ROCK SAMPAI MATI ( ROCK TILL DEATH )

HRH, The Prince Fellow, called papa, not three minutes away, before reaching, the petrol station, where they are supposed to meet. He mentioned, albeit, the slightly uneasy tone, that he was feeling, the bit uncomfortable, and really had to visit the bathroom, before going out that night, so he asked for the odd five minutes in addition to the eleven thirty pm agreed time. Papa said OK, since there was not actually the ‘all important’ hurry anyway. Come, to think, of it, The Prince, does at times, suffer from, this spasmodic, holiday tummy syndrome. Must have been the one too many goreng pisangs (banana fritters) he had earlier on.
Whilst waiting for the good prince, papa had a good listen to the non- stop cha- cha cassette tape he bought in Muar the week back. It was, in a clearance stock, or rather the clearing for ever sale, put up by a music shop, situated on the first floor of Wetex Parade, the famous shopping complex there. Considering, cassettes are quite the obsolete thingy nowadays, the sale could be the last of any- likely to be found- anywhere. It was then, that a catchy number, came up, sung in what, could be, construed as, Spanish- that veritably, took papa away, from his ‘gaze out of the window’ state. It, was the, song ‘Sway’ sung, in its original, Latin derived configuration, ala Mexico speak and the title must only be Quien Sera, as it was uttered the more than a few times in the song. Wonder if the Good Don Diego could translate the meaning for papa, can it be somewhat similar to Que Sera- Sera, whatever, will be, will be?
Papa’s early 2001, stock Proton Iswara, seems to, shudder a bit, having been, stationery, with the engine running- for a good seven to ten minutes, when papa, noticed from, his rear view mirror, the recognizable, silhouette, of The Prince emerging from, the side, of a, dimly lit building, fronting, the ubiquitous, four storey apartments, located, albeit, partly visible, behind it.
It was hardly the two minutes that they had, driven into, the direction of Jalan Ipoh and The Club Extravaganza that The Prince related a beguiling incidence just the afternoon ago. There was, at his, apartment, just before noon, his neighbor’s daughter- wedding reception, The Prince, who, had just, got back, from his niece’s solemnizing ceremony, or the exchanging of marriage vows, earlier in the morning, put off, till, the bit later, in the afternoon, he and the missus, quite mandatory, attendance of his fellow dweller’s formalities. It was, during his short rest, in the house, that he heard, the noticeably, lively singing, emanating from, the ground floor, of the, apartment building. Immediately, he took, a peep from the topmost floor, where, his unit, is situated, and, saw, for that fortuitous moment, a wheelchair bound- older person, anomalously adorning, a peculiar like, shoulder length hair, plus, slipping on, howbeit unconcernedly, the trademark, even though, fashionable, tattered jeans, topping with, a chalky white, round neck T- shirt. He could be in the late fifties if not going sixty of age- presumably. The prince could not be that sure, as he was quite that high up, on the fourth floor, but for, the fact, that the, old chap’s flowing hair was all silver, his estimate, could not be, that far off.
He, was making, his way, to the Karaoke machine, after being, called, by the D J, due to, the current singer, about to, finish his turn. The fact, that the fellow, was pushed to, the rostrum, by a pre- school aged, little boy, somehow adds, the much poignancy, exacerbated, all the more, by the, quaint possibility, that the child, could be, his grandson.
He chose the song ‘Kamelia’, popularized, in Malaysia, by the country’s own, Papa Rock or Ramli Sarip, being, the senior crooner's, much recognisable, appellation. Complete by even imitating the good Papa Rock’s signature coarsely voice, the 'ageing rocker' heartily belted out the number until the enormously, penultimate portion when he hollered ‘ROCK SAMPAI MATI OR ROCK TILL DEATH’, much to the amusement, of the audience. The deafening catcalls and heavy clapping, afterwards, belies the fact that the appreciative crowd, consists mostly, of wedding guests. It, must be, said, that the chap could be at the zenith of his existence then, but to repeat it again, anywhere else, is quite contentious, considering his quite 'poorly' state: HA- HA- HA! He might not be around for very long. God Forbid.