.:a sUdDeN sLiP:.

It was a long. long past life, and I even forgot about it all this time..

Somehow ,Haneem comment on me last sunday, flinched a long-lost memory of who I was.. (read: was)

She was actually asking me why the hell I didnt join the paramedic team?
and in those 20 seconds of utter silence, all my past life flashes back..

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Year 2002..

I would be moderate about anything, but I made an exception for this one.
I was one of the best junior paramedic team within Malaysian Red Crescent Society.

At the age of 15, I had passed several first aid course and examinations, awarding me with the "First Aider in Every Home" certificates . I become a member of Junior Rapid Deployment Squad in Klang Chapter of Red Crescent Society, and a sub-member of Emergency Medical Technician (where I learn how to float an emergency raft, that was fun). I even put aside some time to pass the "International Humanitarian Law" paper (though it seems no one country even convened to it nowadays).

I’ve been in "field service" (thats what they call it when they deploy a paramedic in sports arena, football matches, or even rock concerts) numerous time that I even have lost count to it. Needless to say, I made several dramatic changes in the Red Crescent Society in my previous school (which generates both popularity and hostility towards me , and all the time was a Sergeant Major, holding a post of Presidency in the Local Chapter.

I made all my way from bottom, starting from being a volunteer in Klang chapter . My first task : To teach a group of kindergardeners on "how to brush your teeth without swallowing the toothpaste". So after years of training, CPR, Heimlich-Maneuver, and Robinson’s Protocol all seems like ABC. (The only thing I couldnt manage to pass is the course in which you have to save a drowning victim…I did become the victim several times ..I cant swim…couldnt help it

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so when Haneem did ask me why the hell I didnt join the paramedic team, I was startled for a few seconds.

I suppose ..it just because I feel I dont want to. At that time, I thought that only by being in some particular position, we would be able to reach our hand out to help somebody.
But later on, when I attended so many field services, it seems that somehow people in there wasnt really joining the team to help. Some of them enjoy just being a boss, while for some other, they like the chances to skip the school marathon while all the time sitting under the shade, yet staring blankly at the first injured person hailing help from distance.

Little by little, I felt distracted by this, and few years later,  I found myself volunteering on merely paperwork and handing out food. I felt a little disappointed how the spirit of volunteering is distorted into some bureacracy power show-offs.

So now, I had the knowledge and experience, but felt a little remote to practice it .

BUt it doesnt matter that much to me now. I mean, perhaps its kinda cool (or so it seems to be) to be the first on catastrophy area, and take charges, and perhaps some people say that I’m kinda idiot to let go of the opportunity..

Yet, I believe opportunities to lend a helping hand is everywhere. Just last few days - a friend of mine put his trust on me to do not one, but full course treatment on him - consisting of making 20 intramuscular injections. I believe that until the day this post is published, I am the only medical student in VolGMU who had the chances to do that many injections, and still holding the record firmly..

and simply that trust - the faith that  he put onto me that somehow I’m reliable to do this - , I think, it cant even beat the hell out of  being a volunteer …..

1. Gathering with my old buddies - the mastermind frat. Not once .. but three times !! That was awesome. I wish we could spend more time together, but with Firs n Zai need to attend classes (its a pity its a non-holiday season in Malaysia) , while Zam need to spend some time with his family and -of course - ..u know…so I suppose three times wasnt bad at all…

2.Made KL as my second home. Technically, I went to KL almost - I repeat..almost..- everyday

3.Got to know that I wont be getting my driving license - since the company that hold my L license had suddenly disappeared - a group of PATI seemed to have takeover the office and made it to one of their "party spot" - .

4. Being embarassed when I tried to got my replacement L license in JPA. After checking with the database, it seemed that my license where never issued at all. "Adik ni dah amik test ke??" the girl at the counter asked me, cynically…

5. Went back to my village to see my beloved grandma & grandpa - in both Sabak Bernam & Penang - all alone. Huh, aren’t me one of those world travellers??

6. Shopping for clothes & jeans .. I actually had found jeans (3 for that matters) that fit for me !! These gonna be my new jeans since likes…uh…3 years ago??

7. Getting embarassed when trying to buy a new belt. Apparently the belt manufacturers nowadays have a hostile-policy towards the oversized However, after numerous trying ( i went to KL for 3 consecutive days) , I managed to find one that fits in Times Square..and its a good belt…a good one

8. Lost my sister’s hp …just after one month I lost my own in Moscow..huh, that freaks me out..I think I’m really one of those clumsy person that can accidentally left their car and headed home by bus.

9. Managed to replaced my sister’s hp and got the sim card replacement - without she even knew about it - until my last day in Malaysia. I felt the obligation to tell her the truth But we agreed not to let my dad knew about it…or else, I’m tossed man….

10. Bought a new PDA. I cant make the decision which one to buy, luckily Zam reassured me to choose which one. Huh..I wonder if one day I need to call him to ask which drug should I administer to my patient..

11.Bought souvenirs for my teachers and friend (mind that its in singular form) in Russia.

12. Watch dozens of movies in cinema - be it with friends or alone.

13. Helped my dad in his office

14. Helped my mum in kitchen..kitchen???

15. Watch our new house being built…next year, for the first time in my life, I;m gonna get m own bedroom

16. Eat most of Malaysian food I craved for in Russia…except for Pasembor..couldnt manage to find it in Penang, that’s weird huh?? And I accidentally eat "pekasam", thought it was some kinda salty, dried fish..huh, that sent me straight for 3 consecutive days of Diarrhea

17. Celebrate Azzad’s, Kak Sha n Ruzanna’s birthday in Izat’s house. Izat house is kinda eerie, u know since it located just next to a cemetery .. no wonder Izat tak berapa betul sgt…but what was scarier was the way her mother looked at me while I’m cooking in her kitchen, with tee-shirt and a track suit folded up to knee….and wait!!! the scariest thing was the way her brother drove when he sent me to the nearest Komuter station. I practically already narrated my death will in my mind….

18. Hang out with Kelam - its nice to met him after all these years, and though he already started his job in the HUKM Pharmacy, he always seems immatured to me

19. "Involved" in some way with futsal. See…I use the word "involved"..not join / play..so u figure out that yourself.

20. Went to Muar (what the hell????), hang out in Firs house, in Fadly’s house (again..what the??), in Zam’s new apartment.

21. Had my long-dream family holiday…..in KL…hahahahahahha

22. Sneaked out from the house to spend some times with my friends at Trader’s Hotel.

23. Sent my sister back to his campus, went to the campus toilet, and being warned by the guard for not wearing a matric card within the campus.

24. Visit my bro’s new apartment.

25. Ride the roller coaster in TImes Square.

26. Got a new hair cut with Zam..and learnt that Wax actually make our hair unpleasantly dry.

27. Bought 7 english -novel. Read 3 of them.

28. Hang out with mamud. He seemed a lil’ bit skinny since last time, but the same cheerful Mamud I knew ever since.

29. Learn new recipes. Dislikes all of them.

30. Fool around with my 3 years old nephew whom every word that he speak will start from the letter "K"..so "abang helmi" eventually become "kabang Kelmi"

31. Donate my blood

32. Chit chat with my uncles, aunties, grandma’s and grandpa’s…oh….family…each of them actually asked the same questions, so I had to tell the stories again and again. I wonder if they had a rehearsal before??

33. Bought a new chain for my wallet. I hope this time I can keep my wallet without losing it for at least 6 month.

34. Refresh my memory about the KL public transport line, since I didnt manage to get my driving license, I even managed to make friend with the janitor at Klang train station.

35. Make our own mastermind frat tee shirt!! I wore it during my journey back to Russia.

36. Went to KLIA in a white mercedes limo - provided by PIA for Business Passengers ..cool isnt it??

37. Got my parents to "not" sent me to KLIA - not cool

38. Got to eat my Mom’s hand-made carry puffs. The best in the world!!! I even packed some for my journey to Russia.

39. Got my best friends (Zam, Mamud, and Firs) to accompany me during my last moment in KLIA, and got them to pick me a new perfume its Zegda mind you

40. Got to drag their parent as well (sorry makcik….)..and even managed to speak with Zam’s sister for the 1st time. Congrats for the convo sis..

41. Make promises with my best friends before departed. Cross our-heart to meet again…