THE CLUB EXTRAVAGANZA- THE MAKING OF A DANGDUT KING

Papa and HRH, The Prince Guy both received quite similar messages through their hand phones that unkel will be at The Lotus Restaurant, Medan Tuanku in about half to three quarter hours time. Considering that the smses, were sent, about an hour before the two friends appeared at the establishment, unkel should be visible amongst the few and dispersed, patrons, sitting out at one of the many tables laid out Al Fresco style outside the main hall of the restaurant.
However, there was, not any glimpse of him, the prince even went about both sides of the restaurant but still no visible signs of unkel. It was quite strange as most times, his hunched up figure would be the most prominent either from the back or sideways. Without wanting to, waste any more time The Prince called unkel.
He was in the air- conditioned section of the eating- house, of all places. Papa and the prince did not even know of the availability of that portion. Since unkel, is not known, to smoke, for sure he would head for that particular segment of the eatery, together with the fact that K.L has been a little bit stifling as of late, even so in the evenings.
He waved at the two friends, signaling them to come join him and Mann Twopie at the only occupied table in the hall. Papa remembered, the voice he heard, unkel was talking to, the few seconds after, papa, answered his call on the handset- it was, Mann’s. There were visible signs of much feasting on the table, what was with the few bits of saffron colored rice here and there together with a bowl of unfinished dark curry gravy and a few slices of pickled cucumber, arranged haphazardly on a small plate. Both must have had beriyani suppers.
Mann’s laptop was, switched on, displaying The Kuala Lumpur bourse’s, for the day, prices listing with unkel intently viewing the monitor, right hand index finger on the mouse pad, maneuvering the cursor so as to how best to utilize the website. Unkel, an astute investor, never did bother trying out the computer thingy even though acquiring the ubiquitous notebook more than a while ago, preferring to personally visit his stock dealer at the bank along with monitoring his ‘investments’ from the giant screen displayed in the hall of the bank’s stock and share department floor. Whence, the graph’s, vigorously moves up and down, then, unkel could rely on his proverbially ‘fat wallet’ maintaining its chunky size for the bit while longer if not perpetually- for that matter.
The Prince asked about Lanchapap, unkel replied Lan’s at his seaside apartment, readying it for tenants renting for the long Chinese New Year Holidays just started. Fancy, these two fellows, both unassuming, yet discerning investors, all the same. Papa further inquired about Natasha and Melissa, unkel answered, both him and Lan have not called them, since. Well it just confirmed papa’s suspicions, with respect to their ‘lascivious’ exploits, they just did not happen. They, meaning unkel and Lanchapap are most of times- busy, with their ‘day to day’ activities albeit cash churning ones, so to spend indeterminately on some silly girls' fickleness, would be quite ‘counter productive’ for them. There were not the tangible profits, to be, made, however, should unkel decide to take one or both to be his betrotheds, the returns, could only be indescribable, but, then again, his heart may not be able to take it or keeps on pumping for the better, either or.
Papa suddenly felt peckish but could not obviously finish a plate of beriyani, so he ordered buttered Nan and Dhal. The nans were fresh and soft although he could not really eat them all, the prince saying he was full initially just could not resist the succulent pittas, he, sort of, dipped in- the nans into the dhall, of course. Even the seemingly satiated unkel and Mann were not able to resist, tasting some.
It was between ‘savoring’ the traditional north Indian oven baked bread that unkel, sort of, reminisced; of his past exploits, as regards the ‘ladies’ in his life. How he could not ‘hold on’ to a relationship, always saying the wrong things and not having the ‘finesse’ should the term be proper, to further ‘cement’ the connectedness into a more substantial cum permanent state of affairs. Mann interjected the few yet considerable times into unkel’s discourse, adding the bits and pieces that somewhat ‘enriched’ to a greater degree unkel’s quite woeful ‘life story’. He was party to most of unkel’s love feats albeit failed ones- almost all. Mann was the one who send the flowers, the introductory greeting cards and the quaint notes stuck behind wiper blades, on the windscreen of the girls’ cars. Considering, the fact, that most, of the lassies, that unkel pursued were the bombshell beautiful plus the quite ‘glamorous’ in their own rights, small wonder that unkel got the ‘rebuff’- most of the times. However, it, must also, be said, that unkel was the rather handsome chap- in his younger days- that is.
Taking note of his watch showing the time was quite nearing the witching hour that unkel inquired from papa and the prince as to where best to proceed, post supper, Papa pretty much leave it to unkel, the same also with prince. Unkel suggested The Club: Extravaganza.
So, it was, the four of them already making their way into the dance hall, Mummy Zahidah immediately approached them however making her way straight to papa upon seeing him nearest to her, together with the fact that she knew him best and the longest. She asked papa whether he and his friends just want to watch first and booked girls later or they prefer the dancers joining the group immediately. Unkel answered by saying “ Oh Mummy, At the very least allow us to sit first “, Laughingly, the good natured Zahidah said ok but she will still bring two girls once they are seated. Papa looked at unkel quizzing like but he gave the ok sign.
Mann was already gone when unkel, papa and The Prince found their seating arrangement situated a bit farther back inside the club but with quite a clear view of the dance floor. Papa gestured at unkel inquiring where, had Mann, gone to, unkel gesticulated back signaling that he was outside waiting it out at one of the stalls. Mann is attached; to one of the more prestigious corporations in K. L, and would, not want, to be, seen, dead, in a seedy establishment not unlike a dangdut club. Papa quite understood Mann’s predicament, the reason being that dangdut is largely seen as low class and sordid by Kuala Lumpur’s citizens. Considering also that Mann is rather the ‘Upper Manager’ in the Company it would not be good to be scandalized by seemingly cavorting with a Hostess in a dangdut hall. Howsoever for Papa, dangdut is not quite like that, its clubs are where the ‘arts’ are played out together with what is happening as regards the ubiquitous ‘dance’. The dangdut ‘dance’ that is not hindered by conventions nor governed by covenants. Dangdut could only be so fluid that papa would not miss for the world as to what its quaint movements- had evolved- into. Exactly what was conjectured, dangdut has evolved into ’Salsa’. That was they were doing: the dangdut Kings that is, Salsa but a bit interspersed with the minutest ‘Bollywood’ maneuvers, the quintessential hint of spices and fiery chili peppers.
Heartily papa, hell bent, manipulated his ‘four step formula’ to the utmost, twisting and turning with Ninie, one the two dancers sent to him and unkel by Zahidah, The prince decided to join Mann sitting out at one of the stalls outside, just to provide him company. What can anyone say about the Prince except that he is the true ‘royal’ amongst lesser men-not unlike; papa.
Somehow papa’s four step worked, to the extent of his dancing did not seem out of place amongst the few other dangdut kings on the dance floor, prancing together with him. Oops! Papa mentioned the few others, as if he is already one of them- the dangdut Kings that is; but exactly that, he felt like a dangdut King, he can dance like them, attested also by Ninie- an old hand in dangdut. When asked later, by papa, how was his dancing? Ninie answered, she was just following as to what, was instructed, by papa- of all things. He was the teacher or rather what was thought by Ninie, despite the fact that this was the first time he had really tried out his ‘four step formula’ and ‘four hands on’ at that. He thought that Ninie should have been the master and the discerning commentator yet she was the student or volunteered herself to be. Papa must have been that ‘good’, no wonder Ninie’s hands were not taut, she wanted papa to lead her and at the same time to teach her, imagine that. Papa, without doubt, had become, a DANGDUT KING! The intense swirls and twirls, and all the time papa was thinking he was quite making a fool of himself. Papa was truly elated, he felt like crying, all those years and he had finally reached the pinnacle. He had stepped upon the Dangdut king’s concourse and made his mark, attested not by anybody but the dancers themselves. Isabella the other girl sitting with unkel whispered to him, whence informed later by unkel, citing “Abang tu pandai menari” or “The Abang or Older Brother knows how to dance”. Behold Citizens Of The Blog- The Advent Of Yet Another Dangdut King In Town. Ya Be Da Be Doo!