Saya Semakin Tidak Mendapat Simpati Masyarakat

Malam. Suasana lengang tiada penduduk lain di sekitar. Jalan sedikit curam dan berbukit ke bawah. "Jom lumba lari." Dan saya pun berlari.

"Jatuh kang. Dah la kasut londeh," Umair komen dari belakang mengingatkan pada kasut berlari Nike ini yang dirasakan semakin longgar. Kosa kata Bahasa Melayu saya semakin lemah, sebab itulah tersalah guna istilah ketika merungut petang tersebut.

"Jatuh golek-golek karang kitorang gelak. Amik video hantar ke PERUBATAN. Budak buas di Cordoba kami kena jaga," Sarah menambah. Saya berhenti berlari kerana menahan perut ketawa.

"Pastu tag Dinmat. Wartawan PERUBATAN terjatuh bergulingan di Cordoba."

"Tag Abang ***. Ni ha adik kau buas sangat," Umair memberi cadangan.

-__-"

---

Bas ke Granada bertolak tepat pada masanya. Ketepatan warga Sepanyol sangat dikagumi. Kami membaca doa naik kenderaan dan saya menarik nafas lega. Biskut McVities dikeluarkan seraya dikunyah menggantikan glucose yang habis berkat berlari dan risau tertinggal bas tadi.

Kami melepasi bukit kecil di sebelah kiri dengan hijau lapang kemas dipotong dan rumah kayu di puncaknya.

"Cantiknya hijau dia. Mesti Atiqah suka," ujar Sarah di tempat duduk sebelah tingkap.

Biskut masih dikemam maka saya hanya mampu mengangguk penuh semangat sambil membuat bunyi ganjil tanda setuju yang amat.

"Atiqah jadi biri-biri pastu kita amik gambar," sambung Sarah penuh ceria.

-__-"

You Don't Have To Be Friendly To Be Kind

Bapak aihh pendek sampai kena jengket (-_-')

I approached the reception. "Hi, evening. I want to check in for the reservation under (full name), please."

The guy behind the counter nodded. We didn't get as boisterous reception as that by Andreu in Madrid.

"These are your room keys. I'll work on these passports and you can come back for it in half an hour."

"Okay then. See you in a bit."

---

A good hour later, I went down to the lobby. "Hola. I'm here for our passports."

"I'm very sorry but I'm not done yet. I have a lot other works to do." He turned in his chair towards the other computer and reached for the passports.

"That's okay," I flipped open my notepad.

"You are from Malaysia, right?"

"Yes, we all are."

"I like Malaysians. Malaysians are nice people. They come here a lot, in groups."

"Yeah, thanks. Spaniards are kind too."

"But I really don't like Malaysian passport."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because my computer doesn't read this passport. I don't know why. So it takes time and I have to do things.." He paused; searching for the word.

"Manually," I offered.

"Yes. But I like Malaysians very much."

"Thanks. Have you been to Malaysia?"

"No. But maybe some other time. They said it is cheap over there."

"Compared to here, yes Malaysia is cheaper."

"Once I have the time and money." He paused. "I need more time than money."

I laughed.

"I heard it's 1500 for the air ticket. And the rest is cheap, the food.." He trailed off.

Are we talking euro? My mind registered Egyptian pound. #fail "Yeah, probably. Somewhere around that number."

---

He doesn't look convinced.

"We actually came from Egypt. We study there."

"There's a lot Malaysians studying in Morocco and Egypt."

"Yeah." I don't like being labelled common but what else can I do? Lol.

"So how is Egypt now?"

I am screwed, I haven't been following the news nowadays. "So far is stable and safe. They try not to involve us foreigners with their demonstrations."

"Okay. How is the condition there?"

"It's better with the new parliament. They're trying to do things better this time."

"But the military is still in power."

"Yeah, but the parliament will hold up."

"They ousted Mubarak but the dictator still remains."

"And they will be okay. They're working towards it."

"The Egyptians really are trying to change."

"Yes. God help them."

---

"So what's your name?"

"Pablo."

"Hi Pablo. My name is Atiqah."

"Atika? That's a nice name."

"Thanks. Pablo is a nice name too."

"Atika.." he mumbled as he typed whatever he was typing. "Nice name."

I reached for a complimentary candy. He resumed typing.

"Siti Nurul is the name or surname?"

"Siti Nurul Suhaila is the name. You can put Binti and everything behind it as surname."

"You have a lot of names," Pablo appeared to be whining. "Mohd is short for Muhammad, si?"

"Yes. Binti means 'the daughter of'."

"Oh." He seemed to be having an epiphany. "I see. So Bin means 'the son of'."

"Correct."

---

Pablo was telling me the history of Mezquita while processing our registration. I think I was holding him up, but he didn't seem to mind :)

"So why is it still called Mezquita?"

"Because it's a meszquita," he answered matter-of-factly. "But you can't pray there." He made the gestures for takbir. "If you try to pray there, the guards will stop you."

"Yea, so I've heard.." Downcast look.

"It's not nice, but it's true."

"Eh?" I was surprised. Do we have a sympathetic non-Muslim here?

He eyed me and repeated.

I smiled.

---

"I think the Mezquita is the most famous mezquita in the whole world. Everyone comes here to see it."

"It is very famous. You don't have Cordoba without it."

"It is the number one mezquita in the world, am I right?"

"Not really. The number one will be Mecca and in Madinah."

"Mecca?" He repeated. "Mecca is a mezquita?"

"Yup."

Oh. Should have told him about Al-Aqsa as well.

---

"So what time does it opens?"

"It's open at 8.30-10.30 in the morning and the admission is free."

Oh, I thought Umair said we needed to pay for entrance.

"But there will be a mass for the Catholic at that time. You can go watch if you want."

"Oh." Deadpanned. "Alright."

"From 11 onwards is for the general admission. You have to pay €8 for entrance."

"O-kay."

"That money you will pay to the Catholic church," he emphasized on the last two words. "It is important that you know that you will be paying to the church."

I nodded slowly.

"Because the Mezquita is the Catholic's now."

Someone just flipped on the sad switch.

---

Pablo processed only two passports and gave me back the other five.

"Okay. Now I need these two to come down and sign this receipt."

"That's me, I can sign it now." I pointed at the first receipt.

"Oh, Nur Atiqah. I'm lucky your passport was the first one."

"You're very lucky." I signed. "I'll tell Suhaila to come down after this."

"Okay."

"Is it okay? Just two passports? Or you will need the other five back after this?"

"No it's okay!" He rushed.

I laughed. "More work for you, eh?"

"It's more hard work for me, si. Two is enough. This is just for formalities. It's okay, as long as you don't have problem with the police." He smiled.

"No we won't. We're good girls." I stacked the passports. There was something weirdly untruthful about that sentence. "Okay Pablo, see you after this. Have a good night."

"Okay, you too."

---

"Hola Pablo."

"Hola Atika."

"We're going out. Here's the keys."

"Gracias." He sent us off with a smile.

"De nada."