.: Numb3rs :.

It's amazing how numb3rs can play such a significant role in Chinese culture, even to this very modern day.

After brunch with my family today, my brother decided to apply for a subline (my dad being the mainline) from Maxis.

So after the helpful young Malay boy behind the counter got the necessary details, he asked my dad and bro to give a four digit preference.

Immediately, my dad conjure up with combination of numbers with eights and sixes, such as "8866" (my dad's previous car number, plus his current handphone number) "8800" (my lil Piccanto car's number - which I didn't choose by the way, by my dad insisted to 'buy' this plate number) "3366" (my dad's existing car number), and other various combination.

The poor boy at the counter, still smiley (I wonder how he could put up with such nonsense), churned out a few numbers, but was immediately rejected by my dad and mom (don't ask why my dad and mom has the veto say in my bro's handphone number), because there was the unlucky number in it.

Yes, you got it right. Four. 4. Sei. Si. Tse. Means die, in whatever Chinese dialect.

So back to the number-churning machine.

The brilliant boy, finally printed out a list of available numbers - and with a smiley face, asked my parents to sit down and think about it, while he attended to other customers.

And guess how long it took the two of them to deliberate the best number?

Forty-four minutes and forty four seconds. 44 minutes 44 seconds.

Well, not exactly.

But I felt like dying there and then.

C'mon. It's just a NUMBER for goodness sake.

Does it mean that if you get a "68" you will be flowing with prosperity?

Or better still "168" where you will be forever prosperous?

Sigh.

I mean how 38 could my parents be?

Note : 38 means sampat in Hokkien! :)