MISTAKEN IDENTITY
This morning, at work, Mae was squealing frantically in her room.
Then she rushed out, in between smiles and frowns, in total disbelief.
Mae: I got an e-mail from Ms Ling.
Self: Who is Ms Ling? *blur sotong*
Mae: Liiiiiiiiiiiiinggggggg? *trying to jog my memory* From XYZ Magazine?
Self:…..
My brain went dead for a few seconds.
Self: Oh…………………….!!! Omigod!
Mae: Yeah.. it’s MS Ling, not MR LING!
Self: Oh God! This is so embarrassing!!
Mae: Yeah lah.. aiyah.. how ah?? How ah?
Mae was in between smiles and frowns again.
Self: Aiyah.. but she sounds like a man. When I call him… err.. her the other day, I was in doubt, man or woman.. Then I decided to call her Mr.
Mae looked strained.
Self: Aiyah.. how what? It is normal lah. Just call her to apologize lor. I think I will e-mail her.
Mae: She is too nice. Don’t even bother to correct us.
Self: Last time, when I was younger, at about age 13 to 14, I was flat-chested and had a very short hair cut. My cousin sister was with me in the gerai mamak she used to frequent. The owner mistook me as her new boyfriend!
Mae: Aiyoh..
Self: Then, in the pasar malam, when I was looking at some stuff, the tauke there ask me, “Hey Leng Chai! What are you looking for?”
Mae: Aiyah..
Self: Pilot boy said that James and I looked like brothers when we were shooting pool at Bravo. Both of us had a pony tail then.
Mae: Aiyah.. pilot boy is so mean lah.
Self: When I was back in TAR College in a restaurant, the owner asked me what I wanted when she saw me from my back (with pony tail), “Leng Chai, what you want for your drinks ah?” Then, when she saw my selamba face, she apologised profusely. “Aiyoh.. Sorry sorry. You look like a guy from behind!”
Mae: Aiyoh…
Self: So, it’s nothing. I was used to it also. Don’t worry. Just call her to apologize lor.. I will call her myself.
Then, Mae stopped "aiyoh-ing". Heh. It is easy to calm someone down when you tell them the worst case scenario. Nobody has mistaken me for a guy now. Years of facials and slight change in dressing finally paid off.
Later this morning, I called Ling.
Self: Hello, Ms Ling?
Ling: Yes, speaking.
Self: Gina here. Ms Ling, Very sorry ah. Mistaken identity.
Ling: It’s ok. It’s alright. I am used to it.
Self: I am worse. Last time, people also think I am a boy when they see me.
Ling: *laughed hysterically.* Yeah. I think both of us are the same. God somewhat put the wrong combination when He made us. (She still sounds very man-ish – the young man kinda voice – a very handsome voice. I was tempted to tell her that but decided against it)
Then, both of us laughed at our shortcomings.
Then she rushed out, in between smiles and frowns, in total disbelief.
Mae: I got an e-mail from Ms Ling.
Self: Who is Ms Ling? *blur sotong*
Mae: Liiiiiiiiiiiiinggggggg? *trying to jog my memory* From XYZ Magazine?
Self:…..
My brain went dead for a few seconds.
Self: Oh…………………….!!! Omigod!
Mae: Yeah.. it’s MS Ling, not MR LING!
Self: Oh God! This is so embarrassing!!
Mae: Yeah lah.. aiyah.. how ah?? How ah?
Mae was in between smiles and frowns again.
Self: Aiyah.. but she sounds like a man. When I call him… err.. her the other day, I was in doubt, man or woman.. Then I decided to call her Mr.
Mae looked strained.
Self: Aiyah.. how what? It is normal lah. Just call her to apologize lor. I think I will e-mail her.
Mae: She is too nice. Don’t even bother to correct us.
Self: Last time, when I was younger, at about age 13 to 14, I was flat-chested and had a very short hair cut. My cousin sister was with me in the gerai mamak she used to frequent. The owner mistook me as her new boyfriend!
Mae: Aiyoh..
Self: Then, in the pasar malam, when I was looking at some stuff, the tauke there ask me, “Hey Leng Chai! What are you looking for?”
Mae: Aiyah..
Self: Pilot boy said that James and I looked like brothers when we were shooting pool at Bravo. Both of us had a pony tail then.
Mae: Aiyah.. pilot boy is so mean lah.
Self: When I was back in TAR College in a restaurant, the owner asked me what I wanted when she saw me from my back (with pony tail), “Leng Chai, what you want for your drinks ah?” Then, when she saw my selamba face, she apologised profusely. “Aiyoh.. Sorry sorry. You look like a guy from behind!”
Mae: Aiyoh…
Self: So, it’s nothing. I was used to it also. Don’t worry. Just call her to apologize lor.. I will call her myself.
Then, Mae stopped "aiyoh-ing". Heh. It is easy to calm someone down when you tell them the worst case scenario. Nobody has mistaken me for a guy now. Years of facials and slight change in dressing finally paid off.
Later this morning, I called Ling.
Self: Hello, Ms Ling?
Ling: Yes, speaking.
Self: Gina here. Ms Ling, Very sorry ah. Mistaken identity.
Ling: It’s ok. It’s alright. I am used to it.
Self: I am worse. Last time, people also think I am a boy when they see me.
Ling: *laughed hysterically.* Yeah. I think both of us are the same. God somewhat put the wrong combination when He made us. (She still sounds very man-ish – the young man kinda voice – a very handsome voice. I was tempted to tell her that but decided against it)
Then, both of us laughed at our shortcomings.
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