My Family and Weddings

I'm a little teapot...

For the past many weekends, somebody was getting married. And, like a bad habit, my family and I have been going to them without much thought, especially when the wedding involves some very distant relative or a friend's of a friend's son/daughter. Despite that my parents would always preach "We have to go! If you don't, then who's going to turn up at your wedding?" to my brothers and I, it was clear as day that we went for the free food.

However, last Sunday, my family and I were invited to go to my dad's highschool bestfriend's son's wedding. (Whew!) Pa was pretty much excited, telling all of us in the car how he used to jam with his bestfriend at underground gigs. How they used to sing for food. How they used to sleep underneath bridges because they didn't have transport to go home. So, in short, this wedding was more of a reunion for my dad and his bestfriend, rather than a celebration of a happy chap's marriage.

On the way to the wedding, my parents predictably ended up in an argument over a rattling sound the car was suddenly making.

"I told you to get the car serviced!" Ma said.

"Sudah lah!" Pa responded.

On and on they went, until we approached several yellow tents infront of a huge bungalow down the street. As Pa searched for parking, Ma instructed my younger brother to grab the wedding gift while she carefully retouched her lipstick. Once we found parking, we all paraded to the tents, shook hands with several men who greeted us at the front, handed over the present to this jewel-encrusted lady, and sat down at one of the round tables.

While my brothers and I indulged in the nasi tomato and chicken rendang, Pa kept on raising his head and looked around. "Mana Lan nih?" he said. With gentle strategy, Ma grabbed hold to one of the kebaya girls in the crowd, and said, "Ini anak Lan ke?"

"Oh tak," the girl responded. "Nak cari siapa?"

"Oh, Auntie nak meet the parents of the groom."

"Oooohhh. Uncle and Auntie kat dalam rumah. Tengah sibuk kat dalam kot."

To that, Ma thanked the girl, Pa nodded and went back to eat more rendang.

When the kumpang was heard, everyone looked in that direction, wanting to catch a glimpse of the beautiful bride and handsome groom. Among the sea of people, an elderly couple followed suit, while taking pictures. And out of no where, the kebaya girl approached my mom and said, "Ah, itu lah Uncle and Auntie."

Pa gave out a puzzled look, and said, "Itu the parent's of the groom ke?"

"Ah, ye lah," the girl responded. "Itulah Uncle Adam."

I remember Pa asked us to eat quickly, and to make a quick exit before anyone finds out what we have done. That we were indeed at the wrong wedding! As we washed our hands, got into the car and realised that the "real" wedding was further down the street, we all started laughing endlessly at our bumbling mistake.

But to the couple that recieved the silver teapot set addressed to "Julie and Sham", happy marriage.