MEMORI DAUN PISANG- THE BANANA LEAF MEMORIES

Papa just had to be sure that his four- step formula as he would called it worked, each, and every time he tried out the movements at any other dangdut clubs other than Extravaganza. Along with the need to further fine tune the configurations, he must also ascertain the partners suitable for the dance. To, those, who are familiar with dangdut dancing, or any dance, for, that matter, particularly if such dances require two persons- to be more precise- grasping the other party’s hands whilst shuffling to the music, would appreciate his or her partner’s level of adeptness in respect of the art form.
The reason papa just had to go check on his four- step formula whilst it was marvelously executed the while back, at Club Extravaganza, it has to equally be performed well in other places together with different dancers. That was why papa had to visit Seri Mutiara on a particular Friday night about when he just could not recollect. This time it was only him and him alone for that exceptional nocturnal ramble. You see the four- step formula as papa would reiteratively exclaimed it to be is just what it is- namely a four step dance. One has, to literally, carry out, the four- step when dancing to the tune. The music can be of any genre excepting only, ones that do not include any obvious, drum- beats. Verily so, the movements could apply to most songs especially melodies that have distinctly percussion- based conspicuousness in their interpretations. Latin and dangdut numbers fit perfectly into the description.
The dance too must involve the four steps during its entire representation. Be it when making a full turn or a one hundred and eighty degrees twirl. The feet must always complete the four peculiar motions whilst prancing on the dance floor. Much like one two three four- full turn and again the similar movements in progression for the half turn along with the same for the sideways part plus the slightly slanted posture at the completion of which. Most of the equivalent for any step to the music making the choreography the little bit trite if performed for a bit longer than usual. The usual should only last for a good half hour and not more. As a session in any dangdut club would include three or four variations of dances namely the cha-cha, zapin and dangdut, thenceforth should one implement the four- step, continuously into the boogie, holding hands most of the time, the exposure could only be overused. The spectators will be bored.
As the case may be, dancers are mostly vain, in the sense that they like to show off, so what good would it be if you dance the same steps, over, and over again. The soul of the music would be lost- humdrum and transposable, each, and every time. The, very reason, that, papalados would only prance on the floor, for the good part of an hour and seldom beyond that.
It was only about ten minutes to eleven in the evening that papa chose to sit on a stool like chair, his back leaning restfully against the leftmost wall in Seri Mutiara's rectangular shaped dancing hall. Since there was another chair of similar configuration and a small table in between, to all intents and purposes, the three furniture items could be, considered, the situational- club table, howsoever the very number papa just could not recall. There were not the numerous people in the hall as it was still very early, even if, the loud music played by the DJ did not at all coincide with a near relaxed like ambience of a just opened for the day or night rather- dangdut joint. Only a few of the girls had since arrived, and they were, all huddled, up, in one corner busy conversing. As to how they could make each other out amidst the loud music baffles papa to this day. Mummy Shima just, could not, be found, that he had to ask one of the Waitresses as to her where- about. Not two minutes later she popped- up beside papa.
She inquired as to whether papa would like to book a girl for the evening, he replied saying, but of course. However, for an hour only and someone who has the ability to boogie. Shima laughed albeit far from untowardly- her usual style, yet she did not as evident through all the years that papa knew her make any comments jokingly or otherwise. Something to the effect of papa being cheaper than most perhaps, but not, for Shima, because, she was, that lovely, a Lady both within and without. She suggested, of all persons: Vivian. She does not drink nor she smokes continued Shima and she can dance quipped Shima again upon finishing her sentence, O K and by all means-.said, papa.
Vivian was as pretty as ever, amplified more so by the much conspicous- daring dress she wore for the evening but never was her outlook vulgar yet in the every bit elegant should papa lent his remark. Contrary, also, from what he had mistakenly surmised about her, having the ability to, literally- smell money and subsequently zeroing in on the quintessentially Moneyed Gentleman possessing the proverbial chunky wallet, she was actually very sweet. She accorded papa the utmost of respect befitting a dangdut elder tellingly perhaps due to Shima having informed her that papa is a longtime friend and probably than most must also be from the joget moden days as Shima was, The ‘Bunga Raya Joget Club’ from lore where she was formerly a taxi dancer. Nothing sinister about that really for it was just an extension of the one time very famous Fun Fair event from BB Park of old.
Things could be a little bit way off if historical perspectives, not, be scrutinized further as papa and Shima, in, actual- fact, are only into their mid century points age wise that is.
Taxi dancing- must only be popular only about twenty or more years before their time- the bunga raya that was( circa mid eighties to the early nineties) so how was, it that Shima initially started her dancing days as one integral component from its entire whole. It must, be, said, that Bunga Raya Joget Moden went on a heavy promotional drive by invoking the grand BB park days during its incipient period about a score years ago and Shima just happened to apply for a job then. Papa still remembers, a stack of coupons clutched in hand rushing towards the dancers at the start of any dance numbers. The younger patrons would always collide in front of the prettier joget girls leaving the older and much slower pakciks or uncles most of the times prancing with the most desirable of the lot. HA: HA: HA! It was such fun. A coupon would cost only a ringgit and the girls took fifty cents from it. The arrangement never does well for anybody the reason the management shortly after reverted to the hourly booking system utilized much efficiently until this very day.
Coming back to Vivian, papa found something amiss dancing with her, he could not fully worked on the four step formula, things were not that fluid as they were supposed to be. Reason was, her hands were too taut, making the much important maneuverability lost in the entire presentation.
Before even the hour was up, papa had settled the bills and was quite eager to go visit Club Extravaganza, he must dance one more time with Ninie just to make sure that his four step’s still applicable for he had begin to lose its all important feel. Somehow, the experiment with Vivian did not work out. On the other hand, things could only be fair to her should papa leave early and allow her the opportunity to be taken by some other customers whilst the evening was still early and the availability of more than a few considerable hours left before the club closes for the night. With that in mind he must also rush to Extravaganza in order to allow Ninie should she be made accessible the same opportunity considering that papa would also book her for only, a good part, of the- hour. Since it was only ten minutes before twelve, he must already have her sitting beside him at the latest the few minutes past midnight as most of the times, customers would only be streaming in much after One AM. Papa just had to be equitable to the girls as his custom determinedly would only be equivalent to an hour’s worth- dollars and cents wise- precisely so. In that argument, being early in attendance at any dangdut joint was paramount in every sense of the word lest the girls would avoid him for being inconsiderate in terms of hourly bookings should he arrived late yet only wanted an hour of dancing. Howsoever as of late, dangdut patrons are increasingly consisting of members from the much younger social spectrum and their heavy presence has, in a way, upset, to a large extent, any trends in respect of dangdut’s situation: concurrently- that is. They would come at all hours and, in, ever increasing, numbers. The dancers too are getting younger and younger. Dangdut has evolved again. Much too heady for papalados if one may say so.
Ninie had her off day for that particular evening resulting in papa having to ask for any girl that Zahidah found appropriate conditional only in the GRO being able to dance along with her hands being flexible, not hard and taut like Vivian’s unrelenting arms. Somehow, Zahidah, quaintly, quite understood what papa was trying to put to her in the midst of the blaring music and the near screeching voice of the youthful, Lady crooner, belting a dangdut number at the top of her lungs. The fact that he had to do a near vigorous like gesturing of hands must have also helped in the entire communication process.
Suraya, was summoned to papa’s side, juxtaposed alongside his inconsequential being, both of them reclining upon a double sofa like seating arrangement, an extended lounge chair that was truly comfortable. Papa just had to do away with all the wonted greetings of shaking hands subsequent to which the oft vociferated ‘how are you?’ He gave her a warm hug at the shoulders instead, for he knew her very well as her aunt Lillian was close to him, not unlike Shima, both being his longtime buddies from Bunga Raya. Making Suraya, much like papalados’s long lost niece, all, the more. Even though she was a miniscule heavy in size, as compared before, along with the little bit mature in deportment yet very attractive all the same.
Suraya, seemingly, losing all inhibitions literally chirped away at papa, she was like meeting albeit happenstance- a recently found relative and she has that much to tell. Papa intently listened interjecting only whence her aunt’s name, was, mentioned. Inquiring about Lillian, papa was very glad to hear that she is now happily homemaking in the South and further to that, a soon to be Grandma, perhaps sometime towards the end of the year.
Eyes gazing upon the goings-on, on the dance floor, papa could not help noticing a middle- aged looking chap not unlike himself placing both of his hands straight up above his head and fingers clasped tightly on two ends on what looked like an already cut and processed piece of banana leaf. The Lady in front of him was also holding with both hands, chest level and in front of her- tray like, a similar looking item. She did not stretch her arms upwards like her rather energetic dancing partner probably due to feeling the little bit ‘embarrassed’ about the entire quaint like pantomime being put up for all and sundry to see. Not for the animated fellow as he would be running up and down the floor a bit cowering like with the banana leaf all the time, positioned, above him. A couple of times he would tap his index finger on his wrist watch quite expressively the like of being late for a very important appointment. The poor Lady, of whom, was a bit mature in her years would only just move a little here and a bit more there yet largely within the same circumference- utterly mystified- as how to react to the totally out of the ordinary circumstances. In all likelihood, the only pertinent question in her mind at that moment could only be- must she do a step to the music act like always or perform a much dated albeit quaint Bollywood like dance- drama.. She must have been too shocked at was happening and feeling very silly perhaps, after being duped into accepting his booking. Any, right thinking, person except for the demonstrative bloke would not be running the length and breadth of a dangdut dance floor like a demented idiot.
Smilingly Suraya put it to papa that the dancer had just started working at the club and coincidentally that particular evening was her first night there. Abang Limo or Big Brother Limo was the nomenclature she gave to the customer booking her. He is a Luxury Limousine Operator if not only for the one costly sedan he himself drives or a fleet he collectively owns. But a fat wallet he always carry for he would attentively be in the club nearly every night for year upon year or three to four to be exact. His table would be reserved for him without being, reminded. The rectangular shaped furniture item topmost part would have a jumble of assorted articles from bric-a-brac miniature battery operated reading lights complete with shades on to neatly packed bread buns laced with sweet fillings the likes of strawberry jam, lotus seed, butter cream and kaya( a sticky like dip- in made from coconut milk ) among others. Sometimes even loafs of white bread and tins of mixed biscuits would be among those tidily arranged on the table. Abang Limo’s little giveaways no doubt, momentously, should he find one particular evening inside the club that he was truly happy with. Perchance, the girl that reciprocated his queerly, pantomime- like dance act or the Waiter and/or Waitress that accorded him the best of etiquettes. Howsoever and mostly than most- the band members that played the songs he requested. Suraya was nearly gasping for air whence completing a rather longwinded narration as regards the near farcical exploits of club Extravaganza’s own, yet insuppressible, Abang Limo, she, continued, by recounting a most poignant fact that currently, none of the dancers, except for the most recently arrived and the greener than green would ever want his patronage. He was just too weird.
Coincidentally, the song that was prominently played, by the club band during the entire unasked for theatricals ala Abang Limo was ‘Memori Daun Pisang’ or The Banana Leaf Memories in English. In the song, the story was, a pair of lovebirds that was stranded somewhere, at the bus stop or the town’s cinema even the library for that matter. The setting must only be a small town or a township that has a mostly rustic backdrop adjacent to it considering the massive availability of banana trees. As it was raining and the day is already turning dark, the lovers had no choice but to dash to their respective homes. Not prepared for the rapidly changing weather they did not bring umbrellas along. However they must be getting home while there was still light as they would not want to be scandalized being together in the dark of night. The locale could only be countrified South East Asia the reason a rather conservative outlook would be the order of the day. Well the only logical consequence would be for them to utilize the lowly banana leaf found abundant all around. Together they would held the leaf umbrella like above their heads and lightly ‘run’ to their places of stay. Laughing gleefully they would inadvertently albeit hopelessly fell deeply in love all through the process. The soon after they decided to end their courting days by marrying each other.
Quaint: much too quaint, but what can papalados, say, he is just too old to remember. The reason also Abang Limo was prancing about neither here nor there the while back but he should have used as prop a full grown banana leaf instead of a cut up washed and dried with a clean cotton cloth version. Could have instilled that little bit more poignancy into the whole presentation.
Alas, Zahidah did not at all stand corrected as her choice of Pretty Suraya was right to the point, her hands were far from taut, she executed the four- step marvelously and she gave papa- his confidence and the all- important feel for the art form back. Excepting her little- little bit hefty size as papalados had to tip-toe a miniscule fraction in order for his arms to maneuver the twirls and swirls, Suraya rendered perfect justice to the four step formula.