Just last Saturday, I went down to Damansara for one of my Dad's ex-colleague's house warming.

In the car, Dad did the usual title preach...

Dad: Ok ar..later you go there, you call that one cheh cheh or you can call her by her name.
Me: HAH? But she's older than you wor?
Dad: Yala! But she don't want to be called Cheh-cheh, what to do?
Me: Too bad, but she's older than you so I'll call her Aunty. Please lah, if I call her by her name it'll be really disrespectful.
Mum: YALA.. call Aunty what. I cannot call her Aunty laa...
Dad: I will die if you do, ok?
Me: Ya, we will leave you there, don't bring you home!

It was a small gathering with his ex-secretary who has a 20+ year old daughter, two other younger female colleagues, a male colleague and their spouses. The youngest female colleague there is about 29 and she's married and I had no qualms about calling her by her name because I felt that she was abit too close to my age to be called an Aunty. Then there was the other female colleague(the host) who is also married who has two kids, she looks like she's about 33/34.. and I called her Aunty because, well, she's my dad's friend and she has kids!

But I don't know if I am being sensitive or not but when I called her(the host) "Aunty" she didn't give the usual big warm smile. Hm. So now I'm really confused.

There ought to be a checklist for a woman to tick-off before they can truly accept the "Aunty" title.

1. Above 40 years of age.
2. Married with kids. At least with kids they are accustomed and familiar to the "Aunty" greeting.
3. The ability to accept the fine lines around the eyes and lips. Accepting the "Aunty" greeting will only come naturally with it.

Then you have the Lou Koo Pors @ spinsters. Can we call them "Aunty?" I don't want to be the one to set them crying into their pillows at night by helping them to affirm their age and status as perceived by society.