Eat cement, and harden up!

A two-day runaway from busy London to a peaceful and quiet snowy Liverpool was splendid. I enjoyed every second of that weekend (18-20 Jan 2013), especially play time with 2 year old plus Qalif, chit chatting with Abangchik and enjoying Lyn, my sister-in-law's cooking....hmmm marvelous! Not forgetting the delicious dinner at Al-Jazeera in Manchester with Kak Ina, Abang Zam and the kids. I purposely switched off the never ending 'to-do-list' to savour that short joyful moment. "It's weekend laa...I deserve a decent break before hopping on full gear again on Monday". That was the plan.



From left: Me, Mr Qalif, Lyn and Abangchik
(Queen Garden, Liverpool)

From left: Me, Lyn and Kak Ina
(Al JAzeera Parking lot)



 

The heavy snow added an extra two hours to the usual two and half hour train from Liverpool Lime Street to Euston Station, London. I didn't mind the delay, it was so worth of every minute spent. Outside Euston station and along the way back to Baker Street, the road was all white. It was such a beautiful view to see the park in fluffy cotton. I dragged my travelling bag along the slippery pavement and enjoyed the slit.  My snickers was not helping at all, one clumsy step could send me down to kiss the ground. The wet socks gave a cold numb sensation to my feet. "Darn...Should have bought the Timberland!" I then regret for not taking Abangchik's advice in buying the snow boot. Too late now,  cant hope for 70% price drop from high street stores other than factory outlets. My iphone flashed 8:45 pm and it was running with 3% battery.  In a snowy cold and wet night like that, there was no happy thought other than to be back at my heated studio, a cup of warm chocolate drink and slide under the fresh warm linen after a hot shower. Aaahhh...3 minutes more..hurry, hurry! My growling tummy was already asking for roti jala that Lyn prepared for tonight's supper. I planned to hang on till midnight to dail a morning call to my sweetheart at the side of the globe; plenty of time to charge the phone. 





Euston Station

Sorry, you got to turn your head: Trail of the travelling bag.
Home down the street

Sadly that night, the last I step into the studio flat. I came home not to a the usual clean and neat place, but to a ran down ceiling and thick dust on my feet. "Ya Allah...biar betul! (Owh God, this cant be happening!)" I murmered, trying to believe what my eyes was seeing, and hoping that the place was not broken in by burglars. "Think Kasihan..Think fast, fast, fast! You are not dreaming" I urged myself. "Should I call him now...No, not until things are more settled". Suddenly all that I planned once reaching home melted like snow under scorching sunlight. I could not make any calls as the phone had dropped dead. I remembered seeing a power plug in the first floor and rushed downstairs to charged my phone. Waiting has never been a tolerable situation for me, so I had to bore dreadful minutes for the iphone battery to regain atleast 15%. As soon the battery was running, I ran upstairs to snap some pics of the ruined studio and called my immediate emergency contacts - Abangchik, Lyn and Kak Ina. Neither of them can do anything in particular becuase they are miles away outside London, but their comforting words gave a sense of relief. A few minutes later, my neigbouring tenant, Max  passed by.

He was like "Owh Gracious God, what  happened...are you injured?"

"I'm fine Max...I have no idea what had happened because I was away since Friday evening and just  arrived to this".

"Thank God you are not in here when it happened. Owh dear, I dare not imagine what could have happened to you...you poor thing" Suddenly I felt like a 10 year old girl missing daddy and a wife missing hubby! How I wish either one of them were with me ;'(

"You need a good shot of this place Nor. I have my camera with me now, shall I help you with the  photos?"

Then, he went on taking good shots of the disaster, searched for the state agent emergency number in his note book, offered me tea and showed great concern. I dailed the emergency number but left talking to an answering machine. So, Max was my first rescuer of the night.

Max Reed is in his 60's, we only spoke twice  since I moved in last six monthd and yet he was very helpful and concerned. Not untill Max asked about where I will spend the night that I realised I was homeless!!! Again...Think Kasihan..Think fast, fast, fast! I was tired and hungry, my clothes were damp and covered with dust, I was sure I stink too. It was almost 10:30pm and only three persons crossed my mind: Zaitul in White City,  Zone 2; Hadzliana in Edgeware, Zone 3 and last but not least, Sarah in Paddington, Zone 1! Yes Zone 1, only 15mins away from Baker Street. A quick call to Sarah did not give her chance to think twice but to say yes to my appeal to sleepover her place.  

Before leaving, I  hold my breath and went inside the ruined dusty studio to grab my passport and some cash. As I was turning away towards the door, I saw my wedding picture on the floor covered  in debris. I went out to take another deep breath and dashed in again to pick up the frame. At that instant I wish to fly back to my husband. Even though we were constantly on the phone throughout that night, it was nothing near to real emotional or physical comfort. At moments like that, words of my secondary school friend, Sharifah Aisyah  "Eat cement and harden up!" could have helped. No time for cry baby - face the problem and solve it woman!

Sarah Affendi was my second recuer that night. I arrived to a welcoming hug, a cup of hot drink, a long hot shower, fresh clean pyjamas and heated duvet to end a dreadful night. Owh...we also had a super late supper - thanks Lyn for the roti jala and gulai ayam! Alhamdulillah for the helping hands. Alhamdulillah for the hardship. Most of all, Alhamdulillah for I was not in the studio when the ceiling hit the ground especially the bed! Alhamdulillah for everything.

The days following that night hold a different story...to be continued