Shakiel vs Tuah

Part Deux

When my daughter Shakira reached one year old, it was the right time to conceive a second with much hope this time it’ll be a boy. I had some pressure too to produce a male heir. A tip from my hubby,

He said, “ Kalau nak anak lelaki kena banyak makan meat!” And that’s what he did.

This round we made our baby in our own bedroom. Ekonomi merosot sikit sebab maintaining Shakira was expensive. Maklumla anak baru sorang so everything nak beli yg the best such as the best milk, dypers and clothes especially. We did it at home, baybeh.

Fair enough, since I like Dr. Idriss’ magic touch, we decide to head over his office again at Pantai Medical Center. He confirmed I was 2 months pregnant by August/September 2003. And the expected delivery date will be May 30, 2004. Wow..that is my birth date. Yeay….my baby and I will share the same birth date. Looking forward celebrating birthdays together….

Another pregnancy went by smoothly without any hic cups. The best part is looking for a baby name. I know I’m going to have a boy so the name must meet certain criteria such as again,

1. Carrying on the Family initials
2. Name which reflect good meaning - I imagine him tough and tall like his father so he must have a strong name.

Then I remembered,….yeah Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA / Miami Heat player. He’s big…..very big….Yeah….why not name him Shaquille. I am happy. My hubby is happy too.

Well, about the same time, if any of you recalled Mr. Stephen Rahman-Hughes…you know the guy who played Hang Tuah in the Puteri Gunung Ledang theatrical? He was then recently introduced to Malaysian viewers for his theatrical background. Emm a Malaysian (Malay mom and English dad), good looking, success in his own way, can sing… His introduction was done on Melodi and I was mesmerized by his good looks.

The very next day, I search through the internet looking for Stephen Rahman’s biography. He has just completed his West End performance of Bombay Dreams as the lead. I had the article printed with his picture and paste it on the wall of my office room. And every morning it was a breeze to see him greet me. I hope my son will be as good looking as he is.

May 20, 2004. The appointment day. Dr. Idris discovered I had an opening of 4cm. Immediately he asked me to admit myself to the hospital because by this afternoon 4-5pm I may be having my baby. Ha ha ha he must be joking. Right doc? But he was serious. He was not amuse the thought of me going back home first to collect my “stay in the hospital emergency kit”. But anyway, I decided to go back home first and did some banking matters and by noon I admitted myself into the hospital. The nurse was surprised to see Dr. Idris’s missing patient (as the nurse put it) just happily walked in the registration area.

The nurse placed me in a labour room and asked me to change. As I was laying there the nurse puts on the baby heart beat monitoring belt around me. Sempat baca magazine and sms-ing to few people to announce that I am having my baby anytime.

1:45 pm. Perut tak sakit lagi ni. Bila nak beranak ni.

2.12 pm. The nurse induced me through the IV then baru la it kicked in.

4.00 pm I dah tak tahan sakitnya. Take him out of me I was yelling inside. Duduk and baring semuanya tak kena.

Instantly Dr. Idris in his usual attire, plastic apron and boots orang jual ikan kat pasar, walked in and gently asked, “How are we doing?”

“Hello, I am suffering here. Please take this thing out of me. NOW!"

But at the time I rasa the baby pun dah tak sabar nak keluar. After a snip and my second push, wussssshhhh….he came out. Lega rasanya. Again, I had a fair looking baby yang mukanya masih kemerahan and bengkak. Rambut lebat sekali. We name him Shakiel (not Shaquille – too Pak itam) as the name means handsome, breeze through a wind and lofty. By 5.15 pm Dr. Idris completed his work. Good job doc.

As he grew older, Makcik nasi lemak depan rumah I kat Sec, 14 PJ selalu tanya,

“Mana anak lelaki awak si Bollywood tu?” Awak tahu tak rupa dia macam Anil Kapoor tau?”

“Ye ke makcik? Ha ha ha”

“Iye…handsome budak tu macam budak Hindustan!”

Once in a while people would passed remarks such as,

Budak ni Melayu ke?
Budak ni tak ada rupa melayu. Campur ke budak ni?
Aha la looks like Northern Indian.
Is your husband Pakistani or Arab?
The eyes and lashes…besar, bulat and lebat. Mixed ke?

Both Shakira and Shakiel looks very much different. That I can confirm. Finally it hit me, maybe sebab I was too engrossed dgn Stephen Rahman (while he was doing Bombay Dreams) good looks, sebab tu ada terkenan sikit pada Shakiel. Look at the pictures.



Jadi pesan orang tua-tua jangan sekali di tidak kan. Pertimbangkan yang mana baik dan yang mana tidak. Just don't over do it. Itu sebagai pengajaran. Sekarang I am suffering the consequences...anak tak rupa mak bapak. Hu Hu Hu....