It’s dawn September 20th. That means it’s the 20th day that we are fasting and 19 days since I last posted anything here.
Beyond the halfway mark, I think it’s rather frivolous to wish Selamat Berpuasa now. So Selamat Hari Raya everyone! Chances are, I’m probably the first person to wish any of you this coming festive season.
It’s not that I didn’t want to post anything or just being lazy about it. Actually, laziness did play its part somewhere but I’m good now. Well, today, at least. That is, before my stomach begin to make funny noises.
I’ve been busy y’see. Believe it or not, for the past 20, err, make that 17 days (I did took a few days off, including today), every evening I have been present at Ampang Jaya’s pasar Ramadhan, not as a customer, but as a seller. Well, more of an assistant really. Cipoi, a former schoolmate aka fellow SASOB, is the pioneer. I just help out. And we are yong tau foo sellers! And yes, we have the best yong tau foo in the area. Because we are the only ones selling them. Ampang Jaya is our hood! Recognize!
Hard to believe isn’t it? Me, a stall trader? Tell me about it. Every day, as I stood behind the collapsible table donning my red apron and Che Guevera barret, I still think, am I actually doing this? But every time I still smile and answer myself ‘Hell yeah!’ because it’s a blast!
All this time I have been on the other side i.e. the consumers and now, crossing over as a vendor, I realized what a placid view I had all along. It is really an eye opening experience. I could not remember learning so much in such a short space of time like the past 3 weeks or so.
In the past, visits to PaRam have always been a leisurely excursion. I get there, I buy some food, I go home. But now, I began to get an inkling of what these small time vendors go through every single day. And we are only doing this during this Ramadhan. As yong tau foo sellers, our work is basically nothing to shout about. The raw materials are bought from a store and the sauce is prepared by the people at Cipoi’s grandmother’s home. Cipoi and me, well, we are merely the link to the consumers. Packaging and sales. He does the boiling, I ration the sauce. But even that took a toll out of us. I cannot even begin to imagine what the nasi campur people go through. The early morning trips to the market and the preparation for the multiple type dishes. Sounds like a nightmare for me. Suddenly I found a new level of respect for those makcik-makcik.
And another thing I’ve learnt which really gets my goat which never quite bothered me before are the RM50 notes. I used to feel a small amount of guilt every time I had to pay these little businesses using an RM50 note for something that cost below RM10, or worse RM5. Now, being on the receiving end, it’s turns out as one hell of an annoyance! I once had to give change to a lady who owed us RM3.60. And since the customer is always right, you can’t do anything but smile. But evil knows the torment that woman caused me. Small change, lady! We need small change! What are we? McDonald’s!? And if you think it’s troublesome for us to go to other vendors to ask for their change, it is! I could not describe my feelings last Monday when I had to deal with three RM50 notes in less than 30 minutes! I nearly blew my top off! It seemed everyone just had a visit to the ATM machine. But, of course, service with a smile. Besides, they are handing me their money.
Among the other things of being a vendor at a PaRam is that we are totally immune to the usual evening rush because, basically, we are the rush. As the crowd began to pile up at PaRams everywhere as the clock ticks past 5.30 pm, that’s when we roll hardest. We feed on your greed. Again, it’s an interesting perspective.
While some of you were unfortunate enough to get stuck in traffic when it comes to break fast or the ones at home during that agonizing feeling between 6.30 and 7.15, time flies us by for the vendors. When it is time to break fast, we simply snoop around between fellow vendors, getting food and drinks for ridiculously cheap prices or most of the time free of charge, pull out our stools and enjoy a cool and quiet evening.
After a few nights such as that, consuming meals which rarely cost above RM5 per person, I can’t help but feel ridiculous for all the money I spent in the past at fancy buka puasa spots. The PJ Hiltons, the Salomas, what a waste it has been. You don’t eat that much anyway. Was it really worth RM90++? I have such a function this evening at Seri Melayu, which will cost me a cool RM70++ and I am certain after weeks of breaking fast with nothing more than a piece of roti john and a big bag of air tembikai, there will be some awkward feeling later this evening. I’d rather spend my money at William’s. Now that’s food.
Lastly, Ampang Jaya is great spot to be operating in. It only covers a small area which means it’s homely and not as crowded and hectic like the one at Melawati but it also means it’s not as glamorous as TTDI’s. Apart from being the monopolist of yong tau foo, Ampang Jaya does have its own share of hot chicks and celebrities. Being a customer, even if Erra Fazira goes to the same PaRam as you do, it is still unlikely you’ll be there roughly the same time as her and crossed paths. As vendors, if there’s someone famous who comes along, we’ll definitely catch sight of them. So far we had Adlin Aman Ramli, Azwan Ali, Que Haidar, Linda Jasmine and Sasha Saidin among others but sadly none of them dropped by our store. That is, until last Thursday when Maria Farida decided to make a stop and ordered three pieces of kuey teow to go. It was a milestone. We had a celebrity customer! And an incredibly hot one at that too. I could easily say she’s the hottest mom I had ever seen. Surpassing even the Albas and the Jolies.
I do realize some pics would definitely make this posting much more interesting but we are working there. Time is of the essence. And not to mention if the weather would be digital camera forgiving. Maybe I’ll take a few shots this Sunday. Najmi will be there. You want to see how a metal band member tries to sell yong tau foo? Anything could happen. One thing for sure, it’ll involve lots of laughs.
YTF!!
Beyond the halfway mark, I think it’s rather frivolous to wish Selamat Berpuasa now. So Selamat Hari Raya everyone! Chances are, I’m probably the first person to wish any of you this coming festive season.
It’s not that I didn’t want to post anything or just being lazy about it. Actually, laziness did play its part somewhere but I’m good now. Well, today, at least. That is, before my stomach begin to make funny noises.
I’ve been busy y’see. Believe it or not, for the past 20, err, make that 17 days (I did took a few days off, including today), every evening I have been present at Ampang Jaya’s pasar Ramadhan, not as a customer, but as a seller. Well, more of an assistant really. Cipoi, a former schoolmate aka fellow SASOB, is the pioneer. I just help out. And we are yong tau foo sellers! And yes, we have the best yong tau foo in the area. Because we are the only ones selling them. Ampang Jaya is our hood! Recognize!
Hard to believe isn’t it? Me, a stall trader? Tell me about it. Every day, as I stood behind the collapsible table donning my red apron and Che Guevera barret, I still think, am I actually doing this? But every time I still smile and answer myself ‘Hell yeah!’ because it’s a blast!
All this time I have been on the other side i.e. the consumers and now, crossing over as a vendor, I realized what a placid view I had all along. It is really an eye opening experience. I could not remember learning so much in such a short space of time like the past 3 weeks or so.
In the past, visits to PaRam have always been a leisurely excursion. I get there, I buy some food, I go home. But now, I began to get an inkling of what these small time vendors go through every single day. And we are only doing this during this Ramadhan. As yong tau foo sellers, our work is basically nothing to shout about. The raw materials are bought from a store and the sauce is prepared by the people at Cipoi’s grandmother’s home. Cipoi and me, well, we are merely the link to the consumers. Packaging and sales. He does the boiling, I ration the sauce. But even that took a toll out of us. I cannot even begin to imagine what the nasi campur people go through. The early morning trips to the market and the preparation for the multiple type dishes. Sounds like a nightmare for me. Suddenly I found a new level of respect for those makcik-makcik.
And another thing I’ve learnt which really gets my goat which never quite bothered me before are the RM50 notes. I used to feel a small amount of guilt every time I had to pay these little businesses using an RM50 note for something that cost below RM10, or worse RM5. Now, being on the receiving end, it’s turns out as one hell of an annoyance! I once had to give change to a lady who owed us RM3.60. And since the customer is always right, you can’t do anything but smile. But evil knows the torment that woman caused me. Small change, lady! We need small change! What are we? McDonald’s!? And if you think it’s troublesome for us to go to other vendors to ask for their change, it is! I could not describe my feelings last Monday when I had to deal with three RM50 notes in less than 30 minutes! I nearly blew my top off! It seemed everyone just had a visit to the ATM machine. But, of course, service with a smile. Besides, they are handing me their money.
Among the other things of being a vendor at a PaRam is that we are totally immune to the usual evening rush because, basically, we are the rush. As the crowd began to pile up at PaRams everywhere as the clock ticks past 5.30 pm, that’s when we roll hardest. We feed on your greed. Again, it’s an interesting perspective.
While some of you were unfortunate enough to get stuck in traffic when it comes to break fast or the ones at home during that agonizing feeling between 6.30 and 7.15, time flies us by for the vendors. When it is time to break fast, we simply snoop around between fellow vendors, getting food and drinks for ridiculously cheap prices or most of the time free of charge, pull out our stools and enjoy a cool and quiet evening.
After a few nights such as that, consuming meals which rarely cost above RM5 per person, I can’t help but feel ridiculous for all the money I spent in the past at fancy buka puasa spots. The PJ Hiltons, the Salomas, what a waste it has been. You don’t eat that much anyway. Was it really worth RM90++? I have such a function this evening at Seri Melayu, which will cost me a cool RM70++ and I am certain after weeks of breaking fast with nothing more than a piece of roti john and a big bag of air tembikai, there will be some awkward feeling later this evening. I’d rather spend my money at William’s. Now that’s food.
Lastly, Ampang Jaya is great spot to be operating in. It only covers a small area which means it’s homely and not as crowded and hectic like the one at Melawati but it also means it’s not as glamorous as TTDI’s. Apart from being the monopolist of yong tau foo, Ampang Jaya does have its own share of hot chicks and celebrities. Being a customer, even if Erra Fazira goes to the same PaRam as you do, it is still unlikely you’ll be there roughly the same time as her and crossed paths. As vendors, if there’s someone famous who comes along, we’ll definitely catch sight of them. So far we had Adlin Aman Ramli, Azwan Ali, Que Haidar, Linda Jasmine and Sasha Saidin among others but sadly none of them dropped by our store. That is, until last Thursday when Maria Farida decided to make a stop and ordered three pieces of kuey teow to go. It was a milestone. We had a celebrity customer! And an incredibly hot one at that too. I could easily say she’s the hottest mom I had ever seen. Surpassing even the Albas and the Jolies.
I do realize some pics would definitely make this posting much more interesting but we are working there. Time is of the essence. And not to mention if the weather would be digital camera forgiving. Maybe I’ll take a few shots this Sunday. Najmi will be there. You want to see how a metal band member tries to sell yong tau foo? Anything could happen. One thing for sure, it’ll involve lots of laughs.
YTF!!
1 comment:
Seronok dapat jumpe Pejat again the other day. Hidup YTF!
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