To Err Is Human, To Buy Is To Waste?

A funny thing happened to me yesterday. Nah, I won’t call it funny, perhaps fascinating would describe it best. Really made me think. Puasa as usual. Didn’t wake up for sahur, though. Too tired. Needed the extra hour of sleep. Hugging my bolster and just when I though it was still early... RRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!

6.05am* Got up and did the usual morning stuff.

8.15am* At the office.

9.47am* Stomach started to keroncong. Another 9 hours plus to go...aaaarrrrggghhhh!

FAST-FORWARD

5.03pm* Getting ready to go back.

A minute later, all of a sudden, with my stomach sounded like a rock concert already, my mind started to wander. A place so special. A place where millions of people pushing and shoving each other. Sort of a mini riot. Regardless the age or sex, human beings give no respect to each other anymore. Mothers abandon their kids, husbands forget about their wives. Everybody is too busy, concentrating on just one thing - FOOD!

Well, I may sound a bit extra exaggerating. But that's how Bazaar Ramadhan looks like through my eyes. I guess, my being extra hungry didn't help. I guess, the smell of ayam percik, ikan terubuk bakar, murtabak kambing and air kelapa muda create the hallucination. I don't know. But despite all these 'hell break loose' situations, nothing beats the joy of walking from stall to stall, choosing my favourite dish or dessert.

So, there I was at USJ4 Bazaar Ramadhan, after an hour and a half battling my way through the KL traffic. I almost left my car unlock due to the tantalizing aroma coming from the stalls. Suddenly, it hit me. Only RM6 left in my wallet!

"What can I get with a measly six bucks!"

I didn't know whether to cry or to scream. I knew my mom had prepared food at home, but still, the ayam percik and satay were driving me crazy! In the end, I only got air bandung, a few currypuffs and a murtabak. Sad. I was cursing at myself non-stop, while walking back to my car. If only I had more money. Me and my carelessness.

7.06pm* Buka puasa time! Not a second wasted, I wrestled my way through the dishes. Pajeri nenas, pari bakar, gulai siput, ayam masak madu and air kelapa muda never knew what hit them! Delicious!

7.47pm* Stomach bloated, I felt like I couldn't even lift a finger. And just like that, another puasa day was gone.

As I was about to leave my table and wash my hands, I gazed through the main table. Among the empty plates, and glasses, I saw something that made my eyes popped! My currypuffs and murtabak, neatly on a plate. God! I realized that I didn't even touch them. And there I was feeling so bloody-full, so kenyang! Questions began to pop inside my head.

"What if I had more money earlier?"

"What if I didn't forget to withdraw my money?"

...what if I had bought more food? Who's gonna finish them?"

What ifs. This incident might look trivial to someone else, but for me, it really hit me. Earlier, I was this thoughtless person, looking for food to feast my eyes and stomach. Never once thinking of the wastages I would incur. Not a second, thinking about being in the spirit of Ramadhan. I was a totally different person then. I let my hunger dictated me. And I'm sure that moment of madness didn't just hit me. What if there's another a hundred more like me, or a thousand more like me? Think of all the food that we'll be wasting. Better to use the money or food to feed the orphans or something. I felt remorse. What a test.

Sigh.

It's almost five o'clock, again.

I guess, later, walking through the "millions of people" won't be the same again. I hope...