Of Condos and Coffins

There is no certainty in life except death and the sooner we wake up to this reality the better. As Muslims, ajal should always be at the forefront of our thoughts because no one, except God Almighty, is privy to the exact time when death comes a-calling.

Heaven forbid, I am not trying to be morbid, although I am certain some people are bound to feel queasy talking about the end of one's life journey.

My take on death is that we should not live in denial, but live in preparation of the inevitable, which of course brings me to this article about condos and coffins.

It has always been Pak Abu's wish to live in a condo when all the children have flown the coop. I concur with his wish simply because it means less living space to maintain and, with 24-hour security, at least safety is assured.

Towards the end of last year we started looking around for a suitable unit to purchase, one that is within our financial means and if possible, not too far from where we are now in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur.

I still remember the look on the property agent's face when Pak Abu told him to show us only condos where the lift is big enough to fit a coffin in. The young man's demeanour changed in an instant, from excited chatter to deathly quiet.

Poor Pak Abu had to explain that we didn't want to be caught in a bind should we pass on in our unit, only to experience the indignity of having our body propped upright on its last journey, no thanks to an inadequately-sized elevator. I can't help but shudder as I write this; the vision is too bizarre to contemplate.

Be that as it may, the helpful young man did find us an agreeable unit in a development within TTDI itself. Not only it is moderately-sized, the price is also friendly to Pak Abu's pensioner pocket. God willing, we should move in by June's end, but that's another story.