Never Bored With My Nephew And Niece VI

During the weekend after Christmas, my brother Leong telephoned me from Batu Pahat to ask me if I would be free to receive them two days on the following week. Finally they were going to come to Melaka after my numerous invitations since the beginning of the school holidays.

Leong's family and Mum arrived with the car Tuesday evening. The next morning, I brought them to Sungai Petai for roti canai, nasi lemak and beef soup, which Mum, my sister-in-law Li Chia, my nephew Zer Yih and my niece Zer Nin had missed during their previous visit in last March. As we were in the north of Melaka, I suggested that we continued to drive to Alor Gajah town which would only take another five minutes.

When we were hanging around at the Alor Gajah wet market, Zer Yih and Zer Nin kept pestering us to go back to my place. To them, going to Melaka meant doing all the activities within Big Aunt's house at Paya Rumput. When we crossed a road to make a tour at the park just opposite the market, they grew even more impatient. They threw a tantrum when the parents told them that we were going to visit the museum which was in the park. They were soon disciplined by their mother. I comforted them by assuring them that we would not spend more than half an hour inside the wooden building.

This was the first time I stepped into this Tradition And Custom Museum in Alor Gajah, even though it was just five kilometres away from my working place in Lendu. The entrance cost only RM1 for adults and RM0.50 for children, which was very reasonable for a mini museum in a small town like this.

At first, the children, especially Zer Yih, were still pulling teary papaya faces. When I tried to persuade them to pose in front of the characters,

not only their smiles appeared again,

their curiosity also returned.

Having been to this kind of cultural museum in 2008, I knew how to make this visit a lively experience. As a "tour guide", I had to sacrifice my image by taking an initiative to act silly first,

then only I could expect "like aunt, like nephew".

Now the siblings were the ones who would like to stay longer to take pictures,

spend time gossiping with strangers in their traditional costumes,

participate in their wedding ceremonies,

and wait for their turn to grow up and get married.

Finally, everyone of us enjoyed this short but memorable visit.

If you are a director looking for small actors,

I strongly recommend these two funny little ones.