Tests
ON the first day of Ramadhan, I was on leave. However, I still went to the office, and the day felt very much like a full working day.
In the morning, I prepared the handover of course files; making sure the documents are in place. I gave the course files to the Head of the Course Offering Committee. Then I drove to Putrajaya to collect the scholarship offer letter. It was my mistake of not taking the correct address that I went to the wrong building. But, Alhamdulillah, I managed to find the correct location of the office, and met Cik, not Puan, Shalizah in person after communicating with her on the phone the past few days. What I did not really expect was that there was much more than an offer letter that she gave me. Lots of forms to fill up. Lots of tasks to perform. And all have to be done within the next week.
On the way back to work, I got a text message from my friend, also a former student at UMS; he wanted to return my books. Because his office is on my way to work, I volunteered to drop by his office and collect the books myself. So, I met him at his office, and felt proud. I felt as if I have contributed something towards his success now.
His office is very close to a masjid. I can hear the call for Zuhr prayer when I was at his office. After excusing myself, I drove to the masjid. The congregation were performing supplication. There were a lot of religious education students there. I tried to imagine Marwan being one of them. What if he were to be sent to a boarding school at this age? Would he be able to take care of himself? I was, and am, very apprehensive on entertaining those thoughts.
Alhamdulillah, the drive to and fro Putrajaya was without major incident. A number of minor incidents happened though that my impatient driver persona tried to rear its ugly head. Fortunately, being in the first day of Ramadhan, I quickly checked myself after each incident, telling myself that “I am fasting”.
Back at the office, more tests awaited me. When I was photocopying the documents I got from Shazilah, the Head of Department asked me about the course files. Apparently, I was supposed to hand over the course files to the Department, not the Course Offering Committee Head. My proactive stance with regard to the hand over back fired. But I did not felt too bad, because I can imagine that the consequences of being reactive, or inactive, would have been much worse. I tried to prioritise the welfare of the students implicated in the hand over. If along the way I ruffled a few feathers, I sincerely apologise. “I am fasting.”
With time to spare before the 3:30 class, I went to the bank to inquire the hiccups in the repayment of my housing loan. It seemed that I am in arrears of the monthly instalment. How could that be? I am paying my loan through salary deduction. Confusion built up. The details of the past payment showed that my salary cut was not the same amount as what the bank stipulated. August payment has not been made (hey! It’s the middle of September already, man). I decided to make a voluntary extra payment, in addition to the fire insurance policy premium, to reduce the likelihood of being caught in the same situation again. I felt that it is grossly unfair that I am being penalized – RM10 for every reminder letter from the bank, and my credit rating is affected – for the incompetence made by another party. But, knowing how things work, or rather not work, I felt it is better that I personally rectify the problem. I can’t depend on whoever is in charge of the loan payment. (Note: there were 12 other people at work who complained, on this same day, on the same issue.)
While waiting for my turn to make payment at the bank counter, I went to the lab. I was hoping the students would be, well, proactive and started the class without me. But when I went there, they were waiting outside the lab. No one had taken the initiative to get the key from the Department and open the lab. “I am fasting.” So, I made the point that I am on LEAVE, and they should be on their own (hand over is not complete yet) because I have given them enough to run the (fourth) experiment. After a brief briefing, I returned to the bank.
Because my turn at the counter involved more than a few minutes worth of waiting, I took the opportunity to call the Jabatan Kehakiman Syariah Selangor. I talked to the Penolong Pendaftar to ask for advice on my pending case. She sounded very nice. But the picture that she painted for my scenario was not all bright and rosy. There is a big question mark for the case. It can go either way. Is there a point in being proactive on this matter?
When the banking matters were done, I went to the Health Centre to do a medical check up. Of course, I had expected of not being able to do so on the spot. I made an appointment for next Thursday. Hopefully, by that time, I would know definitively whether I should request the same procedure for Marwan or not. I really hope and pray that the judge, or some other people in authority, would clear the path for Marwan to follow me to Loughborough.
When I popped the possibility of him not following me to ‘London’, he protested. I can’t bear to look at his face when he was, obviously, thinking about it. I so dearly wanted to be by his side, always. My heart shrank when I imagine the opposite. And that is the biggest test for me today.
In the morning, I prepared the handover of course files; making sure the documents are in place. I gave the course files to the Head of the Course Offering Committee. Then I drove to Putrajaya to collect the scholarship offer letter. It was my mistake of not taking the correct address that I went to the wrong building. But, Alhamdulillah, I managed to find the correct location of the office, and met Cik, not Puan, Shalizah in person after communicating with her on the phone the past few days. What I did not really expect was that there was much more than an offer letter that she gave me. Lots of forms to fill up. Lots of tasks to perform. And all have to be done within the next week.
On the way back to work, I got a text message from my friend, also a former student at UMS; he wanted to return my books. Because his office is on my way to work, I volunteered to drop by his office and collect the books myself. So, I met him at his office, and felt proud. I felt as if I have contributed something towards his success now.
His office is very close to a masjid. I can hear the call for Zuhr prayer when I was at his office. After excusing myself, I drove to the masjid. The congregation were performing supplication. There were a lot of religious education students there. I tried to imagine Marwan being one of them. What if he were to be sent to a boarding school at this age? Would he be able to take care of himself? I was, and am, very apprehensive on entertaining those thoughts.
Alhamdulillah, the drive to and fro Putrajaya was without major incident. A number of minor incidents happened though that my impatient driver persona tried to rear its ugly head. Fortunately, being in the first day of Ramadhan, I quickly checked myself after each incident, telling myself that “I am fasting”.
Back at the office, more tests awaited me. When I was photocopying the documents I got from Shazilah, the Head of Department asked me about the course files. Apparently, I was supposed to hand over the course files to the Department, not the Course Offering Committee Head. My proactive stance with regard to the hand over back fired. But I did not felt too bad, because I can imagine that the consequences of being reactive, or inactive, would have been much worse. I tried to prioritise the welfare of the students implicated in the hand over. If along the way I ruffled a few feathers, I sincerely apologise. “I am fasting.”
With time to spare before the 3:30 class, I went to the bank to inquire the hiccups in the repayment of my housing loan. It seemed that I am in arrears of the monthly instalment. How could that be? I am paying my loan through salary deduction. Confusion built up. The details of the past payment showed that my salary cut was not the same amount as what the bank stipulated. August payment has not been made (hey! It’s the middle of September already, man). I decided to make a voluntary extra payment, in addition to the fire insurance policy premium, to reduce the likelihood of being caught in the same situation again. I felt that it is grossly unfair that I am being penalized – RM10 for every reminder letter from the bank, and my credit rating is affected – for the incompetence made by another party. But, knowing how things work, or rather not work, I felt it is better that I personally rectify the problem. I can’t depend on whoever is in charge of the loan payment. (Note: there were 12 other people at work who complained, on this same day, on the same issue.)
While waiting for my turn to make payment at the bank counter, I went to the lab. I was hoping the students would be, well, proactive and started the class without me. But when I went there, they were waiting outside the lab. No one had taken the initiative to get the key from the Department and open the lab. “I am fasting.” So, I made the point that I am on LEAVE, and they should be on their own (hand over is not complete yet) because I have given them enough to run the (fourth) experiment. After a brief briefing, I returned to the bank.
Because my turn at the counter involved more than a few minutes worth of waiting, I took the opportunity to call the Jabatan Kehakiman Syariah Selangor. I talked to the Penolong Pendaftar to ask for advice on my pending case. She sounded very nice. But the picture that she painted for my scenario was not all bright and rosy. There is a big question mark for the case. It can go either way. Is there a point in being proactive on this matter?
When the banking matters were done, I went to the Health Centre to do a medical check up. Of course, I had expected of not being able to do so on the spot. I made an appointment for next Thursday. Hopefully, by that time, I would know definitively whether I should request the same procedure for Marwan or not. I really hope and pray that the judge, or some other people in authority, would clear the path for Marwan to follow me to Loughborough.
When I popped the possibility of him not following me to ‘London’, he protested. I can’t bear to look at his face when he was, obviously, thinking about it. I so dearly wanted to be by his side, always. My heart shrank when I imagine the opposite. And that is the biggest test for me today.
Comments
be tuff bro.