Chicken Stew

POINT TO PONDER

Everyone wants to be rich, or should I say that everyone wants to be seen as rich. Who would admit that they do not have money? My neighbour? House number less than 20. This family is a different story. The husband and wife are more of parasite. They love to live off other people's effort. I believe they should live in the jungle as they do not know how to consider other people's feelings.

When they first moved in, they seemed to be nice. We often talked and exchanged information but then when the husband opened a workshop with the aid of ALONG, they started to change. (Perhaps due to the pressure of life or perhaps they became a bit smug - thinking that they were already rich.)

Then, the whole family disappeared. The house was left empty for months. Every now and then, someone would come and stay in the house. Then, all of a sudden, the house was totally empty again. It was at that time when my maid told me about people coming over asking about them. At times, one or two would wait outside for their return. It frightened the wits of my maid. That was when we were told that ALONG was chasing after them. (I do not really understand how ALONG works. Are they the same as bank? But many people say that their rulings are worst than the bank system.)

Just like the way she disappeared with her family, she turned up again all of a sudden. Initially, it was just her and her friends. Praying by burning papers in front of the house - huge pile of papers being burnt. (It pissed me off as the burnt papers filled up my porch and, if we are unlucky, they would land on wet surface thus we had to wash the whole porch as there were black patches every where.)

One night, she came to my house explaining her situation. (Somehow or other she seemed to know that everyone knew her situation.) And she also announced that she had divorced the husband. She claimed that she did not want the husband to even see the children. She believed that ALONG did not know how they look like.

The biggest mistake that people make when they are in a big shit was to lie. It was not even two months when the neighbourhood realized that she was telling fibs. The great liar was pregnant and her tummy was really showing. She could even tell my other neighbour's maid that she wished that she would give birth to a girl. After a while, we saw the husband coming and going from the house.

Now, why do I call her parasite? The whole neighbourhood had to contribute RM400 so as to turn our area into a gated area. Our area used to be infested with all sorts of crime. She refused. When the committee approached her, she shouted at the top of her lung that she did not have the money. No money my head....some of my friends would say.

I remembered when my father was admitted in a private hospital and the bill had come up to RM 15 000. Both my sister and brother were not around and so the clerk had to approach me - me who really do not have much money to spare. I suppose just by looking at my face, the clerk could tell my financial situation. She told me of another person's situation and then asked me whether I could pay. With a pathetic look (I guess), I said we would find it difficult. So she suggested that we paid in installment. (What a relief!) After all the haggling made by me, my siblings paid the bill in cash. Ah! Rich people.

The moral of the story is that one does not have to shout and scream. One can always discuss if one finds oneself in a fixed financial situation. There is always a way out.

INGREDIENTS
A cereal bowl of chicken (bite-sized) - marinate it with the corn flour and pepper.
1 teaspoon of corn flour
1 carrot (cut it into small logs)
1 celery ( cut it about 5mm)
1 tin of button mushroom (cut them into four)
1 large onion (cut it into cubes)
butter (about four tablespoons)
pepper
salt
3 litre water
spring onion

1. Heat up the pot.
2. Put in the butter. Once melted, fry the chicken. When the chicken is slightly brown on both sides, take them out.
3. Put in the onions. Fry them until limb.
4. Add in the chicken, carrot, celery and mushroom.
5. Pour in the water.
6. Add in salt and pepper. If you want a thicker soup, you may want to add another teaspoon of cornflour.
7. Before serving, sprinkle some cut spring onions.

MY THOUGHTS

I have made this before but it tasted much better than yesterday. Anyway, I prefer this dish to be creamier. To get this taste, you need to use a little bit more butter but not too much or else it will become too oily.