I always dread the festive season. Any festive season that is. Don't get me wrong. I like festive season very much. This is the time we seek forgiveness from our families, extend our warmest friendship in true muhibbah spirit to our friends and neighbours from diverse ethnic backgrounds, to devour a smorgasbord of must-have festive dishes and last but not least, the obligatory holidays they give us. This is also the time we are allowed to gorge endlessly and even the doctors will give you greenlights if only you promise to shed those extra pounds after its over.
No, I'm talking about the other must-do activity that is so culturally Malaysians that without it, we will never be in festive mood. I'm talking about firecrackers, bunga api, the whole nine yards.
Its been only five days of fasting and I'm hearing blasts of firecrackers everywhere in the neighbourhood. Those neighbours' kids are particularly cheeky come Ramadhan. They would sneak behind your back, throw a few firecrackers on the ground and before you know it, the sound of loud big bangs will startle you. I've lost count of uttering the word opocot. And they have a name for such firecracker. I believe they call it, mercun katak.
While I welcome wholeheartedly for bunga api yang tak kuat kadar decibelnya, I can't say of the same thing on firecrackers. Some firecrackers, like the one that shoots out various colour display while you hold it straight up or the one that gives you funny sounds while releasing its contents are within my tolerance level, its the one with kadar decibel yg sungguh tinggi to the point of hurting my eardrums which annoys me the most. These firecrackers are the bane of mortals like me coz its causing me headaches. It becomes increasingly unbearable days before Raya.
Well, enough is enough. Its payback time. This year I'm going to pull some pranks on them. I will lie low for a couple more weeks and when the time is right, I will unleash my first WMD (weapon of mass destruction) that will sparkle the neighbourhood with Hari Raya showers (plus noises).
If only the neighbours won't balik kampung on that same night, that is.
*image cilok-ed from google*
