The food was pretty good, i must say. The best fish and chips i've ever had!
A funny thing happened. You see, all of them used to be my students. And altho i have told them they could always refer to my by my first names, none of them ever did. It's the M'sian culture, i'm sure. so the simple way to call me has always been "sir". I do have students who call me by my first names - but people who have heard that expressed surprise - and i suspect, some disapproval.
Anyways, i have always treated this group as my frens. And now that they are no longer my students, they are "officially" my frens (sounds strange to put it that way, tho)!!!
So when Inez referred to me as "Sir...", i told her not to call me that anymore! Unless i get knighted by the Queen!!! She said she was so used to it - and Aizad agreed.
"What shall i call you?"
"Err... Mun Onn would be good! That is after all, my name!!!!", i replied!
It was funny cuz thruout the dinner, during our conversation, there were a few occasions when she called to me and struggled just to say my name!!!! And the look on her face when she called me by my name was priceless!!!! It's not that they find it difficult to pronounce it (like how the Brits and the Chinese do) - it's just that they weren't used it! Altho i'm sure they refer to me all the time by my name when they talk about me! They are just not used to talking to me by saying my name!
Even last week when another former student visited me, he kept on calling me "sir"!!!
Well, it does take some time, i'm sure. Some of their seniors oredi dun have any problems calling me by my name. In time, they will too! After all, when they all become big time lawyers or corporate figures, surely they can't be referring to me as "sir" when they see me again, can they? They will just have to get used to saying my name!
*Considered to be one of their signature songs, it was their biggest hit from their 1999 album.
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