3 Kak Hana's Passport to Travel

The waving gallery at Subang Airport is a witness to countless teary goodbyes

Although Kak Hana works as a Ticketing Clerk with the British Airways, she always make sure that she looks just as good, if not better than the air hostesses in their sky blue uniforms.

Unlike them, she dresses herself up ala Saloma in modern see-through kasa rubiah kurungs that trace the silhouette of her long-line black corset and tight batik sarongs. Her stiletto shoes and leather handbags always match. She has them handmade at a shop in Petaling Street. And she buys her sunglasses, make-up and perfume at Robinson's. She has her hair washed and styled at the salon at the airport. Mak says, she could easily spend her whole month's salary on her outfits alone.

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The idiom - My Face is My Fortune - is a popular refrain from a nineteenth century rhyme,

Where Are You Going, My Pretty Maid?

Where are you going, my pretty maid?
I'm going a milking, sir, she said.
May I go with you, my pretty maid?
You're kindly welcome, sir, she said.
What is your father, my pretty maid?
My father's a farmer, sir, she said.
What is your fortune, my pretty maid?
My face is my fortune, sir, she said.
Then I won't marry you, my pretty maid.

Nobody asked you, sir, she said.

There is another variation known as Dabbling in the Dew:

'O where are you going, my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?'
'I'm going a-milking, sir,' she said;
'And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.'
'May I go with you, my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks?' etc.
'O you may go with me, sir,' she said;
'And it's dabbling,' etc.
'I, may I marry you, my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks?' etc.
'Wait till you're wanted, sir,' she said;
'And it's dabbling,' etc.