into september
I promised to write about VSOI earlier, and the time has come: it stands for Vague Sense of Incomprehension, and Malaysia is drowning in it. Nearly every retail shop contains at least one assistant who, no matter what language you fire off at them, will floor you with an eyewateringly blank stare that translates universally as Say What? "Iced black coffee, less sugar," I'll say in English. Blank stare. "Kopi-O bing, siew tong". Cantonese. Blanker stare. "Kopi-O ais kurang manis?" Malay. Stare to blank all stares. Eventually I start to wonder whether I've actually been speaking Swahili the whole time; inevitably, there's the degeneration into gesticulation and sign language. Repeat ad frustratum for ~90% of all attempted commercial transactions.
Malaysia is, I believe, the only country where by default you're able to order coffee in three different languages - and still be misunderstood. Or maybe no one understands my Anglicized accent anymore, which is probably the likelier explanation.
this summer's been like the burnt-out ends of Eliot's smoky, smoky days - youth in all its delicious langour, as per Waugh: "Langour - the relaxation of as yet unwearied sinews, the mind sequestered and self-regarding - that belongs to youth alone and dies with it." shisha, drinks, late-night scenic drives, gourmet cooking, movies, music. the ceiling fan spiralling laconically overhead, raking shadows across the pale room. books plowed through with one leg thrown carelessly over the armchair rest. truly, summer is fading as I speak. I fly back to London next Tuesday.