Me and Grandma Talk About The End Of The World.

Grandma says you've been a perfect boy the whole day today. All I can say is, I know. And I think as far as I am concerned, the world can end today, right at this very minute before Grandma and I turn in for the night. Aunt is still in the kitchen banging about the pots and pans she will be using first thing tomorrow morning to cook all the things she knows how to cook very well to sell to the hungry boys during recess as Sekolah Laki-Laki Dungun. I am not about to think about what is going to happen tomorrow morning because if the world doesn't come to an end tonight, come tomorrow Aunt will wake me up from my sleep, carry me to the trishaw for me to continue my sleep all the way to the school until she will have to carry me again so I can continue to sleep in the back room of the school canteen. Which is why I wish the world would come to an end tonight.

Grandma says you've done all the good things a boy your age can do. You followed me to the masjid during Subh, and you stayed with me when I read the qur'an. You followed me to the market without complaining. You were quiet and obedient. You didn't ask for toys. All the makcik traders at the market have nothing but nice things to say about you. They wish they had a boy like you. You followed me to the masjid for Zuhr. You slept. And then you woke up to follow me to the masjid for Asr. And you continued to follow me to the masjid for Maghrib and Isya'. All the time you prayed behind me in the women section, but that's okay because you are still a young boy. My friends at the masjid too said you are such good boy they wish they had a grandson like you. I am so proud of you. And Aunt too is so very proud of you.

When grandma says this to me, I wish time just stand still and never move a minute forward. And I wish the world just come to an end because I deserve heaven since I've been such a good boy all day, and night. Come tomorrow, I am not sure if I can do all the things I have done today all over again. Who knows, come tomorrow I will do completely the opposite and the world comes to an end and I will be thrown straight to hell. But tonight I will sleep hoping the world will come to an end so Aunt and Grandma and Cousin can all be in heaven with me.

Tonight as I write this, I am the one left. And I miss them very much....