Monday Night in Petaling Jaya

I'd discussed with Anita about co-writing a paper, so took the opportunity to work in a different environment to visit her in KL. Hang out with the Malaysians, absorb the KL mojo.

 

So after a long day staring at the computer (punctuated by the discovery of HALAL meatballs in Ikea KL!!!), Julian wanted a beer, Jo and I  needed a break.

 

How far away to a pub in Pj on a monday night? Apparently 13 turns plus, because we were in a keystone cops routine to figure our way out of Julian's estate. 2 cops on electric cycles were scooting here and there placing barriers at the end of random roads, seemingly confounding us at every turn. Surely this was a public safety measure? Or a road construction prelude? How the F were we to get out, and more importantly, how to get back when the beer is finished?

 

We did overcome the cops in the end, making our way to a relatively occupied pub. A lone man was on stage, with a laptop full of tracks and his acoustic, singing Cliff Richard. A documentary about Monkeys is playing soundlessly on screen.

 

Half a coke later, the audience is singing along with a Filipina called Anne, who is belting out Whitney like nobody's business. When called to encore, she quips 'Hurry up my permit so I can sing here all the time! Tonight just a free stout will do..' bar tender gladly totes over a free pint, smiley face for free.

 

Her drinking buddy Jude goes on and bawls about that brother of his that ain't heavy - just the right amount of stout to get on stage yet remember the lyrics. Right on tune with the perfect dose of emo, malaysia boleh sia, talent everywhere!

 

The documentary had moved on to babboons and how they are diapered in the zoo.

 

One-man band on stage sings about having a bad day, singing a sad song and turning it around. Yeah, F mondays. Move my life along please.

 

Back at my laptop awaits case studies on social models, volunteerism management papers, microfinance exam, financial education white papers, class outlines to flesh out, media strategies for nonprofits. I'm somewhat amused I am actually able to list all this while munching on stir-fried hotdogs and onions, humming to bandman, and sipping coke, at the same time.

 

Yeah F mondays. I'm gonna sing this sad song then turn around, go to bed and wake up to Tuesday.

 

P.S. 20 min after leaving the pub, we are still finding way around the barriers to find the way home. Just keep turning left, Julian says, as long as the blue lights are behind us... 'it's like we're trapped? Can't get in, can't get out... Kinda like Singapore, no?' Chuckle chuckle, left turn again.