Took shelter at the neighbourhood library for a bit while the sun burnt outside. The old heartland I'm at is diverse and colourful, including what some might call the grittier side of the estate. Newer, younger residents have moved in, but there's still a fair share from the louder, livelier side of the neighbourhood - the residents whose struggles are sometimes mistaken for indifference.
While I was cooling off, two guys who looked like they needed a little bit of scrubbing walked in, talking loudly on speakerphone via FaceTime.
An elderly lady in the video laughed when told the brothers were in the library.
"Bagus lah!"
"Ah duduk ah korang lama2 dalam situ."
The fan at home is down. It may take some time before "pakcik" gets a new fan.
One of the cats was still missing! To look for it again when they got home.
"Kesian Kiki! Entah makan ke tak"
And don't forget to buy dinner!
"Cik tak larat nak masak hari ni.."
(... more incomprehensible jibes...)
People turned to look at the small disruption that broke the neat orderliness of the space. The older, tattooed one smiled at me, I waved back.
Community isn't always quiet or tidy. It's just different people finding ways to survive the same grind.
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