There's this peculiar belief among Malay men and women that a man's 38th birthday is his religious crossroad. A lothario reaches that particular birthday. He has two years to think of what or who he wants to be before he hits the big Four O. The two years are crucial as they are his markers: will he turn pious or not? If once he reaches 40 and is still a major slut, there's no hope of redemption for him. Or so they say.

Zain Hafsham is 32. According to him, he has six more years before he goes 'bananas' and becomes the God fearing Malay-Muslim everyone wants him to be. In the meantime, he cycles fanatically, dates as if women are going to be extinct tomorrow and enjoys his wine like the connoisseur that he wants to be. Hope is not lost though what he's looking for now is true love. Real love. Once he has that and reaches 38, he can die a happy man.

But why 38? Why not now, so he has a few extra years of piety? He'll then have more credit with God. He could die on one of his cycling jaunts tomorrow and what then?