IT WAS A BOY!

It was already almost midnight. We were on our way back from my mother's thanksgiving dinner. Shapawi called telling us tha his wife was in labour room.

We then went straight to O&G department Hospital Kemaman. Syazwan and I were in our sarong pelikat!

Shapawi's parents were not there when we arrived. There was a lonely man in the waiting lounge. He was an Indonesian (legal) oil palm fruit picker from Felda Bukit Goh. According to him he was from Flores and he had married a Javanese girl and had lived here in Malaysia for the past ten years. He was blessed with four children and this was their fourth child.

When asked why did he come all the way to Kemaman. He told us that it was easier in Kemaman compared to Kuantan. He did not mind spending RM200 for the two-way taxi fare.

We did not have to wait long. At half past one Shapawi came out. In his hand was a plastic bag filled with his son's afterbirth.

He appeared pale. He graphically described how his wife was hemorrhaging badly. I could understand him.

His son, Aqis Musawwir, was born just before midnight 14 February, another member of the February birthday clan!