Chapter 4 The Fire in Ken Rages on

The employment in the plantation did no doused the fire within Ken,it rages on and on.
Because of his eagerness to succeed he over stepped onto my feet thus created many unwanted enemies.

When he first stepped into the rubber plantation in Taiping,Perak,he resided with the manager.Thus he had a good footing,as food and lodging problem were solved.The manager was kind and considerate towards him.

Unfortunately there were others who disregarded him as a young upstart.Nevertheless he held his breath and let not let hell broke loose.As a hot tempered young man he could not careless.At time some people were too much they liked to criticize others to gain some recognition from the Boss.Ken only believed in hard work and fair play

For a young man going about his normal routine was considered rude should they failed to wish any visitors.Thus the visitor ridiculed him further for being impolite and having disrespect for them,and told the Boss about it.That was what an elderly Chinese a long distance relative of the Boss.

When repeated to Ken busted out saying "XXXX him,I will not wish him again,he can go to hell,I just do my job",and walked away.For this he was branded as very "Hot Temper".That old man usually came along in an old motor cycle and at times passed Ken very fast that was why Ken never wished him.

The rages in Ken kept building up.As if that was no enough there came another incidence,the estate manager was on transfer to Pahang.He was replaced by another cousin of the Boss,said to be a share Holder's son.He was totally fresh to the plantation.

He was a glutton,and when his first stepped into the estate his choice was to eat chickens.As if he can not effort to purchase them himself he made all present to help him buy the chickens.True he made everyone to work for them.

All the staffs involved were made to load Rubber Smoked Sheets onto a lorry.Ken considered it a shameful act to load Rubber Smoked Sheets in front of all the workers and only for buying chickens.He thus refused to do it and walked into the fields .

Later in the afternoon they were all enjoying the chickens,they invited him to join them but Ken refused the offer saying,"I did not work for them,you all can enjoy yourself without me".The new manager stared at him but he looked away knowing that his stay will no longer be secured.

With all those people fanning the fire about his bad temper for the Boss,he thus had no good opinion of Ken.All these reached even the ears of his Auntie in Kual a Lumpur who called him to advise of his extremely bad temper.

This made Ken madder thinking "These rich people are too much thinking that they had the money they can do anything with any thing with so small salary".He was not satisfied with that Boss.What to do "Beggers were no choosers,maybe some day I will teach these people a lesson",he thought.Rich man do not care about the welfare of his staffs only his own relatives and their money.

The Boss never smiled and definitely bias against Ken.To the Boss his often answer will be if anyone do not like to work here (In that plantation)they can leave.I would not retain them whoever they may be,there are plenty of youngsters willing to join me.That soft of attitude towards all employees,was that good?

Very true those were the days where getting a job was that easy
Ken swallowed those remarks with a big gulp imagining that one day when revenge come that will surely be sweeter.He deserved to be shot at close ranged.Such crooks must not be allowed to go away scot free.

Only consolation in that plantation was he met a beautiful young girl but sad to say after one kiss,he left her.All because he could not forget the girl he left behind in Teluk Anson,what a sad ending for that dame who loved him dearly.He broke her heart. Well it was best to be honest than to suffer later.It was only a start, he guessed the hurt would not great.If prolonged that could be worst and he regret his action.

The girl was hurt badly as she felt jilted but Ken dared not face her to tell straight in the face.Should that happened he was afraid he will relent and give way and that will be surely be worst.To yield without loving her,that should not be the way out so he opt to see ever again.Better for either parties concerned.

With his transfer to another plantation in Selama,Perak,located at the far end of the Perak boundary .Very remote area formerly were communist hideouts.The labor's quarters were within the perimeter fencing.Ration of rice and many items were sold at control rates by the staffs of the plantations,even "todi" or fermented coconut flower liquor were also licence to be sold.

When Ken was transferred there,only rice was sold to the workers by the plantation and the war against the bandits was stopped as they were surrendering thus ended the guerrilla warfare.

There were plenty of work and at least two fields acreages about 250 acres were to be replanted and Ken had to stand under the blazing sun to supervised the plating of budded stumps in the fields.The sun was exceptionally hot and Ken had to endure all these.He struggled to prove his worth.

The one in charged never came to the field and just blared out his instructions every morning to Ken.Ken had to be obedient least he give him am awful report.Day in day out he had to do it.In the evening the town was a long distance away and the situation is simply boring.

So out of frustration he met a woman ten years older than him and unfortunately had a close relationship with her.The woman a divorcee,very beautiful and very voluptuous.What can a frustrated young man do.In a remote area should something fall on his laps there was no way he could resist that temptation and that led to very pleasant interlude.

It was a wonder relationship while it lasted.After more than three months there he was once again transferred to another plantations in Bentong,Pahang.It was a good transfer as he will be working under his previous manager.Thus ended that relationship.He loved it while lasted but he was also on a hurry to prove himself further so that one he might be able to win the first love's heart.

There was suspicions that the man in charged was responsible for his transfer as he was afraid Ken might take over his place,so he plotted against the young Ken.Since he reported to the Boss of his relationship with the woman, Ken getting irritated as well as annoyed showered his wrath reviewing to the Boss some of the secrets he had learned about the plantation.

It was tit for tat,the Boss listened to him patiently with cautions and noted everything being said.The man in charged would be in trouble and sure enough another man was to come in place of Ken.After a few months he took over the whole plantation.Ken thus got his revenged on him.It certainly was sweet.

Ken went straight back to Teluk Anson first to inform his family of his transfer to Bentong.That night a friend telling him about his foursome friends.It was bad news as his three friends with his replacement were arrested by the Police for having been involved in a gang fight.At the time of his return they were still in custody.

For Ken having left them that was a very lucky escape.The next day he left for Kuala Lumpur and never stayed longer to learn about his ex-friends.Anyway without him they rode straight into trouble.Nothing further was known about them thereafter and he never sought them out whenever he returned to Teluk Anson,to steal a look at his lost love.