Unidentified Floating Object (飘飘)

And no, I don’t mean ‘unidentified flying object’ in this sense. The ‘object’ I meant here is those legless manlike things that float about 3 to 4 feet above the ground. Those Malaysian folks who stay in rural areas would be most familiar with them. They are seen in the wilderness, corner of a road, in a graveyard; you just name it.

Some people say that these UFOs ride on the earth’s chi (地气) and they could never touch the ground. Yet people classify them according to their colors: white, green, red and black. The white color ones are the most harmless and the red one is the most vengeful and difficult to deal with. Another better known companion to this UFO is the orbs.

I have heard many stories about these UFOs, this one is told by a Malay friend, Abu whose wife, Minah works as a payroll clerk in a oil palm plantation in Batu Gajah, near Kelly’s Castle. In old time, the payroll’s job is normally pretty heavy before pay’s day as there weren’t anything like direct fund transfer facilities. So, the clerk has to go to the bank to withdraw a large sum of money and all workers are paid in cash.

As the story goes, it was the beginning of the month again; Minah had to work until fairly late at night. So Abu was asked to fetch his wife after work as there were practically no public transportation of any sort now or then after dark. And his restless young daughter wanted to follow as well so Abu brought her along.

It was after 9pm when Abu arrived at the administrative building of the oil palm plantation. Just before Minah would go into the car, the little girl wanted to pee. So Minah brought her daughter into the building toilet to relieve leaving Abu alone in the car.

When Minah and her daughter were in the toilet, the girl suddenly pointed her little finger towards a piece of mirror and asked:

“Mummy, why is it that there is a lady floating in the mirror?”

On hearing those words, Minah scolded her daughter for talking nonsense. So, she let her daughter go on doing her business and return to Abu’s car.

As soon as the mother and daughter, exit the building; they saw Abu driving his vehicle turning round and round frantically as if being chased by something. Luckily after a few more rounds, the car stopped.

Before Minah could ask Abu what was the matter with him, Abu hurriedly asked them to come into the car. As soon as Minah and her daughter were in, Abu stepped onto the gas and sped off.

Abu kept silent until the car entered into the main road. According to Abu as he was waiting patiently in the car for them to return, he suddenly saw a longhaired lady was sitting on the railing at second floor. The lady was staring at the sky and suddenly she dropped her head and saw Abu in the car.

Without much hesitation, the ‘lady’ gently glided toward Abu’s car from second floor railing. At this point, Abu suddenly realized that the ‘lady’ is not human, so he stepped at the gas paddle trying to lose the creature. Since, his wife and daughter was still in the building, Abu dared not leave the compound, so he could only making figure of 8 turnings.

I was a little doubtful if Abu did wriggle off this UFO. Perhaps it had already rested on Abu’s car listening to the horrible experience told by Abu to his wife?