A Clever Girl

Today I met a clever girl.

I was waiting for Aida at KDU when I caught a Malay girl sitting alone, waiting for somebody or something. She was fidgeting, like most modern girls do.

She was 18 or 19. I'm way past 60.  I just thought she wouldn't mind talking to a man this old.

So I kicked off with something standard and superfluous:

Old Man: You're a student here?

Clever Girl: Yeah. I'm a student here. (Do I look like a pkr member of parliament?)

Old Man: Where're you from? (Please, not Kelantan)

Clever Girl: Puchong

Old Man: Puchong. OK. Dulu sekolah kat Puchong? (Totally unimpressed with anything Puchong).

Clever Girl (Smiling): Aahaa

Old man (Sadist): Ada sekolah kat Puchong ya.

Clever Girl (Smiling): Hahaha, eh ada, ada.

Old Man: What're you doing here? Business Studies? Nursing?

Clever Girl: No, I'm doing my A Levels.

Old Man: That's good. JPA, Mara, Mama?

Clever Girl: No. Petronas.

Old Man : Where are you going after your A Levels? (Sustainable Nursing?)

Clever Girl: Chemical Engineering in Toronto.

Old Man: Tronoh?

Clever Girl: Toronto, Canada.

Old Man: Oh, Toronto, ok. Wow. You must've done very well in your SPM. Straight A's?

Clever Girl (Smiling): Well, mmmmm, ok la

Old Man:  How many? Nine?

Clever Girl : Eleven.

Old man (Stunned, Shocked): Eleven A's?

Clever Girl: Yes. Erhmmmm ..... Eleven A+

Old Man (Catching his breath): Eleven A Plus? You're so clever.

Clever Girl (Laughed): Alhamdulillah.

My concept of clever is prosaic. Anybody who does better than my form five Add Maths and Chemistry grades is clever. This Puchong punk has racked up A+ in Add Maths and Chemistry, and nine other subjects. Should I hate her?