A pleasant encounter with the bridegroom's father.

Kuan Yoow and Septa's Wedding Dinner

The Diamond Ballroom, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

6.30pm. By the time I stepped into the ballroom, there were already about 30 guests there sipping cocktails and engaging in small talks with each other within their circles of friends. As I don't know anyone in particular there, except for the bride I helped myself to a cola drink and some tit bits and then mingled anonymously in the crowd. Surveying the mixed crows of people I noted that most of the male guests there were formally dressed in suits while their female spouses were elegantly dressed in evening gowns.

Nobody seemed to be manning the long reception table and except for a plan of the table arrangement I didn't see any guest lists around. Looking at the table arrangement plan I counted 26 tables, with the VIP table in the centre and next to the stage.

Finally a distinguished looking gentlemen wearing a necktie and a black suit accompanied by a few ladies came over to the empty reception table.

"May I register my attendance?" I asked the gentleman. "Sorry I am still looking for the guest list", he replied sheepishly as if in embarrassment with a broad smile. "It's OK. I will register later", I assured him as I retreated from the table.

Then when the guest list arrived I approached the same gentleman there again because at that time he was the only person standing there at the head of the reception table. After scanning through the guest list he could not find my name. "Septa invited me to the dinner", I said trying to be helpful as he was fumbling awkwardly with the name list. Septa, the bride who invited me to the dinner was a former Aikido student when she was studying in INTi College about 10 years ago. Finally as both of us were going through the names someone handed him a sheet of paper with more names printed on it. My name was registered on that sheet of paper. "You table number is 14", he pronounced with an air of relief and triumph.

It was later when everybody was seated at their tables that I realised that the distinguished looking gentleman who registered me is none other than the bridegroom's father.