FIRST WEEK OF BONUS DAY

Story on government bonus maybe sudah basi. It almost two weeks now when government staff and officers received the one and half of their salary added to their pay cheque. People were so busy in the shopping centre and now some friends ask me what was my subject in the previous Penulis Orang Pencen (POP) column. The simple answer is bonus.

Not that I want to tell you how people spend their money. This was my real experience. On 2nd of January, I intended to fill in my stomach before going for Friday prayer. The shop nearby the mesjid was so full of people. Waiting for some table to be emptied, I chat-chat with the mamak. Here is his remarks. The mamak said almost everybody paid by hundred dollars note though the spending on the food was only three dollars. Banyak orang kaya sekarang. Tapi satu minggu saja . People felt so rich. But this was only happen on first week of bonus day. Later on the week it went to normal using five, ten and one dollar.

“Bila tiba musim bonus kedai minum ani menyediakan usin pacah yang banyak.”
“Tantu sudah tu. Pelanggannya ramai” seorang teman mencelah.
“Nanti dulu. Dangar dulu ceritaku” Dengan ketegasan itu rakan-rakan yang ingin mencelah hanya diam.
“Kata India atu, bila tiba taim bonus, masing-masing membayar dengan note basar; usin seratus walaupun untuk minum tiga empat ringgit”
“Taim loaden tu tuan haji. Barangkali usin atu karau, baru keluar dari bank”
“Menurut India atu lagi, keadaan ani berlarutan dua tiga hari sampai seminggu. Lapas atu usin seratus bertukar menjadi usin seringgit.”
“Taim sekolah tu. Mesti ada usin pacah bata kanak-kanak. Inda kan bis sidia bebata usin lima puluh ringgit. Lagipun not seratus sudah susut”

“Sampai cam atu bis sidia bebelanja. Tapi lapas atu baru tah melangui kasau.” Di peringkat atu ada jua yang alum melangsaikan hutang piutang. Maka cerita lama bertaut kembali. Hutang kembali mengelilingi pinggang waimapun baru seminggu menerima bonus.