B and B

As much as we all hate busy-bodies, we are blessed if there is one in our circle, the kind who asks questions we fear to ask.

Take my friend, Mona* for example. She was the one who asked Husin* whether he was gay.

When Fahmi* was not on speaking terms with his then girlfriend and he clearly avoided the topic at all cost, Mona* couldn't hide her curiosity. In front of everybody, she asked, "Kenapa tak celebrate birthday Mona? Gaduh eh?"
Others watched her in horror, afraid Fahmi* would get temperemental about it.
Surprise, surprise, he calmly said, "A ah, ada problem sikit."
All were glad Fahmi* was opening up because we were all wondering about him and his then girlfriend. And you know how we, humans, function, we just couldn't resist juicy gossips.

After the incident, we went back and spread the news about Mona*, the Busybody. But, we all came to an agreement, Mona* can be useful! Especially when it comes to do dirty works like that. Plus points if we didn't even have to ask her to do her detective work.

But, a boastful colleague is never a blessing. What good can come out from this type of person anyway, I can't think of any.

After knowing Anuar* for four years, I detected his boasting passion early. I learn to accept the attitude as a part of him. He's genuine about his boastfulness, or he wouldn't brag 24-7, right? No, I don't hate him. I treat him as an amusement.

Some of the topics he had bragged about are: how he bought a super expensive handbag for his mother, the how many times he had travelled first class on his flights from KL to Heathrow, the American Express he uses, his Indonesian friend who is so rich, "Rumah dia besar gila, lagi besar dari rumah aku!" as quoted from him.

Everybody knows boastful Anuar*. Most knows it is part of the package, but they can't tolerate him.

Just like the female version of Anuar*, Putri*.

The difference is, Putri* only brags when she wants to. Meaning, she does it on purpose, she is aware of it, and boy when she does it, she does it to annoy.

I don't what's with all the bragging about travelling first class. When Putri* had to fly in Economy class, she made everybody know she wasn't comfortable. She even sounded fake when she 'Ooh aah, the TV is so small'. The food sucked, the seat sucked, everything sucked because Your Highness had to slip one step down to be with the commoners in the Economy class. The person who suffered the most was my other friend who sat besides her to Japan.

Putri* is also an opinionated person. "How can you live in the room that small?" she stood indisbelief when she was visiting my friend. Well, dear, not everybody has a rich father like yours who pays for your RM1500 monthly rent.

But nobody could top Reza*. Although the last time I met him was when I was in college many, many years ago, I could still remember how cocky he was back then. Driving a coupe to college, boasting about how he was expelled from another college because he punched the lecturer, how he burnt his Armani suits given by his then girlfriend because his then girlfriend threw away the RM2000 mobile phone he gave to her, oh, and how can I forget when he bragged he was caught by JAIS with a female friend and all he had to do is pay him RM3000, and his father paid the fine for the friend too. All these came from his mouth in less than two hours!

I am guilty as charge, for I too, brag. But, I only brag when I feel challenged or when I am mad with someone that I just need to verbalise my good qualities before that someone crushes my self-esteem. I defend myself by saying I do it because it is a necessity, a survival instinct.

Suddenly, I realize there are many bad words starting with the letter B. Busy body, boastful, bad, bragging, berlagak, bongok, bodoh, babi, berak, busuk, bodoh, blur, benci...