Funny Occupations

I went to Parit Buntar Hospital today. There were 2 cases for me. As usual, for any new case, I need to take case history. One of the information I need is parents’ occupation. I guess the reason behind asking that is to informally assess their education and socio-economic level.

So, I asked the mother of the first child I saw.

Me: Puan, suami kerja apa?

Mother: Kerja ladang.

Me: Kerja ladang? Kerja ladang tu apa ya?

Mother: Hmm…kerja kat ladang lah. Tak tau macam mana nak cakap.

Me: Hmm…nak tulis apa ah? (I can’t write peladang cos I don’t think he is.)

Mother: Tulis ladang lah.

Me: Ok lah. (I wrote ‘ladang’)

When the mother of the 2nd child came in, I asked the same question.

Me: Puan, suami kerja apa?

Mother: Kerja kampung.

Me: (Another one?) Kerja kampung tu apa, puan?

Mother: Kerja kampung lah.

Me: Ok. (I gave up, and just wrote down ‘kampung’)

Just imagine if a child’s father were to work in Ipoh or KL, what do you think the mother would tell me when I asked “Suami kerja apa?”

Kerja bandar!

~ by enniey on September 12, 2007.