and 'mong'.

Back home, grandma asked me why I came back with aunt at the same time. I told her casually that aunt fetched me. She casually asked me, "what about your car?" I casually told her, "It's gone." and walked away. She made a funny face sticking her tongue out thinking I was joking with her. Then aunt said, "It's true." So I went back to the living room mentally prepared for interrogation, but grandma was still in the state of disbelief and shock kinda, so not much question and answer went on.

She came to the room later and told me to be careful. And she mumbled some stuff I couldn't really comprehend, I just nodded acknowledging.

Now, though I've accepted that it's gone, I still wish that it's not gone yet. I didn't tell people it's 'stolen', I tell them it's 'lost'. Because it really is. I still wish that I've made a mistake, I would go back to school tomorrow and find it there, at the road, perhaps at another spot. i really still believe that if I do look carefully I'm going to find it. Then I would go back to the police station and apologize for the silly confusion because my car has been there all the evening and I didn't see it.

Things I've lost?
House keys. That has made the people in the house a little panicky. The girl is worried that people would come into the house and steal her things now.
Ernie. He survived the last robbery when Elmo was kidnapped and never to be heard of again. Now he's really gone. How sad is his life that he has to go through two robberies, once because he was too ugly he was left behind by the thieves, the other time he's really gone with the car. I just took a picture of him a few days ago..
I left my snacks in my new green container in the basket in front. i guess that's lost too.
Other than some CDs, some parking tickets, some coins and tissue packets and some ubat kutu and my very very cheap formal shoewear at the boot, I don't think anything is stolen along with the car. That's all that I can remember that's in my car, but somehow I feel that something more important is in there, and I can't remember what it is.

Why do people want to steal the car anyways? The roadtax is expiring really soon, the alignment is out, the car is filthy dirty, it has an almost full tank of gas though. Sigh.