I met the chic Cik Norizam
after campus lunch break
she and her house mates on their way
to classroom
they come on fashion bike
Far East photocopies
of a palm court quartet
batik-flowing minuet skirt
shoulder bag
front basket file, waltzing tyres turn
with three four time
they padlock park genteel machines to fencing
by monkey tree, grass parking bird; one can wait
watching a small flower or
twig fly down and turn
by neat swept pile of smoking leaf the
gardening workmen rake
I told her for no real reason
I just had plain rice
with chicken, fish, some vegetables, orange juice
in a quiet canteen by block 8
the name appropriate
near a café
with flaking grandstand, dried-up running track
empty table
one big tree
the first time I had eaten there
I don’t know
why I mentioned it
just making small talk
in the afternoon harsh light
there came a sun-kiss smile,
looking at me in an amusing way
then
‘write it in your diary’, nonchalant, blasé
