Not mine, at least not yet.
Don't think I would mind that much honestly. Certainly wouldn't want to be an eternal Dorian Gray botoxed to the gills, what a terrifying thought that would be. Unlike most of my friends - especially those in the medical aesthetics line - who sincerely devote themselves to battling the frightening disease known as aging, I actually think wrinkles are actually a lovely physical marker of times past and gone.
Not too many though. Just a few denoting my age.
Having far too many wrinkles would result in people like me making mistakes like the one I did yesterday. Though seniority and social hierarchy aren't as important as it would be in more traditional societies such as Japan and Korea, we still maintain a level of respect for our elders here. Even the terms we use to call them are far more deferential such as makcik or kak in the colloquial Malay for the older ladies.
Which is what I'm used to calling the amahs in the hospital. Basically amahs - also an ancient post-colonial term - function as the cleaners and janitors in the hospital. These days where we're unfortunately far too politically correct, they are probably better known as nursing / healthcare assistants.
Obviously I totally forgot that I was much younger way back then as well.
Nurse : Did you call just call her kak?
Paul : Certainly did. Why?
Nurse : You do know the amah is younger than both of us?
Paul : Good God. Seriously?
Nurse : At least five years younger I think.
Ouch.
In my defence, she certainly doesn't look like she's in her early thirties. Certainly got me thinking about all the shopkeepers I've been calling kak or makcik. Oops.
Don't think I would mind that much honestly. Certainly wouldn't want to be an eternal Dorian Gray botoxed to the gills, what a terrifying thought that would be. Unlike most of my friends - especially those in the medical aesthetics line - who sincerely devote themselves to battling the frightening disease known as aging, I actually think wrinkles are actually a lovely physical marker of times past and gone.
Not too many though. Just a few denoting my age.
Having far too many wrinkles would result in people like me making mistakes like the one I did yesterday. Though seniority and social hierarchy aren't as important as it would be in more traditional societies such as Japan and Korea, we still maintain a level of respect for our elders here. Even the terms we use to call them are far more deferential such as makcik or kak in the colloquial Malay for the older ladies.
Which is what I'm used to calling the amahs in the hospital. Basically amahs - also an ancient post-colonial term - function as the cleaners and janitors in the hospital. These days where we're unfortunately far too politically correct, they are probably better known as nursing / healthcare assistants.
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| Colleague : You do know you're not a house officer anymore? Paul : Oops. What did I do now? |
Obviously I totally forgot that I was much younger way back then as well.
Nurse : Did you call just call her kak?
Paul : Certainly did. Why?
Nurse : You do know the amah is younger than both of us?
Paul : Good God. Seriously?
Nurse : At least five years younger I think.
Ouch.
In my defence, she certainly doesn't look like she's in her early thirties. Certainly got me thinking about all the shopkeepers I've been calling kak or makcik. Oops.
2 comments:
We all get older..weinkles/dementia included. Get used to it,
its just respect you call someone kak or abang
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