Friday, October 21, 2005

Hero Vs. Grasshoppers

As a Bio student, getting an specimen is sometimes troubling. One of our practicals
was learning to preserve our specimens which include one plant, chosen fern, a small insect, a housefly, and a locust, like grasshopper. The first 2 were no problems because they are almost everywhere, but, a grasshopper, a BIG one….I really couldn’t remember the last time I saw one, or at least noticed one.
Our practical was to be carried out on Thursday, so on Monday morning, Owen, who is obviously more concerned about the practical, suggested that we should get the grasshopper somewhere. We had come to a decision that we were going to catch them at the Resovoir Park. On the next afternoon. The sun was shining so fiercely that I felt like not bothering to cath them. I reluctantly drove to school to meet up with the guys after went home to eat and bathe. Before that, I put the net that we wanted to use to catch the grasshopper on my car. I went into the house, got my cap, applied some sunblock before I could turn into a roasted duck at no time, then drove off. it was then when I arrived at school and discovered that the net I put on the boot of my car was GONE! I don’t know where it is now, but if you come across a green fishing net, that’s mine. Please kindly return it to me and DON’T laugh.
The weather was so hot and that I had lost my net,we decided to buy the grasshoppers. we went to the wet market at Main Bazaar because I remember a friend who loves fishing going there to get the bait (I learned that some people use grasshoppers as fishing bait). One of the taukes there told us that we might like to try our luck at Sotak. We figured that the Pakcik who sells sago worms might have it. There are people who eat grasshopper, so shall there be supply. Then, we went to Satok, excited.
Sunday Market….but it was Tuesday,so there were no sago worm stall nor any sight of a grasshopper. We asked the people there and they kindly directed us to some-I-dunno-where at Matang. Thinking that that might be a loss of energy and time, we agreed to catch it oursleves. Stupidly, the 4 of us, Owen, Yang Lip, Tian Le and me went to Resovoir Park with one aim---GRASSHOPPERS. And if you wonder why would a physics student, namely Tian Le join a bunch of Bio students to catch insects, I’ll have to say, it’s pathetic. Of all the insects we caught, including butterflies, dragonflies and tiny grasshoppers, 95% were his gains.I was quite ashamed because me myself got none…yes, zero.
Even though we didn’t go home with empty hands, we were disappointed because all we got were not suitable for the practical. We need BIG locusts which we can cut, get rid of the internal, insert cotton and display, not some cute cute grasshoppers which were not longer than 2 cm. That was sad, very sad.
I went home and complaint it to my dad. Asking him where to catch and bla bla. He lectured like a grasshopper expert, so I asked him to help me to get some. I was too tired then, I had just wasted the whole afternoon doing some fruitless job. That night, I even asked a few others to help for backup in case my dad forgets it or whatsoever. I worried till the next day. Wednesday, movie day. Was supposed to go for a movie but due to my worriness, I decided to make my outing short, or rather don’t go out at all. My original plan was to catch grasshoppers with my brother in the evening when he comes back from school.
So, I was kena marah by Fong Ah Lun, for spoiling her plan. We did however had a sisterly afternoon sit there and drank tea and talked, of course. By the time I went home, it rained. Cham! My plan….but….good enough, I saw a yellow plastic bag on the table when I was home which stank. Thank goodness, those were my dearly grasshoppers my dad had caught for me! He was like a hero who saves the day for some in despair.
I was never that proud of my dad. He doesn’t have to study Bio to know where to catch grasshoppers and I was so touched that he was willing to sacrifice to go into the bushes somewhere in the 7th Miles to get them. I was so happy. At that moment, I felt that he was the greastest dad in the world. I don’t need a dad who will give me luxuries, I have had a loving dad. A dad who will catch me grasshoppers, carry my handbag when we go shopping together, and iron our clothes, sometimes cook steak for us, or even seafood….and the list goes on.
Everthing went smooth during practical. I had one of the nicest specimen display, and all the credits shall be given to my dad.

posted by Shan @ 10:23 PM