Merepek

My friend calls me a grumpy old woman because, according to her, I complain too much. Small little things also bother me, she says. Take for example, I get annoyed whenever I’m addressed as Mrs Tan.

My surname is Tan. And each time when I am required to present my identification card for whatever purposes, the moron, after doing the necessary, will return my ID card with a “Thank you, Mrs Tan.” . And many times too, I have received calls from banks and other companies asking to speak to Mrs Tan. I would normally correct them and tell them I prefer to be addressed as Ms Tan. But before you could even count to three, the fella would be ending his every statement with a “Yes, Mrs Tan/No, Mrs Tan/bla, bla, bla….Mrs Tan/tatadidadaa…….Mrs Tan”. What ‘s wrong with them, huh?

OK, let’s do some exercises :-

Ms Tan married Mr Wong – That will be Mrs Wong or Ms/Mdm/Puan Tan

Ms Tan married Encik Ali bin Abu - That will be Mrs Ali or Ms/Mdm/Puan Tan

Ms Tan married Mr Mutu A/L Samy – That will be Mrs Mutu or Ms/Mdm/Puan Tan

Ms Tan married Mr Joe White – That will be Mrs White or Ms/Mdm/Puan Tan

Is that all so confusing that they just cannot figure it out what is the correct salutation? In fact, how they came to the assumption that I’m married and therefore I qualify for the title ‘Mrs’ is beyond me. And this afternoon, I heard some quick footsteps from behind and a shrill voice calling out for a Mrs Tan. Of course, I just continued walking la. How would I know it was someone from the travel agency chasing after me to pass me the passport cover? I’m not Mrs Tan., right?

Sheeessh…. And I’m not even going into those titles like ‘Dato’/Tan Sri/Tun, etc…..’. – this I’ll rant only when I am ‘awarded’ someday, and bless that sod who dare to run after me calling out, “Hello, Hello, Eskew me, Mrs Tan ah”