any other name

was just idling around, catching a glimpse of the headlines on the stack of newspaper at the local petrol station as the man was guzzling black gold into his car. i was waiting for the cashier to close the bill when a man in uniform wandered past. good morning, he greeted in a cantonese dialect. the language was so familiar. he is dark-skinned, is he chinese? it is so hard to tell nowadays when the cantonese dialect is so prevalent. i peered at him. whatever. good morning, i returned enthusiastically.

he hung around, sorting the stack of newspapers. not going out on a weekend? huh? hello, get back to your sorting, noyb (none of your business). of course, that came out as putting petrol, aren't i?. that was already sarcastic mode in check. you never know who will whip out a machette behind their back nowadays and chop you to pieces for simply saying the wrong words. i was indirectly telling him to get off my case. i don't think he got it. do you stay around here? fair enough question still, i guess, asking if someone lives around the vicinity of the petrol station they are patronising. uh huh. eventhough i do not. ha! that's one for me, blockhead. small insignificant victory, but still that guy was beginning to get on my nerves.

so, what's your name? waitaminit, how is that related to filling petrol again? quick, brain! give me a comeback! i'm not about to give my name to this stalker! my brain was a blank. uh huh. how lame was that? when in doubt, always fake ignorance. see? i don't understand what you are trying to ask me. i was then rescued by the bell, or in this case, the cashier. bill done. sign and ready to leave. that man was still lingering around. i turned to leave. the man's car was no longer parked at pump no. 5. he drove up beside me. hey melissa! thanks a lot, hubby of mine. mr. weirdo now has my name. next time i go to that petrol station, i better go incognito with big sunglasses, cap and all.

by the way, in case you are wondering, that's not my real name. why do you want to know my name,? are you a stalker or something?!