Exhaustingly exhausted… That has to be how this day can be summed up. Obviously, I still have some juice…drive…to go on. I am finger-writing this article, am I not (instead of aren’t I)? (1) It has to be published and reach the readers before the day is out.

This reminds me of the time when I was in La Salle School, Klang, in the early 1970s to mid-1970s. It was the time when “The Star” newspaper publication was published in Penang. (2) My schoolmate and buddy of that time, Duncan Calvin La Brooy; was a reader of that publication and used to bring it to school almost everyday. We are in school before 7.00am each school day, and he has the newspapers. He said the newspaper would be delivered to his house the late evening, before the next day. This means for example, if tomorrow is September 3rd ( it is…it really is)🤔😏, then, tomorrow’s newspaper which will be dated September 3rd, will be delivered this late evening of September 2nd. Cool or what?

Well at that time, there were no mobile phones, tablets (the big rectangular, portable flat screens…not the ones you swallow when you are ill), computers, internet…; it was awesome… to think that we were getting tomorrow’s news today.

In a way, I am preparing and publishing tomorrow’s article today.

We, meaning Laura, Jeannie and I, were deciding on dinner for this evening. This is usually one tough question to answer or one tough decision to make. We were already in the final quarter of the day. Making decisions or answering really (as in honestly, truthfully…haha. Got to watch what we say.😂😁😇) tough questions other than work related, at this point of the day, is something that many of us try to avoid. We are in “chill” mode, at least for a few hours before we are magnetically drawn to our screens or home work stations.

T23 was on my mind. “T23” sounds like a model number of one of Russia’s military fighter or bomber aircraft or one of their armoured tanks. None of the above.

T23 in Taipan is an economy jaahp faahn (mixed rice) (3) popular restaurant, USJ Subang Jaya. (4) It offers a super wide variety of delicious food at reasonable prices (though cooking on your own and eating at home is much, much cheaper. However, these meals are cheaper than most of what you can get from other restaurants.). The food is delicious. You can come here everyday and have a different choice of food. The good thing is you don’t have to buy groceries to prepare these meals yourself, cook, clean dishes, etc.

You choose your meal, cafeteria style, you walk along the long 3-tiered row of dishes, choose the types of dishes, serve the quantity of the choices you made, walk to the cashier who determines how much to charge for the meal, you pay, then take your meal to an adjoining dining room with rows of tables and chairs. You pick an available empty chair or chairs (like Jeannie, Laura and I were together) and sit there. You can serve yourself free soup and iced or warm water. The dining area is air-conditioned with fans as well, which can be rather cold at times.

Their staff / cleaners, are very fast in clearing tables and wiping them clean, after people have left . This is to help facilitate the high volume of people who come, eat and leave. The seating area can accommodate more than 100 people. There is hardly an empty place for long, as people just keep coming, eating and then leave.

Jeannie’s meal – was chicken prepared in a sweet sauce, dark green vegetables, rice and a bowl of soup – a simple choice. Laura went for rice, fried chicken, luncheon meat, curry and potatoes.

I went to town on my food choice. Pineapple, luncheon meat, Japanese tofu, sardine, white tofu with mince meat, mixed vegetables and potatoes. Simply delicious.

The most important part of the evening was our family time between Laura, Jeannie and me. The screen gadgets were not on the table or within clear view. From all our busy “doing things” work and others, every day, here, we sat and enjoyed the company of each other in the present – priceless!

NOTES:
1. “Am I not?” is a question phrase favouritely used by Rev. Fr. Simon La Brooy; a popular Catholic priest in Malaysia.
2. Penang is a northern state of Peninsula Malaysia, Malaysia. It comprises of the island of Penang itself, and Seberang Prai (formerly known as Province Wellesley); which is a section on the peninsula. Penang is a popular tourist destination for both local and international tourists from the world over. It has many heritage sights. One of the main attractions it offers to tourists are its beaches. Lots to do in Penang. Lots of excitement. Don’t forget to bring your sunblock.
Penang is also one of the world’s leading high-end, sophisticated, semiconductor manufacturers.
3. “Jaahp faahn” or economy rice is known by several other names, and in general conversation it is rare for anyone to refer to it as such, even though many stalls tend to proclaim “Economy rice” on their signboards. wikipedia
4. Subang Jaya is a bustling and exciting city in the central state of Selangor, Peninsula Malaysia, Malaysia.