Mommy’s World

    I bet you had an awkward moment like me once in a while. Have you ever make comment to someone that you regret?! You would rephrase the sentence if you could.. Or  you wish you don’t say any words at all?
Well, here are some of my moments…..

This happened just before my wedding (almost ten years ago by the way:)
A called from someone. "Maaf ya Vivi, Mas ga bisa dateng ke kawinannya…" I tried to guess who’s in the other line…….I said to myself, " I think he’s my neighbor". Who else? I don’t know anybody else in this town. I used to live here in Rumbai before leaving for Texas. I came back just for the wedding since  my parents still lived there. The other person didn’t even introduce himself to me..He must assume that I recognize his voice or something!!!
I thought I was being rude if I ask who he was. So I just keep the conversation going….
"Ga papa Mas, kalo ga bisa dateng. Then, bla…bla…bla…I don’t remember what else we talked about. At the end of the conversation I said, "Salam ya buat mba’nya…".  He said, "Aduh belum punya mba’ tuh….". "Ooooops, I said to myself. Who is this person anyway……? Then I found out that he’s  one of my father colleague that I just met few day earlier…..Talking about premature conclusion that this "mas"  has "mba’…..he..he..he…..

Another Mas and Mba’ situation….,
"Are you from Malaysia?", a man asked me in an annual IMSA convention , "No, I said,  I’m from Indonesia". "Where do you live?", he said. " I live in North Carolina", I said. "I’m Eko’s wife", I said, assuming he would know my hubby. "Oh…, he said, So you’re Eko’s wife..", he said, just like what I’ve assumed. He knows my hubby. Then, I asked him, " Mba’nya sapa ya Mas". He replied to me with a udescribable tone and expression, " Ga.., ga ada mba’….udah divorce". "Man…, I thought, another  oooops moment. Why do I ask that question anyway???? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be noisy….:(

Here’s another one…
"Are you expecting? " , I ask one of the sister in the masjid. "No, she said coldly, " "Do I looked pregnant to you?.

Oh..my gosh…what am I thinking…!!!! "mmmmmh, sorry sister". That’s all I can say. A-W-K-W-A-R-D!!!!

I was in the mall shopping for Nabila’s Eid present…, I saw an Arab sister. I said salaam to her then we started to talk. After a while I saw her holding her belly. I wouldn’t say she’s big or anything, but seems like she has a little bump on her tummy.   There I go again, asking the "sensitive" question with a big smile on my face,  "Are you expecting, sister?".. "No, she said, I just need to exercise."

"OOhh, sorry, I said, I saw you holding your tummy that’s why I thought you’re expecting", I said. " About exercise.., hmmh  I think all of us need to exercise not only to loose weight but to be healthy", I added, trying to cover my crime.

My most insensitive remark was when I visited my friend’s house back in 1998. She was the parent of one of my students, Omara. She was kind enough to show me her family pictures.  I never seen anybody in her family except her and her two kids. Then, while flipping the album, I saw a man holding a baby. "This must be the proud grandpa?"., I asked. Then she looked at the picture and said, "No, it’s my husband holding Omara". I ‘m a so sorry oh my dear sister…..:) or should I say, sorry brother??

But, numero uno in my awkward award  is this one time when I was a teacher in an Islamic school in Illinois. I taught  pre-school class back then. One of my student was showing me her drawing. I was so excited to see such "beautiful" art. I said to her, "MasyaAllah Fatima, you’re such a good artist. I like your drawing. Your lion is so scary it seems so real". Then, I saw Fatima cried. "What’s a matter Fatima?", I said. Then, here goes her answer, "It’s not a  lion teacher, It’s my mom. Don’t you see, this is her hair…" 

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