Coveted Non-Functional Possessions
When we were doing our PhD, my husband and I used to pass by a very fancy jewellery shop in Uxbridge, where we lived. He had to pass this shop every day if he had to get on the tube to get to the City and to Notting Hill Gate where his university was (QEC, gone with the wind now). We would peer into the window and looked at all the beautiful and wildly expensive horlogorie that would tell the time but at 1000 times the cost of a Timex watch. A particular trinket caught his eye, it was a Rolex watch. "When I get my PhD, I would get me a Rolex watch".He promised. As it came to pass, the PhD came and went and no Rolex. "It is superfluous" My husband decided. When he was trying hard for his professorship he promised that if he gets his professorship he would reward himself with the same Rolex watch waiting for him in the shop in Uxbridge. The professorship came and went, no Rolex. Aah, the poor Rolex watch waits patiently, like a forgotten old flame. My husband lost his taste for the fancy trinkets of the world and only longed for the rewards of the Garden (He said). To compensate, my brother gifted him with a time piece on a silver chain, bought in a Druze jeweller's shop in Beirut. The time piece is to be worn, Datuk Meringgih style with an Alistair Sinclair jacket. He wore that a few times but kept the time piece at home, not being a real dandy.
Now, what about my coveted non functional possessions? I covet a Mont Blanc pen, always had.When my deputy became a full professor 3 months ago, we thought maybe we should get a Mont Blanc pen to sign our letters with. The wish came and went. A few years ago, Prof Othman and my colleague from KPT, Cik Maimunah were in a shopping arcade in Sydney where we passed by my favourite shop, the Mont Blanc (MB) outlet. I looked at my favourite pieces and promised that if I became a ....... I would get me a MB pen. Prof Othman suggested that I should get the pen anyway, given the way things were going! I forgot about the pen for a while.
In 2007, en route to Frankfurt with Prof Saran, again I looked at the MB pieces on sale, this time it was a MB passport holder. The Thai stewardess kept up a lively advertisement campaign and to my elation was gifted the passport holder by Prof Saran.I had the passport holder embossed with my initials C.H.A in white at the KL MB outlet. In November 2007 I was due to perform the haj but it was also the year and month we were expecting our eldest grandchild (now the bossy Suri). We decided to travel to the UK before leaving for haj. Two days before our departure, armed robbers broke into our house. One of the things the robbers took were.. no, NOT the passports, lying on the dressing table but my MB initialed passport holder. Prof Saran had since replaced what the tasteful robbers took.
Now, a most interesting turn of events took place recently. I, too like my husband have (nearly) given up on the trinkets of the world and so has bade goodbye to the beautiful MB writing equipment. One of the "hantaran" given to my son is a..you've guessed it, an MB pen! I think they both think up of this gift to make me forget the rewards of the Garden. The MB think tank are clever people who knows that people who aspire to buy the MB pens are not easily fooled, they are usually conscientious environmentalists, fair-practice and trade supporters, beauty-without cruelty advocates, who buy stuff from Body Shop etc etc. So, they need much moral convincing to part with their money, to buy something costing RM1800 to what a RM90 Lamy pen can do.The pen came with a beautiful glossy laminated brochure in elegant black with the beguiling phrase..everything starts with the written word.. Oh yes!
I love the written word, who are you kidding? Not the Bangi wordsmith.
The MB people have made the proceeds of the sale go to the UNICEF fund for children's education.
I admit I was tempted. I am tempted. After all, I am human and to top it all easily beguiled by beguiling phrases.
But every night I too get a bit of the readings from the Digital Quran my husband bought at Warta, Bangi and so the pull of the Garden is stronger...
Good Bye my MB pen.
Now, what about my coveted non functional possessions? I covet a Mont Blanc pen, always had.When my deputy became a full professor 3 months ago, we thought maybe we should get a Mont Blanc pen to sign our letters with. The wish came and went. A few years ago, Prof Othman and my colleague from KPT, Cik Maimunah were in a shopping arcade in Sydney where we passed by my favourite shop, the Mont Blanc (MB) outlet. I looked at my favourite pieces and promised that if I became a ....... I would get me a MB pen. Prof Othman suggested that I should get the pen anyway, given the way things were going! I forgot about the pen for a while.
In 2007, en route to Frankfurt with Prof Saran, again I looked at the MB pieces on sale, this time it was a MB passport holder. The Thai stewardess kept up a lively advertisement campaign and to my elation was gifted the passport holder by Prof Saran.I had the passport holder embossed with my initials C.H.A in white at the KL MB outlet. In November 2007 I was due to perform the haj but it was also the year and month we were expecting our eldest grandchild (now the bossy Suri). We decided to travel to the UK before leaving for haj. Two days before our departure, armed robbers broke into our house. One of the things the robbers took were.. no, NOT the passports, lying on the dressing table but my MB initialed passport holder. Prof Saran had since replaced what the tasteful robbers took.
Now, a most interesting turn of events took place recently. I, too like my husband have (nearly) given up on the trinkets of the world and so has bade goodbye to the beautiful MB writing equipment. One of the "hantaran" given to my son is a..you've guessed it, an MB pen! I think they both think up of this gift to make me forget the rewards of the Garden. The MB think tank are clever people who knows that people who aspire to buy the MB pens are not easily fooled, they are usually conscientious environmentalists, fair-practice and trade supporters, beauty-without cruelty advocates, who buy stuff from Body Shop etc etc. So, they need much moral convincing to part with their money, to buy something costing RM1800 to what a RM90 Lamy pen can do.The pen came with a beautiful glossy laminated brochure in elegant black with the beguiling phrase..everything starts with the written word.. Oh yes!
I love the written word, who are you kidding? Not the Bangi wordsmith.
The MB people have made the proceeds of the sale go to the UNICEF fund for children's education.
I admit I was tempted. I am tempted. After all, I am human and to top it all easily beguiled by beguiling phrases.
But every night I too get a bit of the readings from the Digital Quran my husband bought at Warta, Bangi and so the pull of the Garden is stronger...
Good Bye my MB pen.
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