Seven woes

Citibank rejected my credit card application. Because I am a Guru Sandaran Terlatih. Dunno what they would prefer. Guru Sandaran Tak Terlatih? They wanted my payslips for the past 3 months. A 3-months-in-1 payslip isn't enough. They must have 3 payslips for 3 consecutive months. They said I may not be teaching in school, although I say I am. I already gave them my offer letter. But they didn't even call up my school to check. The first woe.

My salary's cola allowance is messed up. I was supposed to get 3-months' worth of cola allowance in my 3-months-in-1 paycheck. But I only got 1-month's worth of cola allowance. Last month, lagi best. No cola allowance at all. The kerani's visit to Putrajaya to rectify it was of no avail. The second woe.

My ancient Ford Laser is still at the workshop. They still can't find the spare part for my rear signal light. They are playing dirty with my insurance claim. They want me to open an AmBank account, hand over my account book, give them my ATM card, and also my PIN number. So they can bank in the insurance claim into my account. If not, I have to pay RM400 deposit, minimum. The car is already half done, so there's no way I can change to another workshop. I can see that my rear bumper is as unoriginal as chee cheong kai. It was the police who recommended that workshop to me. The third woe.

I called up my Proton Iswara's agent. He said his boss was away, so he would check with him tomorrow. The next day, he said he was in a meeting. The following day, he said the car was not ready yet, and he'll "try again". I guess it wasn't a good idea to give the down payment before getting the car. The fourth woe.

Someone from my neighbourhood cut my bicycle's rear brakes. He must not like the way I park my bike at the motorbike shed. Well, he could've left a note on my bike. But nooo... He had to go back to his flat, find a pair of pliers, go back to my bike, and cut my brakes! Now, my bike is chained with the thickest, 4-foot iron chain I can find from the hardware shop, locked with a solid metal padlock, and secured with a bicycle lock. It's a caveman world. The brakes cost RM8. The chain and lock cost RM40. The fifth woe.

Today, someone in school tried to cut my bicycle lock. I could see the marks on the bicycle lock. Tomorrow, I'll have to buy another iron chain and lock, and put it at the school's motorbike shed. It's not safe at home. It's not safe at school. It's not safe anywhere! The sixth woe.

Also today, my kitchen tap started to leak. Now, I have to look for a plumber who won't cheat, or lie, or make me change the whole pipe if I don't have to. The seventh woe.

My perspective on people have changed. Trust no one. Not the government. Not the police. Not anyone who bangs your car. Not the workshop man. Not your car salesman. Not your neighbours. Not your students. Not the plumber.

You can trust only those whom you have known personally for more than 6 months. Anyone else down the street, in your neighbourhood, or at your workplace... They can be crooks, liars, cheaters, or thieves.

If I had my way, I'd round them all up, lock them in an iron cage, and drown them. I have no mercy for people such as these.