Chapter 8 The Ragging Fire Laid Dorment

Something that amazes Ken was that he was told to hold on as the position he applied for was now held by another new recruit.He was advised to assist that new guy.Well beggars cannot choose and have to show absolute obedience.

Fortunately he arrived there alone leaving his family in Karak,Pahang.Ken's accommodation was with the Sr.Conductor who was a bachelor.Ken's intention was solely to return to planting what ever it takes.By now he must changed his attitude and to go along what was offered.

Say what you like luck was seemingly by his side because not long after he settled down the new Manager was caught red handed trying to pilferage Rubber from the plantation.So very immature of him.

He was actually inexperience for a start and he was given the task over Ken only because he could sweet talk his ways around all the Proprietors.Fortunately he could not lived up to his billing.

Two weeks after Ken joined the plantation he mishandled a load of Rubber Smoked Sheets.Ken by now had knowledge whom he could divert his confidence in, the lorry driver,who was employed by the plantation.

He took the driver secretly aside and ordered him to immediately report to the Managing Director should he ever come across any misdeeds. So when the new Manager overloaded the following trip of rubber.That new man thought he was very smart as he escorted that trip down to the sales godown only to unload what was specified in the invoice.

Remaining rubber on board were transported to his own rubber shop.Little did he knew by then the driver had made an excused to ease himself during which he called the Boss.Thus the Manager was caught red handed by the police.

In so doing Ken was given the credit because the driver had informed the Boss that it was Ken who induced him to make that call without fail.With that the Manager was sacked and Ken took over from him.

Following his wife and child moved in with him,all residing with the Conductor as the Bungalow was not properly vacated.He had not settled down properly then came the great flood of Batang Berjuntai in late December 1970.The flood lasted nearly ten days or so.

The whole plantation was under more than two feet of water except the small hill in the middle of the plantation.This was where the bungalows and staff quarters were.The workers' quarters were on the other side of the hill.

Not passable by light vehicles, accept the plantation's lorry,so everyone in need of food were told to follow in that lorry.Ken and conductor went along .Ken's wife went along too for only she knew what to buy?

All along the way were under water.How fortunate the town situated on top of another hill was safe.On arriving everyone went all out to buy their rations and had a cup of tea or so.Marketing was also done,fish and meat were available.How lucky were they?

When the flood was over Ken shifted into the huge bungalow exactly constructed on top of that small hill.He not only turned the bungalow into a beautiful orchid garden,he also proved to the Boss what he was made of.

Having a long list of failures behind him Ken went all out to prove himself.The plantation was not doing very well and he almost single handed pulled the plantation out of it doldrums.The staff he had especially the conductor was one of the proprietor's son,so what could one possibly expect any good job from him.His jr.conductors were new and inexperienced.

It was very unfortunate that at least two junior conductors were driven insane by his work horse attitude.Apparently they could not how absolved the pressure because Ken was everywhere.So poor guys just broke down not that they did not try.

The Boss did test the honesty of Ken as Ken knew as a Chainsaw Contractor tried to bride him .Ken did not accept his bride and later found out that it was a trap set by the Boss.Such low down trick cannot induced Ken for he was satisfied with what the Boss paid him.Ken was too experienced for such whimsical tricks.

He encountered a hitch during the first replanting of an old rubber area.Everything went smoothly except that when initial planting they had a visitor.Apparently the Boss requested a certain Lee Shin chin,a shorty from a small pineapple holding to come and viewed the newly cleared field for replanting to Oil Palm.

This shorty had no respect for the palms planted for he went round kicking the planted to test it stability.What an unkind attitude.Ken disappointed just told him off and ignored him.Ken had early waited for him in town and then brought him directly to the field had no time checking the planting.Should these be not firmly planted Ken will definitely make those involved to re-do or replant them rectifying everything,so what big deal?That shorty was just trying to show off,what from a pineapple planter?

Of course the Boss was very pleased with Ken's performance.They even gave him a land rover for work.Besides,this estate he was also further placed in charged of two other areas.There was an estate of 350 acres in Kajang and another two small properties in Kerling.

Ken knew the future of Oil Palm was going to be good so he convinced the Boss to replant the old seedling stands into Oil Palm.The Boss gave his blessings and Ken went on to establish one area after another.With a short term the Oil palms matured and were in productions and bring in profits.All the bosses were very happy.

So when Ken's car was burnt off by accident or otherwise they gave him a loan to purchase a new one.Within that period Ken also converted the whole of the estate in Kajang into oil Palm which also pleased the Boss very much.The rising price of Oil Palm during that period also played an important role in Ken meteoric rise.

The Boss was also interested in planting Cocoa and Ken worked out a plan for their planting on trail basis.The price of cocoa was also very impressive.Thus an area was cleared for the transplanting of cocoa.As it matured in extremely fast time more planting materials were purchased from a plantation in Bagan Datoh.Actually it was in advisable to plant cocoa as the Boss was a very suspicious man,forever harboring that most people were pilferers.

The Boss was a Chinese tea merchant and had a small factory behind his bungalow to season tea for sales.China tea were then prepared and mixed with Javanese tea to blend them into drinkable tea as if from China.Ken many a time acted as tea taster at his home office.

Chinese tea should have that slight bitter taste at its tail end of drink,so much so at times Guava young shoots were mixed in to secure the extra kick or hummm.The seasoning equipments were all electronically controlled.The Boss himself took an active role in all its process,because he do not trust anyone under him.

Despite all odds and that the Boss was a mean and difficult to work with,Ken survived under him for exactly ten years during that time he was classified as excellent,hardworking and honest beyond descriptions.Within those glorious years Ken two other children were born,a girl and a boy three years later.Those were the lucky years and Ken has proved beyond fantasies that he was really good as a planter.

Within such time the fire within him still burned with less fury but the anger still lingers on,waiting for an appropriate time to explode when he was ready.He knew would come sooner or later.When the time come hell will definitely broke loose.

Many a time he wasted no time in target practices with guns borrowed from friends and studied how to manage them.The fire in him still burnt with lesser intensity.Also now that he had a bigger family he had responsibilities beyond descriptions.

First love was never off his mind and he still hide within his mind the love he had for her.There were days that he had nightmare about her and those dreadful dreams brought tears flooding his eyes and flowing down his cheeks.The situation cannot be averted but the memories still reigned and it will be there forever.

Ten beautiful years thus gone by,and Ken wanted a changed.Now that he had been deeply and affectionately attached to planting can he changed if he wanted to?