The Magic Of Numbers

This piece of news here about Datuk Siti Nurhaliza has prompted me to write this article. They say everything starts with a dream. Well. I started nurturing a dream of becoming rich and famous ever since I was in my teens but to date there's not the slightest of hint that I am heading in that direction. It doesn't matter anymore now but I do keep abreast of what our local who's who are up to flaunting their wealth like there's no tomorrow. It is fascinating to note how the rich and famous splash and splurge their enormous wealth with such nonchalance leaving people like me gaping in awe and disbelief . Apparently, having expensive cars is not quite enough for this exclusive lot. They  have to take it a step further by having personalised registration numbers and in the case of the country's top singer, RM60k is mere chickenfeed. Well, I suppose when you do something, do it all the way. It suddenly dawned on me that I had made the biggest mistake of my life; I should have pursued singing as a career 40 years ago!!! Who knows, I might be chauffeur driven in a Rolls by now. Fat hopes.

I'm not against the Datuk. I would have done the same had I been in her position. If there's anything that fascinates me, car registration numbers is one of them. It pleases me to see cars with a nice registration number. They need not be single digits; four digits would be fine if they are nicely arranged. It is annoying to see numbers which are haphazardly arranged, even more so if the cars are worth hundreds and hundreds of thousands or millions, may be. I just don't understand how some people are willing to fork out so much and yet skip the finer points which stick out like a sore thumb.

It was this craze for car numbers that had me trying my luck to obtain one some twenty years ago. I was realistic enough not to try the single digits. They were well out of my reach even twenty years ago. Two digits seemed a bit scanty on the length of the plate. I was not really keen on three digits  so the only choice left was to go for the four digits. I had to sweet talk my better half to make the necessary enquiries from JPJ. He obliged but not without first retorting that nobody would ever notice a Proton Wira Aeroback with a nice registration number. That was the new car I planned to buy then.I was neither disheartened nor disillusioned. He was entitled to his opinions. I had my own reasons. If I can't have a Merc or a BMW, then at least, give me the pleasure of  getting a nice number plate. Is that asking too much?

I didn't know what the running alphabets were for Selangor at that time. There was nothing I could do to rearrange them even if I wanted to. So, I had to accept them as they were. It was indeed a double joy when I not only got the number that I wanted "6789" but it also came with an impressive "BEB" and all for RM200. Well, babe, that was one good catch.

Now, twenty years and two cars later, I still retain my "BEB 6789". And I must add this bit....remember the guy who passed the caustic remarks about nobody taking any notice of 6789 on a Proton Wira Aeroback? Well, soon after that, he decided to register his car with the same number and like me, two cars later, he still keeps his 6789.  Incidentally we both share the same model but his is gold and mine is silver.

Hers

His