CHapter 16 At a Dead End

With that failures he was now at a dead end,was it going to be his end in life.He was now forty-three.No ,he believed he still had a long way to go.Without money in hand he and his family needed to do something to survive on.

His wife was damn sure her family could give them temporarily shelter until he could find his own footing.Of course that one fat hope.Her mother unwillingly let them stay put at her plantation and she adamantly shot down any ideas they harbored.She believe their present there will eroded their pride in that town.Life had been unkind and extremely difficult towards Alex and family and they were seeking only temporarily shelter from the strong and unfriendly storm.Even a friend in need could be offered some assistance but here the odds were stacked against him.

Everyone sometime or other had their misfortunes,an up and down format in life.Fortunate ones do not experienced them like Alex.Even her own son had that shortcomings but that did not made her relent,apparently threw the blame on Alex for their misfortune. she stood aloft and proud as a peacock in pride.What were so proud of that pride?What she had it will forever be hers and no one can steal it away from her.Perhaps she as always had considered Alex an outsider.As the Chinese saying goes,"Daughters once married were likened to water splash out of the household.Once splash out it was gone with the wind never to return- no more acceptable to them as a family member anymore.

It was sad memories that at one stage Alex and family were already down , was nearly thrown out of her plantation,with her aggressively wanted them to leave to work for others as if the shame already bestowed were insufficient and had to be buried further,had it not been the timely interference by another son of hers.

The tears that flowed out were unstoppable and it remained a stigma in Alex's life forever.So that was why when he secured a position in the plantation may it be a tiny plantation he would do the utmost to preserve that job,dedicated to it with his entire life.No amount of money can erased those grieveneses incurred which almost put them on their knees.

But when things were down everything apparently seem against you.Even when speaking even on a telephone (on her phone} she will definitely shout out loudly why Alex were you so long on the phone?.Poor Alex had to endure this,even he was speaking to the Boss on a plantation job.Thereafter he abstained touching her phone even until today,all these badly memories lingered on.Events like this were unnecessary but when the chips were down the heavy stomps by others on you could be unbearable and so much heavier.

How to respect someone else who do not respect you one wee bit.All Alex can do was to remain silent.Should she not treat him like a son-in-law why should he called her mother-in-law,simple.This might upset the other siblings but was it his faults?Should the mother-in-law made it so distinctively clear that her sons were their in bonds and all undertakings.all other were outsiders.When there was a separation so loud and clear what could Alex do,only to look ahead stupidly like a bloody fool.At least where his position was in that family.

All these could be a blessing in disguise as because of these he strifed on in his new endeavor with a different attitude and determinations.Taking each working day cautiously by itself make to achieve ultimate success than only look forward another coming day.That changed in out look and attitude actually saved the day for him many atimes.Honesty and working hard beyond his own capacity ,diligently and always had the utimate end result be always be a plus sign in favor of the Boss.

Most important with those achievements there must be togetherness,food and happiness in his family,that was what really matters the utmost.He may have to toil all day but that does not matters as his family can enjoy.His failures had taught him how to survive and made the best in life.That why the fifteen wonderful years of good life enjoyed by his family.The Lord surely look after those to who strived hard honestly,Praise the Lord for his everlasting love.

In an unwelcome situation Alex and his family shifted into a rented terrace house in Bentong.With no way to go that was in fact a last resort.It was a three rooms terrace house costing $200/= rental per month.Temporarily he and his wife worked in the mother-in-laws plantation.

They had with them a van which was utilized to transport other tappers as well earning some transport fees.Work actually began at 5.00 a.m. each morning.Every thing went on smoothly without a hitch.Actually their moving to Bentong was they hope to secure a place to plant vegetables etc.etc., should thee be no other alternatives.

Those were the days when you required a work permit issued by the relevant Authorities to work in the small plantation as there were frequent military present there.The bandits have longed gone but this military still conduct a lot of jungle patrols there.However there was no intrusion incidents whatsoever.Permits were free and ahd to be renewed every year.

All were not fine when one fine day the mother-in-law filled with hatred ordered them to terminate working at her plantation giving a lamed excuse that the job done by his wife was not up to stand she set.Alex and wife were told to look for jobs elsewhere.This was a stab in their backs as not knowing much about Bentong where the hell other people will employ them.

They were already in a mass of troubles and being turned away so abruptly was leased they expected.Both husband and wife thus shed tears in grief at a point of going down on their knees.Who would not be?Being turned way from a place where his wife expected can give her refuge temporarily.Instead of helping send them packing.

Fortunately the timely interference of another brother stopped the rot and they were allowed to work there.The little income derived was just sufficient to cover their livelihood.All three children were transferred to schools in Bentong.Two girls in secondary schools and the youngest son in Standard six in a Chinese Medium school in Ketari.

Having been taught a severe lessons Alex slowly drew up courage to apply for a vacancy in a plantation in Pahang.Weeks later he was called up for an interview.The head office was in Kuantan and he went there in a taxi.He had anticipated a huge crowd at the interview but never,apparently he was the sole candidate for that position.

He met with the Boss who was quite impressed with him.They had a long chat where Alex told him much about himself.When it was finally over he was told to see his brother.Instead of showing him to his brother the Secretary by mistake ushered him to another executive of the company.Nothing good materialized with this meeting and he left keeping his fingers crossed.

He though all were lost when he did not received any letter of appointment weeks later.Saddened by this he returned to slog in that plantation with a thick skin adhered.Working with head bowed down with grinning his teeth all the time in shamed.Driving the workers to work and assisting his wife in her tapping.It surely was very hard work but for the sake of their children they had to shoulder on under the scornful eyes of someone who was so reluctant to offer them the aids they so required.Whatever it was he had to endure with a gobble.

Then one fine day a letter came requesting him to see the Boss immediately and he rushed down to meet the Boss.In surprised the Boss told hm that he should be working had he seen his brother that very day.But nevertheless the position was still intact and waiting to be filled.After which he saw the brother of the Boss,a Dato and he never made another mistake this time.

Few days later an appointment letter came requesting him to report for duty with immediate effect.It was a blessing indeed the Lord must have heard his grievances and granted him a relieved.His wife rejoiced at the news so were the rest of his family.

The days of having to help his wife to tap rubber will now be over but nothing could be taken for granted,so his beloved wife got to hang on and endure slightly longer until his position in his new appointment was secured.His wife helped him to pack before he left for the job.

The elder brother-in-law sent him to the town where the plantation was situated.It was Kampong Sri Jaya.Prior arrangements had been made with an executive to take him into the plantation from Sri Jaya.It surely was a long wait at the coffee shop.It was his first visit to that place therefore was a stranger there.He waited for more than one and a half hours before he finally appeared.

The plantation was a long way from that town,at least five over miles.Arriving at the office there were a host of surprises to welcome him.Firsty to astonished him was the wooden old building for an office.The executive introduced him to the staffs present there.There was an Assistant Manager and three other conductors.

The next surprised in line was the Manager's bungalow he was to reside in.It was a semi-D bungalow,with the first one occupied by the Assistant.The executive left him at the bungalow.He amazed to discover that there not much furniture in the bungalow and the beds were without mattresses.Well it surely would be a cold,cold night installed for him.

Only consolation was there was a motor-cycle and a Dathatsu jeep at his disposal.The Assistant must have laughed with his soul and maybe had anticipated that Alex would leave on seeing thise wretched conditions of the office and bungalow.He was overdue for a disappointment as Alex had come in to stay.He had no choice he had to remain and there was no turning back unless sacked.

Even should the condition be many times worst he would have to stay,for he do not want to return to a place where he and his family were never welcome.So nothing can obstruct him as he will definitely bite his teeth to overcome them with sheer grit and courage.Nor he wanted to disappoint his wife who had trusted him to perform.

With that jeep in hand he drove out to town to have his dinner that evening.That night he slept on without the comfort of the mattress.Those around must had laugh themselves out and expected him to leave the following morning.He dis appointed them by attending the muster and was much earlier than them at the office.

Later in the morning he meet with all the contractors of the plantations.From their eyes and body language Alex could feel their feelings as most of them had expected him to pack and had left by then.Armed with a plantation map he asked the Assistant to show him around the plantation.Later that day he called the head office about his requirements.

The amazed executive just laughed away promising to order all his requirements.Well at least he had to pass another two to three nights the comfort of mattress.Being a hardy man all these were nothing.Should all thought he will leave they were in for further surprises.He left the Assistant after two days and went on his own around the fields.Being an experienced planter all these were nothing.

For the initial few weeks he allow things to drift by as before,watching quietly ,noting and planning his next moved.By then,news had gone round that he was unsystematic when compared with the engineer from the Mill.The Dato was obviously shaking his head in disbelief that the Boss had selected a wrong man for the job.However he kept his cool.

With the passsing of the month he struck out showing his mental.First he ordered the bull doser to leave his grading of roads to established new bottom roads on all existing hilly areas,beginning from the young mature fields to the older fields.All existing bamboo grooves were cleared and pushed into nearby lakes.This moved pleased the Boss very much.With those roads constructed the Boss could go into areas he had never seen before.The clearing of all the bamboo grooves made those fields cleaner and clearer.

Now with all those new bottom roads all crops could harvested and fully recovered.Many areas not weeded properly by the contractors were all reviewed.thus they all have plenty to do which they forerly ignored.Within three months Alex's name
was no more unsystematic,and no one dared said he was not good enough.The Boss was full of praises for him.

The ignorant Assistant tried to scare him with all the rest of the paper work
which he seliently took over graciously with a chuckle.He surprised him by doing everything by himself.He did them to show him that he was an experienced planter and no amount of work could stop him or blog him down.With him performing everythings now the Assistant seemingly was left in a lurched without any responsibilities.He proved to him that without his assistant the plantaion can still perform.

Some times men in a fit of anger and in jealousy can be diverted to do stupid things
Of course who can blame him as when Alex's predecessor left the Assistant had expected to be promoted normally to fill in his place but never the Boss simply ignored him.Well,he should have crossed examined himself first as to the reasons why he was not acceptable to the Boss.

The Boss never like the job done by the previous Manager.In fact that Manager did not performed as per Manager should have as it was a known fact that he never go round the fields.He apparently was all the time conversing with all the contractors at the plantation's canteen.Of course being an ex-graduate of a Taiwan Agricultural University with no practical field experiences in a plantation,he could not have achieved anything good,let alone run the plantation

All field work were done by the Assistant and those work did not pleased the Boss,now should that be the case where will he stand in the Boss's eyes.Each time the Boss went around the plantation his anger grew and with the Mill's engineer breathing down their throats where will they be.Damn easy meat for the ferocious engineer to devour them each time the Boss came to the plantation.Poor thing????

Alex's family continued staying at that housing estate as their children were all school going.Shifting them to the plantation was never any better as the secondary school were a distance away and the standard of education extremely lower.So the children and wife stayed at Bentong while he worked far way but with no trouble as he can easy drive back home every weekends.

Chapter 15 Businesses Failures

Ten beautiful years drifted by in that plantation,some times success working for others can led one astray.Wild imaginations can easily give rise to false impressions.Working for others the risks involved were never his own either gain or lost,but going all out on his own capacities the risk were more venerable greater and bad decision devastating.

Having done well working for others does mean that on his own can be similar successful that Alex soon learned.That time rubber wood timber was an upcoming industry with promises.Alex having some capital soon was drawn into it.He a made a joint venture into it with a contractor friend.There was also another partner interested in the operation.The supposed paid up capital was only sixty thousand ringgit.

Armed with that they began operation in a movable mini-saw mill in Sg Tinggi Estate.As it was running smoothly Alex resigned from his position at St.Andrew Estate.As he resigned controversial issues were encountered at the raged of the Boss.The point was while attached to it Alex was the best Manager but on resigning overnight he was being condemned as the worst and corrupted Manager.Now where was the justice in these precepts,worked for them excellent but leaving them you were a rascal.Anyway that was life.The decision to leave such an employer was undoubtedly correct,perhaps a blessing in disguised.

The fact that I had stayed for so long was job satisfaction.Working in a place where you had the freedom to plant and changed a almost a whole plantation from an establishment not churning out much profits into a money earning concern was my greatest achievement definitely self gratifying and job satisfaction - for a job well done.The feelings were enormous beyond descriptions.Thus how much they valued him was never important.Being able to perform as you wished to extract out the best profit. .

Nevertheless he had it coming and had to face it and within that last month he was harassed by the unscrupulous Boss who had exploited him all those ten years with low wages and allowances doing massive jobs for him - jobs were always well done.Minor issues were stacked upon him and there was nothing he could do to defend himself accept to drag on till the very end.

At the end Alex shifted out off that wonderful bungalow to a new shop lot in town.The mini-mill was running smoothly and future looked promising.Production was also good with prompt deliveries ,full filing the orders of buyers.Initially they sold their timber to timber dealer in rubber wood but later sold to UMW furniture.Everything were fabulously in order.

However,suddenly their business took an abrupt turned,and everything seem to go wrong.First the timber they delivered were rejected or had their length reduced tremendously because according to the buyer did not meet their spec of requirements.Slight splits or minor tearing were cut off.Timber with black pigments were also rejected.Coupling with this came the question of mouldiness due to improper treatments with chemicals and whitening agents plus insufficient air drying,etc.What a set back?

The lost was very bad and ates up all the profits, in reductions of prices plus retreatments of all the rejected timber and air drying.At the end the mill was running at a lost.Wages of sawers had to be paid every week ends and timder logs supplied had also to be paid.In the end it was difficult to make ends meet.

As if insufficient troubles, the forestry set in to shut the mills claiming that operation was illegal.Various attempts to verify things with them were futile as no one seem to know what to do, accept to stop our operation.Rubber wood accordingly was never their jurisdictions but the mill was.What logic they definitely do not understand.There again precious time and money were wasted traveling from Rawang then redirected to Shah Alam.Further was a ding dong battle as they made to travel, to and fro from departments to departments ending with no valuable results.

Although chained they broke them and changed several avenues for mill from time to time,escaping their pursuit but to no avail,in the end all were lost out ultimately and had to call it off.Financially they were led down with so many commitments,wages for workers plus miscellaneous payments etc.,etc.,and the extremely late payments for timber supplied did little to make the running of the mill viable.The mill was thus abandoned and the business finally terminated with complete lost.

While operating the Mill he and his partner also started an Estate supply shop.Business was not good and the other partner left the join venture,leaving Alex to run it on its own.There was some business but insufficient to cover expenses .Nevertheless Alex struggled on going to get the business going.A bank loan was secured to a brother-in-law to lift up the business a little.The shop lot was also purchased. through loans from the bank.

He had valuable support from some planter friends and the local farmers also gave their valuable business.As the over head charges were low with his wife tendering the shop and he doing all the out door promotions and deliveries etc..He toiled on until 1985 where he finally surrendered all these endeavor.

His businesses were a total flopped due the following reasons. (1) Poor selection of business partners.Partners must be co-operative and worked for each other,sharing the same ideas.(2)Should have full knowledge in what business was all about,from raw timber to the finish product Inclusive of its treatments etc..(3)All accounts and monies spend should be clear to all partners.On the whole should the business be small better go it alone.Alex' s failures were lacking all those simple facts.

That was the whole story after he left the plantation and with that estate supply business his heart adhered to it all the same because he was constantly in touched with it.Now within those time while performing business many things happened within that period.

As he and his partners went about their business they had to entertain certain people of importance to their ventures.They entertained the plantation Managers for their contract on rubber wood.Taking them out for dinners and thereafter to the night lives of Kuala Lumpur.This was where Alex met many beautiful hostesses and bargirls.Getting drunk was a common affair but for business sake this had to go on and on.Valualble time and money were also lost throufh such activities.

They also entertained many Government officers in view of their sawing licence but to no avail and achieved nothing but foolishly lost unnecessary cash.There was a time some even demanded for money but with no promises attached,in such cases no money was paid out.Money spent here ate deeply into their capital.Thus another failure.

Alex in secret also went a step too far in playing around with a beautiful bar girl.She was very attractive with a lovely charming smile.Soft spoken.In a number of outings he subsequently was very attached to her as a mistress.While it lasted they had a wonderful time but due the poor performance of the business ventures as this were soon terminated.Alex soon learned that when doing business must concentrate fully in it.Full involvement was utmost important one misstep like this can lead to desacter.Well it a lesson well learned and paying a high price too.

Fortunately he had the present of mind not to look for Annie along the way.There was ample time each time he passed that village Ijok.Had he involved her on his route there will surely be more trouble installed but he held back,fearing the worst,A lucky move I presumed,.

With that Business coming to an end he was forced to sell that shop lot to pay up all the creditors but that still did not made ends met.There was no one to turn to but forced to leave without satisfying certain creditors.
With the closing of their business Alex had no where to go but retreated into Bentong town,hoping from there they struck out his next move.Subsequently Alex rented a house in a housing estate in Bentong.

Looking back,there was something spooky about the oil palm field opposite that shop lot.Alex many a times noticed some figures moving around,odd whitish apparitions.At a distance he could hear them crying out .those eerie and shrieking sounds,echoing in his ears,putting his hairs on ends -there were no mistakes those noises made by ghosts.Surprisingly they never did hurt anyone.Could be people slaughtered by the Japanese during their occupations.That piece of land belong to Stratmore Estate.

Now that I am on ghosts,let me tell about more ghosts in that plantation.At its entrance was the Group Hospital with only two wards and behind that was the burial ground.Many of the dead were buried there and that place was near to a river.Many a times especially on rainy seasons the burial ground was flooded and that was the time when after midnight you hear the cries of ghosts .White apparition drenching wet woul come out off their graves wielling.Many patients have seen them walking aroundand that was why the ward nearest were never occupied.For one not so many patients.No.2 patients dared not sleep there alone.

Somehow the dressers emplopyed there never sem to know anythings about them,so damn queered.Either they were acared and dared not talk about them or had no idea that existed.Strangers driving along that road had noticed white figures drenched wet walking on the road.They passed them without noticing much but when looking back they could see those figures floating above the ground not walking.On seeing this the pressed on their accelerator and drove ahead at great haste and speed.That really took the guts out of them

Stories like this were never widely circulated and I as a long time planter there have good knowledge of it.Traveling back from Kuala Lumpur can be very frightening especially when coming to the big bend before the grave yard of the Chinese Cemetery.Many terrible and fatal accidents had happened there,with most of the travelers killed instantly on the spot due serious crushed.Many atime head long collisions between vehicles.That was a notorious haunt.Alex was alawys very alert when passing that bend..

Old timers had seen ghosts along that bend and after that near towards the graveyard.This was where many saw a n xetremely beautful girl in white fluttering clothes walking along that lonely road.She had made many attempts to stop motorists for a lift,many on meeting this speeded awy in fright,but there were some kind hearts who woud out of curiosity gave her a lift.Only to be horrified to find her missing along the way.Should that happened to you what would you do?

Pressed on the accerlerator and speed on in fear or stop your vehicle to find ot where she had gone?My heaven,oh no never,most properly you or I would have frantcally speeded away.Those were the tales.Of course at that cemetery there were many more stories to tell.A short distance away in front of the cemetery was anold rilaway track.that was an area where the Japanese commited a lot of atrocities there.SCary tales of headless ghosts can be found there and loads of them there.

Coming back late at night nearing Batanbg Berjuntai was another plantation namely Java Selangor Estate
especailly at about 2.00 a.m.,Alex once noticed lights floating about.Drifting from tree to tree.He told his friend Ranny,"Look!!!!!! Ghosts".On clearing and nearer observations,"No,no not ghosts,but rubber tappers tapping in the fields near the main road"."What,tapping at 2.00 a.m.?".,said Ranny."Dass must be mad (Dass the Manger,their friend)"." He is trying to get more crop,he surly know how to drive his force out to work at the hour",said Alex.

Chapter 14 Never Pick Wild Flowers Along The Way

The Boss had two other properties in Kerling,both very much smaller rubber plantations and both were put in Alex control.To go there on the highway was quite a distance away.There was a shorter route through plantations belonging to Socfin,a French company.

The first plantation to go through was Minyak Estate and the other was Nigel Gardner Estate.Alex knew those Manager and Assistants of both plantations and most of the time meeting them along the way.Passing those plantations he will next have to cross into a stretch of jungle reserve.There was also a gate controlling the passage through and the Manager's approval had to be sought first.As he knew the Manager there was no problems,still as a courtesy he requested for it and was promptly given.However there was a time limit for going through that gate for they usually closed before 6.00 p.m..

One of the smaller plantation was before Kerling Estate from the jungle reserve while the other was after Kerling Estate and passed through Kerling town, then the plantation.Both plantations were matured rubber,having their own smoke houses.His job here were simple only to see that the tapping contractors does their jobs and to see that all cured RSS were sold to a single buyer from Kerling town.

Along the way through Socfin the roads were very good but in the reserved it was laterites road and extremely bad.Of course when they arrived at the boundary of Kerling Estate the road was good road.Traveling along these roads was always monotonous but Alex usually brought along a driver to drive him.

Along the way Alex apparently met many charming girls but he was always careful not to involved himself with these wild flowers as the saying goes'"Never plucked wild flowers along the road".Alex was human ,as human being surely had his follies and subjected to be attracted to the other sex along the way.Well no harm in fooling around and no serious encouters.

Taking for example,the beautiful girl in Kerling town.She was a lady barber,a devil in disguise and he was immensely attracted by her beauty.Just a passing infatuation,nevertheless he had a soft spot for her.No harm having a hair wash and a little bit of chatting after going round the fields.This sexy lady barber tried to seduce him with her charms,soft talks,sexy looks and approaches.Well,without a doubt she was very attractive,tall slim, and voluptuous.

Well he only got acquainted with her after one or two trips and no serious dating as he was on a hurry to go back most of the time.Time was not favorable to him as he always had to beat the time the the gate at Nigel Gadner closed.The woman was gamed but he he could meet her demand.So it was just an off thing and nothing more materialized.Good for him.That was the dame in Kerling Town just another passing frame.

Another passing frame was another young black beauty from Kerling Estate.That dame was always around the plantation's sundry shop,must be a relative of the proprietor just assisting around.An Indian beauty,very young and attractive,always wearing a very sweet and charming smile.That apparently attracted Alex.Part of his heart was almost lost there as he made stops at that sundry shop every now and than for another tea break.So many tea breaks little wander he later acquired diabetics.

Problems were also following him around.The contractor at the first rubber estate had difficulties in paying the wages of his tappers and they lodged complaints against him to Alex.With no alternatives he had to settle the issue with the contractor,Initially the contractor would not corporate but later had to abide because Alex threatened to have him remove.Finally its was agreed he tried to settle their wages before the 7th.of each calender month.Nevertheless the contractor adhered to that instryctions but it was just two to three months only and later revert back to the same old tricks.

Here too a nice and soft spoken tapper headed the complaint to him.Well he just did his job.That woman was also from Kerling town.It seem she had to cycle very early in the mornibng to tapin that plantation.Many of the tappers were also from the same town.Alex had also to look into the smoke house there to verify all were in order.Fortunately the smoke house watchman was not a drunkard.

Those days workers never seem to mind doing extra work,controlling the temperatures of the smoke house,those single room wooden smoke house,plus the collecting of firewood for the smoke house.Residing within the plantation, guarding of the smoke house cum rubber stores.Only wages was only for the firing of the smoke house plus a small allowance.It was never exploitation of the worker but because this old worker had no where to go,his sole means of survival was the plantation that was why he was so obedient.

The second smaller property was just after Kerling town,s road side property.Kerling was a slow developing area thus I wander that place is now under development.Tapping as the previous place was under another contractor whose tappers were all from town.Alex did not see much of the tappers accept for the the old man in charged of the smoke house.

Thereafter he must see the buyer of their rubber,checking his figures etc.All payments were directed to the head office.Here it was very much simpler as the Boss himself came and dealt with the payments of contractors.Thus on we less bortheratiion.

Traveling to these two plantations was quite tedious and he usually came in the afternoon.He also arranged for the sheeting batteries to be replaced in the first plantation with mechanics from Batang Berjuntai.It ran smoothly thereafter while he was attached to St.Andrew Estate,but a few years after he left there was a fatal accident with this sheeting batteries where a helper of a tapper was fatally injured and succumbed to the injuries. Poor thing died of serious injuries.Being a helper I doubt she was subjected to any workman Compensation.What a tragic lost.

His friends along the way in Minyak estate were several Superintendents of the divisions with most of the time dropping at their offices should they be around,just simply courtesy calls.Well have to,as he was using their road.These friend very often got transferred off and thus he met many newer ones.Most notable was Ranny Tan.

Ranny Tan was a very good friend and he was later transfered to be his ommediate neighbor at Sg. Rambai Estate.There were times they enjoyed themselves together,going to Kuala Lumpur and had dinners.Those were the days.One funny event in one of their outings went wild with Alex getting drunk and Ranny got drive him back.Yes.yes those were the days.

Men on their day's off could easily go hay wired and hell broke loose.One little secret was that Alex when drunk also kissed the beautiful proprietress of the restaurant who propped in to join the happy dinner table.With most of them very tipsy and in the procee of "yam seng" hailing all round,the unimaginable could happened.True or not the friends in Kuala Lumpur had been cracking it as a big big joke.Asked Ranny,he denied any knowledge of it.Ha,ha,ha.Without a hitch of doubt that proprietress was lovely and slightly over friemdly.

Then in Nigel Gadner Estate he also met with many Managers as most of the Managers here were Malausians.Of course it was here he met another lovely Indian beauty,a school teacher.Every time he passes by she would waved to him andhe threw flying kisses to her which she responded.So it was fun all the way.There were times that he gave her a lift to town and then send her back later in the evening.It was a lovely encounter with another black beauty.

They continued to keep in touched for quite some time,even extended till he came out and ventured into business years later.Unfortunately that relationship did not blossomed any further otherwise Alex would be in trouble.Alex wander where is she now?

Coming back to St.Andrew Estate,his staffs were always incapable of giving good performances all the time that was why he had to work doubly hard.Of course there a few good ones he trained but had to sent to work in plantation ,like in Kajang where he must have some one he could trust.He placement of a man he personally trained was an out standing example.

That man although an Indian with little education was able to perform up to his expectations,honest and extremely obedient.That was why within a short period he was able to convert that plantation from rubber to Oil Palm.Back at the plantation proper he had to select and reselect.In the end he trained a cousin brother and he taught him many tricks of the trade.He learned well and after he left years later he could managed a plantation in his own capacity.Yes a plantation in Teluk Intan.

With the extra hand he had a freer hand to travel more to the rest of the plantations.Even that he was pretty cautious as to see that all things were in perfect order before he left for out station performances.
It could be said that he almost single handed replanted almost of the plantation into Oil Palm.At the time of his performances the prices of Oil Palm was fantastically good and rising.It was telling because of the big grin of the Boss whenever he visited the plantation.

He had also to report to him almost weekly at his office cum shop in Kuala Lumpur.He was a Chinese Tea Merchant.This usually in the afternoon.With plantation where the sole labor force was almost solely Indians the Union was very strong ,demanding this and that,never ending problens as the plantation was non MAPA.Alex from here gained plenty of experience dealing with them.

The union were always playing a delaying with most of the time talking rubbish tactics so Alex also had to follow them,well it was a game they played.Alex would never commit himself with them and very often had to refer to the Boss.Whenever there were difficulties Alex had to consult with those experts in labor law.
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That was where he met the I.S.P. Secretary,Mr Rajadorai.He was once a senior executive labor officer so the Boss ordered Alex to meet him to discuss the laws he needed to know.Rajadorai would come to met him at a restaurant with his beautiful and voluptuous female secretary.What was nicer than to have a nice girl around.When the conversation became dull her present certainly lifted the atmosphere beyond descriptions.

At the time this female secretary of his,was a talk among planters visiting the head office of the ISP.
Yes,her sexy put look really attracted many planters those were the days. Going to the head office could be entertaining and end up knowing her better.There was little doubt that she was seductive and Alex had the pleasure in meeting her for a couple of times at her home.

There were times that even Rajadorai 's advice was not good enough so much so Alex was ordered to meet another,a Chinese member of the Union who was supposed to leak information regarding the union requisitions.Alex had to take him out for dinners than discussed but actual to no avail just another bluff,just another hoarse trying to make some fast bucks.The Boss knew him through some friends of his.Actually most of the time Alex spent with him were worthless.But the Boss instructions were orders he had to adhere to.So just go out and enjoyed the dinners at company's expanses.Of all places this guy reside in Petaling Jaya old town where the place was always jammed in the evenings.

At the end it was Alex himself was to deal with all the Union's representatives.Labor cases were many and he had to fight them in Labor Office Inquiries.After many encounters he subsequently became an expert on how to encounter them and made them aware of him.Well,very simple just imitate the ways they performed at the inquiries,that caught them by surprised and thus won many of the cases against them.A Union official even commended Alex for his achievements.Those were his hay days with trade unions.

Coming back to the bungalow he occupied,he had a big garden and there was a gardener maintaining it.Alex 's wife did not like much of his work he did daily and altered all of them.She also planted orchids in the garden and before long the garden was known for its beautiful blooming flowers of various colors-then formerly called the Orchid Garden by visiting friends.Plenty of sunshine,watering and good windy atmosphere promoted the better growth of the orchids.

At the back of the bungalow at the extreme end pineapples were established and some fruit trees couple with some tapioca.The Sarawak variety of pineapple proves a sucess as they soon had crops of very big and suculent pineapples.Another proud achievement of his wife.

Initially his wife and him had a daughter,Kate and at that bungalow his wife bored him another daughter,Uky as she was called.Three years later they had another son and because of the only hill in that locality, he was name Wye Fueng meaning glorious mountain.The first daughter was first to attend kinder garden at a Chinese School for a year and also spend another with another kinder garden where she learned to converse in English.When as a child she can even danced and sang Indian songs taught to her by the maid.

The second daughter was initially admitted to the kinder garden at Chinese School but after a few days she refused to attend classes as the teacher was making her sing those kinder garden songs in front of other students which hayed.She knew those songs through her sister a year ago or so.So was forced to enroll her into the other kinder garden where she learned English.She attended that kinder garden for two years.The son was enrolled into the Chinese kinder garden later.

Thereafter the wife was all the time busy sending the first daughter to standard one in a primary school some distance away from town in Kg Kuantan.,and the second daughter to kinder garden.Later both daughters attended the same primary school in Kg,Kuantan.As the school was Bahasa Malaysia medium both girls became well versed in that,partly because many of the school mates were Malay girls.Both of them were also proficient in English.All these proves to be useful in their future under takings.

The bungalow being so huge had to be cleaned every week,so weekly at least three maids had to maintained it.Some of these young maids liked to work in the bungalow where there were not sunshine and they could gossiped as they worked but were extremely quiet when Alex was around.Many a times they played with the two daughters.All nice looking Indian lasses.

His conductors liked to tease them whenever Alex was not around but refrained from the bungalow whenever they saw him coming back.Fortunately non of his staffs got entangled with any of them,But even there was it was behind his back.

Alex was presented an Arowana(golden dragon fish) by a friend while working there.This Arowana was bright golden in color and could only be found in Batang Berjuatai old tin mining ponds and the river passing Nigel Gadner Estate.However due to over fishing and poisoning by unscrupulous people this species of Arowana and some of the beautiful yellow "toiman" (snake head fish) were now extinct.About the Arowana had whose length was about 6" was worth three hundred ringgit.Their extinction were a tragedy.Present days Arowana were no comparison with them.

Alex also bred Alsatian dogs.Initially he had one dog but unfortunately he did not maintained it well so it died of heart worms attacked.Later he acquired a pair and had them until he resigned from that plantation.

At the end of the bungalow were the servant's and driver's quarters which was used only to house a driver nothing more. It was important to have a driver around just in case of any emergency and also stayed around cum guard.There were no known cases of house breaking so far but only an incident where Alex's Alfa Romeo was bunrt away in the middle of the night.No arson was suspected.Must be an electronical short circuit.

The incident could have been worst had not Alex woke up in time at the smell of smoke and rushed down to push it away from the front pouch.He could not put out the fire himself thus allowed it to burn away.The insurance only honor 70% of its damages claim.Having been an excellent performer his Boss gave him a loan to purchase another new one,an Alfa Sud.

The Alfa Sud was lucky gift as its plate number came up first within a month in Magnum's draw.What a free car!!!That was in deed a lucky dip,the car was red in color.Withthe price money Alex brought a new television set coupled with vedeo.That was the time VCD were introduced into Malaysia.Tapes with film shows etc.,etc., were only available in Kuala Lumpur and in limited suppliers only.Later that mushrooms to every corners of Malaysia.

As the electricity was supplied from the bungalow's generator the whole family stayed back till the early hours watching vedeo shows.Yeah,those were the days.

So big a bungalow,was it haunted as per rumour?According to his wife,yes!!! According to the maids,another big,yes!!! There was little doubt the maid saw a white figure in board day light one early morning and yelled at top of her voice.She was apparently stunned thereafter for a few seconds because of that apparition.Being supersticious his wife requested some one to fit at the back of the bungalow under mango tree a tiny alter to applease that spirit which many claimed was a "Dato" or "Kramet".
With that, that apparition was never seen again.

To Alex the bungalow was never haunted,the noises heard in the roofs were caused by some barn owls catching rats and flying bats.But it surely was scary especially deep at night.Especially when the barn owls hoping around in the roof,sounded like some one walking above.Alex's wife and others like visitors were scared of them but Alex brushed them off.

His wife never like the idea of Alex going out at night and returning late,but whenever there was an outing Alex always arranged the maid to stay back to accompany her.Later there was his cousin who was also residying in the same bungalow.No regrets staying there and that experienced will long be treasured by all family members.

Chapter 13 Sinful Attractions

Alex had a huge task in hand and that was to replant an area of extremely old rubber.Actually that field had been abandoned for quite sometime.

The old rubber seedling stand were very big in girth.huge at its bottom and tapering smaller as it grown straight up.Stand per acre appeared to be about eighty trees per acre.
The inter rows were overgrown with wild rubber seedling many of which had achieved tappable sizes.

That field had been neglected without any tapping for a number of years.Now to replant this field will be a manmoth task,without a hitch of doubt.Poisoning of wild rubber seedlings will be a waste of money and time,let alone labor intensive.The best method thus would be to destroy it old rubber stand first.

By bring down the existing stand initially will ultimately knock off many of its wild seedlings.Those were the days when rubber wood was never in demand.So to enlist the services of felling contractors was almost impossible because contractors once they saw the area will definitely shake their stupid heads.Another thing Alex soon found out was no contractors ever dared to do jobs for the owner of that plantation.

Now he surely had a big big much bigger head ache.But being an experienced planter no hurdles were that difficult to cross.Some how a young brag from Klang got the job of felling directly through the Boss.Well,good for him.He began work as soon as possible.He fell almost all the standing trees but absconded after two advance payments.There was no way to traced him thereafter.

Alex therefore had to clear up the mass created.There was no way any others will want to finish the incomplete job.So no there alternatives Alex recruited another contractor who agreed to worked on the number of workers daily basis.Absolutely not difficult except Alex had forced himself watching over them almost all day long.He had staffs to assist him but totally unreliable.

The contractor had only to cut up those fallen trees into various lengths to suit stacking.To stacked the branches and tree trunks he had another gang of Javanese workers supervised by a Javanese "mandol".The workers consisted of Javanese young men and women.Alex was all the time in this field so much so he knew every one of them.

Women were women they tried to tease him despite the fact that he was shouting at them.Some of them obviously very charming young girls.All of them came from the nearby Kampong.Despite their sexy appearances Alex dared not stand very near to them and always had the Mandol around to be the safer side

Despite all the handicapped Alex had the field cleared for replanting of Oil Palm.Oil Palm seedlings were from the plantation's nursery which Alex had earlier prepared.Germinated seeds were from Chemara.With the field ready the Oil Palm seedlings were transplanted into the field.

Another funny thing worth mentioning was before the initial transplanting the Boss had invited oner shorty to see the planting.Alex had to wait for him in town to fetch him into the plantation.When in the field this joker showed off by kicking a planted palm with his leather shoe.What an insult?

Later Alex found out that he was actually a pineapple planter and a petrol pump owner but he actually became a small rubber plantation Manager,sought of inheritance property.Many years later he really became someone very powerful in the planting industry.He may be so and so but that was never the way to kick a palm to test its firmness,no way,such bloody rude and without any manners.His name was Lee Sing chin,any one knowing him?He presently kicked lallang. Well,you know.

Alex wasted no time in establishing the whole field with Oil Palms,he also constructed many field roads into this field.There were sufficient laterites from the small hill..The Boss was naturely very please with his performance.Alex also suggested the replanting of all other low yielding fields which were planted with low yielding seedlings trees (PBIG) into Oil Palm.

Very soon nearly half the plantation was filled with Oil Palm.As Oil Palm required only a short time to mature very soon many fields came into maturity>Although very young those palms were bring in revenues as the Oil Pam prices were quite high and rising.This made the Boss extremely happy and Alex salary was further increased
.
Now between working Alex at times took time off to see that single mother,named
Annie but he was very careful.Yes he concealed it well from Queenie,having a little bit of fun was okay,is it so?.It was never advisable he understand.When the situation became rumours he was quick sufficiently to abandon that plan and left her be.A lucky escape I presumed.Well Queenie was suspecious but without evidence Alex got away without a scratch.

As if that insufficient Alex got another hitch and was infatuated with another beauty from town.Every morning he would drive to town to have breakfast but the real motive was to see that girl.A lovely dame I should say and extremely charming too.He tried various m,eans to get to know her but was futile.

This girl was the daughter of a well known business man in town,somebody well respected.This girl apparently was a teacher of a nearby Chinese Primary school.Well,he really got to know her in time to come but was in no avail as she by then knew Alex's wife.So Alex got to retreat with the girl moving around teasing him with her sexy moves.What to do can see but can not touch..

Alex had loads full of jobs to attend to every day as he was also placed in charged of another smaller plantation in Kajang called Paradise Estate.Not only that he had to recruit staffs to overseer that property.Trust worthy staffs were difficult to come by,so he resorted to training his own men.Being a strict Manager at least three staffs suffered under him.

They simply went bonkers and had to be sacked.Not his fault but these juniors though they could go against him and tried to play tricks on him,but he was too hard working and was always everywhere in the plantation.That cracked their numb skulls and subsequently got them confused and then lost their mentalities.What a shame?

However time was with him he finally managed to train at least three or four of them.One of them,initially a Chinese who was very good but was very ambitious.Being so he was always trying to improve himself by securing other better more prospective appointment.Well he succeeded and left that plantation,good for him.

Then he trained another an Indian who was promoted from a"Kanganny".His educationwas just only secondary schooling without LCE certificate.but good enough as long as he can served honestly,willing to learn and hard working.He placed him in charged of Paradise Estate and he served his purposed.

That plantation was fully rubber but mostly seedlings (PBIG).the price of rubber was no good and therefore was not giving much return so Alex drew up a plan to replant the whole areas in stages.Fortunately the man he trained could wisely followed his instructions and the replanting went into full swing.In no time it was fully planted up.

With that all the tappers were retrenched or left on their own and the smoke house converted into a store for the Boss's tea.Within a short while after replanting those palms were matured and in full productions bring in good returns as the prices of Oil Palm was extremely excellent and rising.This pleased the Boss very much.

Alex had to make at least two trips in the afternoon every week to see his instructions being adhered to closely.With an obedient staff he had no worries.Each trip he made he had to pass through Kajang town.Well what else he certainly did not missed the sight of beautiful girls and Kajang Satay there.There were many attractions but there was charming girl he paid special attention to.

On the road to the plantation after Kajang town there was a coffee shop which Alex used to patronize to quench his thirst or for a tea break.Well it was here that he noticed another beautiful girl living across the road.She could be seen at her house window every time Alex had a drink there.A charming beauty,slim and tall.she also pocessed a loving smile.

Initially Alex thought it was a coincidense she was by that window but soon realized it was not so.This really enchanted his heart,fancy a lovely girl noticing him.Well good luck to him,may he succeed.One fine day he caught the girl looking at him and admiration he smiled back at her but to this she retreated away from the window.Obviously she was scared of him.

The following trip he once again sat at the coffee shop enjoying his coffee again she aws at the window and again she smiled at him.This time Alex dared not smiled back but she was at the window for a slightly longer time,this time Alex was brave enough to wave at her and she waved back.

Later she walked out of her house and Alex drove near to her ,got down and introduced himself to her.She was polite and replied his advances.Alex tried to make an appoinment with her but she refused the appointment but said,"Maybe nect time".But the next time never came.

Weeks later Alex saw her with another young man for company and soon realized that all were already too late as this was soon to be her boy friend.No,it never was it was just another boy friend as Alex soon found out that she had a long list of boy friends.Had he proceeded on to court her he would have ended as one of her boy friends.

No matter what as time goes Alex still stopped at the coffee shop for tea or coffee she was always around or can be seen near her window.Agter so long by now she must be married by now.Well.who could be that lucky guy,certainly not Alex.

Chapter 12 A Customary Traditional Chinese Wedding

In early 1969 Alex joined K.C.Cheah Sawmill(Phg),Karak,Pahang as a trainee.
It was the beginning of a new career in saw milling.Prospect was seemingly very promising at the very start with the uncle promising the heaven.Whatever there was installed he decided to give it a trail.

Initially he resided with the Mill quarters with few the staffs sharing rooms.His girl friend Queenie returned to be with the mother in Bentong.Alex went back to Bentong every week ends.Those were the days of tragedies as there was a racial riot within the city of Kuala Lumpur.

When all were quiet down Queenie 's parents insisted that they go through a traditional Chinese marriage in accordance to Chinese rites.They wanted her to be married out from her parents' home,so the registered marriage although legal was not good enough.So the rightful way will be to marry her from her house-she must be invited traditionally out of her house to join him.

Poor Alex had no savings in hand so what to do?As it was after the 13th of May.Queenie suggested a very simple wedding.A bridal suite was simply prepared in a house in Section 10,Petaling Jaya. When that faithful day came the bride's family planned quite a huge dinner party at a local restaurant.Alex arranged two tables for his friends and colleges from the Mill at the same venue.

That night Alex and friends returned to their lodgings at the rest house,all drunk.Yes they overslept and was thus late to receive the bride.Better late than never,he had only one car for his entourage. A brand new car an Opel Kadet,owned by the Mill Manager,who was kind enough even to be the driver also,what lovely kid soul that Mr.Lam Sai Choy.

There was a big crowd at her house when they arrived to received the bride and were made to wait for the correct time to go into that house.Alex sat in the car and when tired got out for a breath of fresh air.At one incidence he looked at the distance small crowd watching from some distance away of the wedding he found an familiar face among them.

What a coincidence? Was it so? Never,from a far the one watching among the small crowd was Carol,one of those girls he dropped in his final list.In astonishment he saw a very sad face and sheepishly looked away and squeezed cowardly into the car until called to go into the house.Very soon they beckon him to go into the house.What a relief for poor Alex?.A sad sight he never wished to recall.

In the house was a crowd of her relatives siting all around,talking loudly and laughing just like a market.The hall was smoky due to burning of incenses and joss sticks.Alex had to endure all this while waiting for the bride to come down and within twenty minutes or so she finally appeared radiantly dressed in her bridal grown.

Prayers with Ancestors worshiping were offered as per Chinese tradition at her house followed with tea ceremony and it very soon it was over.On receiving the bride they traveled straight towards Petaling Jaya..

Arriving at Petaling Jaya at slightly later than planned.Alex's family had waited anxiously for their arrival. With that they hastily organized a simple tea ceremony before adjourning to a restaurant for a simple lunch.Poor bride did have ample time to even changed from her bridal gown,as all present were very hungry and they did not want to disappoint them.

They had arranged for only two tables and lunch was served almost immediately.The two tables were just nice with the Auntie and another uncle
present.It was indeed a simple lunch but everyone apparently enjoyed it as all were already very hungry.It was soon over within one and a half hour or so.

Alex and Queenie were married once again the traditional Chinese way.Alex took off only for three days leave and had to report back at the Mill immediately as soon as it was over.In Karak he arranged to rent a house for his bride.

A friend was kind enough to rent out his newly acquired low cost house to him and rental was cheap.It was a nice house with only two rooms just sufficient for the newly wedded couple.With that ready his wife shifted to that house.With merger salary it was barely sufficient for them to live comfortably on.

So in hard times his wife got a job tapping newly opened rubber trees for a relative.The job was simple as she knew how to tap since she was young and had assisted her parents before in their plantation.With that little extra they thus led a simple and comfortable life.

In October 1970,the wife bored him a daughter,Kate.At the same time he received an appointment letter to be Manager of St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai.He joined that plantation after celebratating her full month.

He applied to return to the planting industry after much long considerations.Although he was promised a lucrative future that was forth coming at the saw mill but after short spell he found the job not to suitable for his likings.He understood that planting was in his veins so he applied for that vacant position and secured it after an interview.

The bigger planting companies had him but the orientated companies used him.It surely was a blessing in disguised for it was here he can expedite his experiences,thus proving to himself that he was never a write off.No doubt this Chinese company could not pay a higher salary than those bigger companies but sometimes it was not the money that counts,it was the job satisfaction and the performance that made the day.In simple its the happiness in the position that matters most.

He joined the plantation leaving his wife behind in Karak.When at the plantation he was surprised to be the number two man there.Apparently a younger man was placed in charged,but it was no big deal as this inexperienced young man was soon retrenched through his own negligence and greediness.Yes,he tried to swindle the plantation by pilferage part of an consignment of RSS.

He left before the great flood of Batang Berjuntai came in Late December 1970.
The whole district was under at least feet of water.The plantation was also fully flooded but the workers and all the staffs bungalows were spared the flood as all were constructed on a small hill.So was the town proper as it was situated on a hill safe from the emerging water all round.

No jobs could be done,so Alex gathered his staffs and workers to secure food ration from town the following day.Fortunately the lorry was able to travel in those flood water.On the way they could enjoyed the beautiful scenes caused by the flooding.Queenie also tagged along to collect ration for the family.

Many animals were stranded on some high grounds such pigs and goats.They could not help them as the lorry was loaded with people.It was such a pity to leave them there,hopefully the water will soon recede and they be saved.However they did rescued a male goat on their way back from town.

The shops were all opened for business as they were not effected by the flood and only its surrounding were in water.Even the market had vegetables and fish to be sold but at a slightly higher price.Alex went for a cup of coffee and some noodles with his conductor while his wife attended to the sundries purchases and marketing.

Since there was no meat available from the market, they slaughtered that goat they caught on their way back.Anyway it was among the staffs and the driver who shared the meat of the goat.Things like this cannot hidden for long when a week later the owner came to claim his goat.Alex could not give him back his goat,but lied to him that the goat had been released and claimed no further knowledge of it.The owner had to accept that- no choice.

Within a week or so,the flood water began to recede and then it returned to normal ,leaving a big masses of rubbish all round on the base of rubber tree trunks and blocking of drains,roads etc.Worst of all the lost of latex cups.All workers wanting to work were sent to the fields to clear up the rubbish. New latex cups were purchase to replace all lost items.

Within the next week work finally restarted.Initially the crop was very low because those tapping penal having been neglected for a almost two weeks were dry and had to be shaved away first.Very soon it was returned to normal.

Before Alex shifted to the Bungalow he saw an apparition of a white figure among the banana grooves.It was a very early in the morning that he woke up to ease himself outside the back of that house.That really horrified and shocked him for a couple of minutes but the figure soon disappeared into the banana grooves.Was it a ghost?He wandered but it never hurt any one,fortunately he was about to shift away from that house.

Alex took over the Manager's bungalow which was situated on top of a small hill.It was a huge magnificent colonial styled bungalow with extremely thick wall and big pillars.Plenty of window all round with a very big garden unfortunately without fencing at all.Those days fencing was never a necessity as no one would dare venture round the bungalow.Those were the days when the Plantation Manager was well respected.

There were only three room upstairs,one huge master bedroom with baby room and bathroom attached.It was so big that Alex baby daughter when older could cycled round and round without any obstruction.There were two other slightly smaller rooms.There was also a pouch in front of the rooms.

Down stairs was another huge sitting room with plenty of windows.It was extremely airy.On the side was the big dinning room attached was also a store and sufficient room to convert into another kitchen,but there was another kitchen at the back of the bungalow but Queenie refused to use it as it was a short distance away.Those Europeans really knew how to enjoy life,they have cooks to cook for them,that was why they had the kitchen away from the house.

It surely was a very luxurious bungalow.The days in Good Tree might had new bungalows but this was beyond comparison.Of course,this was the Manager's bungalow.This St. Andrew Estate,was formerly one of Good Tree's properties.

Being back to planting was what Alex had in mind and he felt very at home.Now that he is back in planting he must do his best to perform.Being an experienced man work in this plantation was simple.

Something odd happened to him before his wife joined him at the plantation
well as usual he met a single beautiful mother who tried her level best to attract Alex attention.Alex was not interested at first but being alone most of the evenings he eventually became friendly with her.Nothing special actually but just an infatuation but was soon forgotten when his wife joined him.

Alex left her alone and resisted her advances by not seeing her.Say what you like what ever it was he still had in mind one little girl he used to know.Remembering her was never harmful as long as he remained faithful to only his lovely wife.Right?.

CHapter 11 The Final Choice

Having been left in a lurch in anxious agony Alex thus began his final search for a life partner.A life partner who could share his life,his success,his adversities,some one he could trust and confide in.Some one whose shoulder he could leaned on to rest his weary head.

Having gone through his long list of girl friends finally he made up his mind.Of course all the beautiful ladies he knew were charming and eligible.It definitely was a tough decision to make,no matter what the ultimate decision he made, will ultimately hurt someone that is for sure because many of them loved him.Of course he would like to marry most of them if possible but which of the ladies can permit that to happened? None,of course.

With his selection he hope this will do him justice by inducing him to forget his past and most of all, his first love.His final choice was Queenie,the girl from Bentong,the one he hurt the most.So badly hurt was she that she left town to stay away from town which fill of bad memories.But he knew for sure she still loved him very much the staying away was so glaring a fact that cannot be denied.

Having achieved the final choice he had to locate her and find her fast before she falls into some others arms.That of course would be disastrous for poor Alex.He needed somebody to confide in and to guide him back to support him as he try to fight back his plunging career.There was no secret that a man requires the utmost support of a woman of his life to be a success.Therefore he was determined to find her at all cost.

In haste he made a trip to Bentong,he could not face her parents to secure her forwarding address,neither will her friends divulged any useful imformations regarding her to him,for fear he might hurt her more.What a ridiculous assumption?.But who can blamed them for behaving such?.As he had already made his selection he thus did not visit Carol on this trip.

Trapped in a miserable situation he suddenly though of a friend who might be able to help.Yes,his former Manager's girl friend so he called her and expounded his predicaments to her.She responded positively and true enough it was her who secured Queenie's address from her closed friends.

They diverted to her of Queenie's whereabout.It was in Yong Peng,a cowboy town in Johore.Armed with that address he set out immediately for Yong Peng.He arrived at Yong Peng in the afternoon by taxi.True enough that was a cowboy town with a main road.shop houses along the main roads were most low wooden structures with either zinc or attap roofings.Only few were double stories.

He advised the taxi driver to take him straight to a hotel,apparently the only one in town on the second floor of a shop lot.Only this shop lot and two other shops were built with bricks and concrete.Hotel rental was cheap and he prepared to lodge there for at least a night.Having settled that he immediately rushed out to find his beloved Queenie.

At the back of the main road appeared to be a village.After some inquiries with the locals he was directed to a road next to the main road and straight to the hair dressing saloon where she worked/.The saloon caters for females only.He approached it with enthusiatic mind,very anxious to meet her.Apparently there was no customer at the moment so as he walked into that saloon - it caught her by surprised.

She was actually playing with some small girls when he walked into that shop.She appeared thrilled and amazed at his present in that place.On seeing him she came out to to greet him smiling gracefully inquiring as to why he was there.He flatly told her that he came to see her.Seeing the situation auger well for him to express himself freely ,he drove straight to the point.Yes,he expressed his undying love for her and wanted to marry her plus begging her to forgive him for his drastic mistakes in hurting her.He could have knelt down had it not been for those young girls present.

Actually she was now very much prettier more adorable than before,though slightly slimmer she wore an attractive smile.Very charming indeed that stop the heart of Alex.Alex sudden appearance really shocked her.Surprised and profoundly happy with the sight of Alex.There was no doubt she still loved Alex very much.Alex felt a silent sense of relief.

She followed Alex back to the hotel where Alex took a bath first before going out for dinner.This very small town was really a cowboy town because with them in the room the hotel keeper's stupid son started climbing the other room's partition wall intending to peep at Alex and Queenie .Well,he was disappointed in seeing them sitting and talking and they looked at him in amazement for invading their privacy.What a shameful act?.When they finally walked out the peeping tom dared not even looked at them.

Little wonder since so many years of my visit , the MCA Chua Soi Lek was caught on video by those culprits.Hotel may be newer but the altitude of people within remained the same and so uncultured.

On the way she kept questioning all along why he had come back to her after so long and Alex told her the whole truth and what had transpired.He compared himself to a lost lamb looking for its mother.Yes,he has lost his sense of direction so needed a love one,one he could confide and trust in, to support and guide him back,right back on track to a better future.

She trusted and accepted his sincere explanations,she forgave him and so they made up.Apparently he came in an appropriate moment as there were many young admirers there going after her.She admitted that she was about to make an important decision when he suddenly propped up to dash away those plans.Yes,it was God 's will that they meet again and never to part.

Actually it never was plain sailing although as one of her admirers was very mad at Alex present had wanted to stop him,but the proprietor of the saloon warned him against it because he explained that Alex and Queenie were lovers,only to be separated after a tiff. He never came in abruptly to steal her away,so they relented and let them be.

Next morning they had breakfast together, he departed for home and she on the other hand returned to the shop to serve a month's notice on her employer for termination of service.By so doing the employer will have sufficient time to recruit another hair dresser as her replacement.He had promised to pick her up after that.

Very soon that month came to pass,Alex wasted no time to take her home. They registered their marriage at the Registry of Marriage.Teluk Anson.They were actually extremely young as he was only twenty-five and she twenty-three.Well.after registration his luck appeared to change for within that time he secured a position as Manager of a rubber plantation namely Ulu Selangor Estate,Kula Kubu Bahru,Selangor.

Thus in 1968 he joined that plantation but what a plantation without any residence for the Manager.His predecessor was occupying a room on a second floor of an old shop house.The office was also on the similar floor,so was the conductor who was his son.What an arrangement?With his coming in to replace him the old man after left handling over the keys of a car,a Volkswagon.

The Conductor took the liberty to show him round the plantation and what a pleasant surprise as he soon discovered that the whole plantation over 1300n acres was actually occupying part of a huge hill.Imagine 1300 acres of sloppy land,fully established with mature rubber with many areas due for replanting.

Not long ago the tappers of this plantation,all of whom were from Rasa town met with a tragic accident .The plantation's lorry transporting the tappers overturned and several of its tappers were killed and many others injured.It definitely was a terrible accident.

When Alex arrived to begin work there,many of them workers had recovered from that tragedy.All the existing tappers were Chinese with most of them women folks.The "kapala" was also from Rasa.Rasa was also famous for its haunted house which was a short distance from the main trunk road.

Alex remembered the town very well also because on of its coffee shop had singing wild mypai .She was trained to whistle tunes like "Bridge of the River Kwai".Very intelligent bird indeed.

Having been settled down Alex seek the Boss permision to change the venue of the office which was immediately approved.He secured a new shop lot's ground floor and rental was very cheap.Just next to the small theatre.The front was turned into his office and made a partition for a room for the conductor.The back room he occupied.

With that arrangement he got his wife to stay with him.Without doubt they had a next time together.Everything went on very smooth and they also made many new friends.Initially everything were very pleasant.During that time he had a planting adviser coming in to inspect the plantation.

To his horror this European planting adviser came into this plantation well prepared for a marathon walking race.He walked aggressively as though he was on competition setting an enormous fast space which Alex could hardly catch up.Half way through Alex had more than enough and gave up the steeple chased.In any case he continued till he had sufficient as Alex waited for him at a chosen spot.

They were back at the office and there Alex supplied him all other information.Everything were over within half an hour and he left advising Alex to train up for his next appointment.He was then quite a well known planter - Mr.Davidson anyone know this guy?

Alex had a tough time dealing with the Contractor who was doing every thing to his own likings ignoring Alex good intentions.Like payments to his tappers,very often extremely late so much so the tappers made many complaints to Alex.When Alex tried to correct him he ignored him and even went direct to the Boss to cry out his complains.Others like tapping standards and collection of all tree laces etc which the Contractor took them real hard.

He also complained to the Boss regarding his gambling habits.Alex explained to the Boss those were diplomatic poker nothing more beside he had limited cash to gamble.Kuala Kubu was a tiny town where everyone knew alomst evreyone.The poker sessions were among friends in high poistion in Government services.No big stakes were involved just a thing for past time.No big deal.

Therefore, their time on that plantation was also short lived as he was forced to resign due to differences with the Contractor.In fact it was him who called the shot to the Boss either retain him or the Contractor.The Boss chose the Contractor.The Boss was no other than the late Gan Lay Tiek.Rubber Research people should remember this dude as he once wrote a thesis on how to extract oil from rubber seeds.

Thus ended his days with that rubber plantation.Once again he was stranded without a job but he had Queenie to accompany him and that made a world of difference.He was jobless for a few months before he left to join K.C.Cheah Sawmill.in Karak.Pahang.

Those days in Kuala Kubu Bahru,he passed his days with his lovely wife living happily together but did he forget that first girl he once loved very much? No,never,that name still crept around on his mind ,although he tried his best to rid but it still lingers on.So his best was insufficient,what ever it was he will never hurt Queenie ever again by exposing her name.He tried not to betray her trust in him.

Chapter 10 Lost Without A Shouder To Reliable Shouder to Cling On

In July 1966 Alex joined Kumpulan Good Tree Sdn Bhd.,to be stationed at Sengkang Estate,Port Dickson.He was to be its Probationary Assistant Manager and told to report at the Second Division's office.

He arrived at that Office at about 2.00 p.m.It was a very hot day indeed with the blazing sun shinning mercilessly. The office had about three staffs within,there he was directed to met the Senior Assistant in another room. He met the Senior Assistant,Mr.Chew,a funny short guy in his forties.He was soft spoken like a woman with some English slang,some guy?.Well.like all Senior Assistant he put on quite a bit of air with nose jetting upwards towards the sky .

He send for another Assistant Manager to send Alex to the 2nd.Division, Alex was supposed to be in charged.This man also a Senior Assistant but slightly junior in rank to the former.This gentle man was quite a jovial fellow and he introduced himself as Mr.Leow.

Alex was taken to a bungalow a few miles away in his car. The bungalow was very beautiful in fact with a huge and well maintained garden.Apparently that was the bungalow he was to reside in.Alex came to that plantation with only a bag of clothing that all.They have expected him to shift in with many house hold items but sadly none.

The bungalow was well furnished with furnitures splendily placed and absolutely cleaned,well equipped with kitchen and cabinets.According to this Mr.Leow those occupying that house must be prepared to kept it tidy at all times.So it was inevitable Alex employed a maid with immediate effect.A maid to maintain the bungalow and to cook for him.As for the garden there was a gardener to maintain it.

Anyway the Mr.Leow was very accommodating for as he saw that Alex had nothing else,he immediately went home and secured some cups for Alex to use,
before he acquire all the necessary later.Mr.Leow even supplied him with dinner that evening.

After a long chat Alex suddenly recognized this gentleman as one of the teacher from Anglo Chinese School,Teluk Intan where he was an ex -student.However Mr.Leow was never his form teacher nor had he taught him in any other subjects.Thus they became more friendly.That night for the first time Alex slept alone in semi-raised bungalow.

He took over the master bedroom and as the bungalow was slightly raised two feet or so from the ground level,he had all the windows opened while he slept.Anyway all the rooms were mosquitoes proof with wire netting.Those days the bungalow were never fenced up and security were excellent because those days the Managers and Assistants were well respected by the workers. Most European Managers and Assistants were mostly armed with either pistol or shot guns.Workers never dared venture around the bungalows.

That night Alex slept nicely without any disturbances accept for the cries of insects coming from the nearby rubber fields.It was slightly windy and he could felt it from his bed.The light was witched off after twelve midnight by an engine driver .the generator was at the back of the bungalow.However,the light came back about 5.00 a.m. the next morning.

Early next morning he attended muster to the surprised of all present.There he met the Sr.conductor and three cadet planters.Later he was shown round the fields by the Conductor.Work was seemingly easy as the fields were all matured areas.In the afternoon he met the Manager,an English man with a very lean and hungry look,at the main office..

Finding that Alex had no transport gave him an old motor cycle.A gigantic motor cycle and very heavy machine indeed.He had no choice but to use it.His first meeting with the Manager apparently was never impressive,what a setback?. So after a month or so he transferred Alex to another Division,the Sungai Raya Division,a very interior Division.

He was shifted to another newer,amazing, adorable and contemporary bungalow also well equipped with furniture and kitchen.This bungalow was situated in the middle of the Division and the water supply here was very much better.His nearest neighbor was his Senior Conductor who lived about 100 meters away or so.Workers were from outside that Division.

All the rubber in that Division were immature rubber.His first tasks was to censor the the fields which will be due to be brought into tapping and the maintenance of all other fields.On going job was to pruned all heavy branches of a wind prone clone in a field and the spraying of weeds.It appeared to be very simple but the pressure was on him to impress the Manager who was bias and prejudice against him as a planter from orientated companies.

But his residence in that contemporary bungalow was short lived as he was told to surrender his bungalow to a Training Manager after about a month stay. So he shifted away to stay with another Assistant in the main Division.The bungalow another lovely brick building only with two bedrooms,a baby's room attached to the master bedroom.The building was situated half way mark of a hill with the Manager's bungalow on the hill top.Of course the Manager had his own road towards his mansion but his other outlet road ran beside this Assistant's bungalow.

Alex was given the smallest room,in fact a Baby's room with bathroom attached,one thing this room had was only one entrance and that was his only exist..That Assistant refused to allow him to stay in the other rooms.However this room had a bathroom attached with the other entrance into the master bedroom locked from the other side.

Anyway it was absolutely fine with Alex as he was a bachelor and for food they shared the expenses with him employing his cook but the cook was a witch looking woman who immediately showed her displeasure of her boss sharing meals with Alex.Just like a lover would to her master,very possessive.Alex just have to ignore her hawk eyes watching his every moves.Imagine having to live within such environment he too had to share her wages she acted so rude.How ridiculous?

Every morning Alex had to push his motor cycle down a slope to ignite the engine at ease without making a racket so as to cause any unnecessary disturbances to the Manager who was on that very hilltop.On top of that he had to travel at least 10 miles on the main road,passing a small town and traveled another five into his Division at 5.30 a.m..He had a tough time adjusting his daily working scheduled.

Alex attended a dinner hosted by a big Contractor in honor of the Manager who was due to go on leave.Just imagine he going on leave a dinner party was thrown for him.There was a lavish dinner followed by dancing at a night club with beautiful dance hostesses. What a wonderful evening? What an outing which made all of them, his accomplices of corrupted practices.Thereafter what else who knows between him and the Contractor but the Assistants were all told to go home.The Contractor must be making very handsome profits from his contracts with the plantation,otherwise where can he afford such luxuries on so many present.

The Senior Assistant acted on his behalf when he went on leave.Alex also shared many happy moments with all these Assistants as they ventured out to town,Seremban to be exact, to have fun.All on a pro rata basis,have a dinner followed by a hair cut or wash at a Girlie barber shop a popular item those days.

A lady barber eyed the young and available Alex,all were teasing him,yes,she was undoubtedly very beautiful,very desirable, tall with height of about 5'6' and slim..Well Alex was encouraged to make an acquaintance with her securing her phone number at the end of the session.As the night was still young they all adjourned to a private joint.So they went hunting along Jalan Rasa looking out for a bungalow with red lanterns.

It was not much of a problem locating it as such places were easy to find as houses with red lanterns were really rare,whenever private houses were lighted with red lanterns signifying red area-a private joint.No sooner had they reached the doorsteps a "Mamie"came out to welcome them in.Having ushered them in she began to inquire what sort of girls they have in mind.Alex being the youngest,shy and inexperienced in what was transpiring kept quiet.

There were five of them and each made their bookings accept for Alex who was reluctant to join in." Mamie,this young man very raw what do you think we do with him?",said one of them."Oh,yeah?",said the Mamie."I will recommend him a special girl.you all go into your rooms first".

With them away Alex thought he could evade from all this but the Mamie was very persistent as she brought out a very young and cute looking girl, what looked like a Thai girl to him."Look,what I have for you,a very special girl,she just came in to-day,very fresh.Take her,she is just eighteen years old ",said the Mamie.Without any more formalities she pushed the girl and Alex into a room at the far end of the house.

All his friends were already waiting for him at the sitting place and he was the last one out."Wah,say don't want lah,this lah but go into the room for so long.Want to make babies,eh?",said one."Very nice,eh?"said another."Ya!very good but cost me $50/=,so good?",replied Alex.Thereafter they had supper and returned to their respective bungalows in the plantation.

Alex ,however,still kept in touched with Carol and returned every forthnight visiting her i.e.on a Saturday evening in Bentong and returning the next day,but this time he had a slightly different program in hand as he called that lady barber on his returning trip in Seremban.That lady barber was very well equipped and quickly had a date with her.

Going for a late show and before returning to the plantation went for a walk in the lake garden.They had a pleasant time strolling and talking, he kissed her goodnight before leaving.What a hectic day?.Killing two birds with one stone.Was he toying with them?No,never he was trying to select one that could match his first admiration in Teluk Anson to be his life partner in future..Totally no harm in befriending more lovely girls.

His courtship of those girls went on marvelously for sometime but things began to change unexpectedly.The Manager returned from his long leave to U.K.and immediately went round to all the plantation.Alex was on hand to be tested by him.He instructed Alex to propagate some Triloba cuttings stating clearly with one node.What was Triloba anyway?I reserved my doubts, many planters have the slightest idea what was this Triloba plant.

Adhering closely as per instruction he established a small nursery of Triloba Cuttings.Unfortunately all the cuttings never survived.not even one.What went wrong?.The Manager on seeing this jumped like a Chimpenzee,so furious was he that he immediately issued a letter demoting Alex to the Cadet Training Centre.

This astonished poor Alex as he was following instruction of the Boss,he was perplexed at what went absolutely wrong?.Later he learned that the instruction given was wrong,it should have been to transplant cuttings with at least two nodes never one,if that was the instruction nothing would have gone wrong.He tried to see the "Old Man"but was rebuked by him and cut him short.So outrageous was he,thus Alex was never given a chance to explain.

Yes the Manager had erred terribly but being the Manager refused to admit his own fault,what justice was there?There was no denial that he was bias and prejudice against poor Alex.Of course Alex had failed to satisfy him with proper answers to a question poised by him on a particular weed which Alex could not identify,a Tetasera Scandan very simple but the nervous Alex could not remember at that spurred of moment.Is it a shame in not being able to identify a weed? What so serious?

The rough bottom surfaces of its leaves which could be utilized in place of sand paper.His failures to go the site before the Manager first thing in the morning at the supplying of "a" stump budding in the field by a worker was another stumbling block for him,just simply because he attended to some other more important jobs in other part of the field first.All these proved its fatalities against Alex as the Manager refused to be reasonable.

Of course his dressing did not go well with the Manager,collarless T-shirt and very short pants plus his awkward ways of expression when talking to the Manager.Being a frist timer talking to a European he slurred,shivered and sounded odd ,too funny for the Manager's liking.Neither did the Acting Manager talked well of him.

He should not have been demoted.As a Probationary Assistant should his assessments of Alex be adverse and he totally unfit,he should have sacked him instantly or should be kind enough extended his probation inline with his terms of Contract,but sadly he choose to ignored those terms by demoting him.The humiliated Alex had no choice and with no where to go, had to abide by those monstrous injustice and embarrassing decision to join the Training Centre.

Wearing a thick skin he thus joined the Training Centre,fortunately they did not reduced his remunerations.At the Centre were three other cadets whom he had met earlier in that plantation.He had to put up a bold front there.The Training Manger showed his disgust with Alex, he was for no apparent reasons showed his bias and prejudice against poor Alex from the very beginning.It was so glaring in his actions and words as he spoke.Some ducks he was?

This Manager was K.G.Nair,a former chief clerk who walked like a duck,keeping some moustche like Hilter,obviously a fan of that tyrant.Alex proved that he was no walk over by passing the "Estate Practice (Rubber)"examination of the I.S.P..That passing was futile as it was valueless and meaningless to all those above no need to mention the duck.Only a congratulatory letter from the Personnel Manager that was about all.This very examinations where many of the senior Assistants who participated ,failed this examination.

Their refusal to recognize that examination proved that they do not accept Alex meaning he has to go away somehow.So no matter how hard he tried it was no use,it would have been better had they sacked him in the first place,it is very discriminating to place him in that wretched position with humilation,lost of dignity and due respect.Alex should have sued them.

Somehow Alex struck at it till the end where he funbled at the final exmination due to minor nervous breakdown.What a bloody shame to fail in the last moment,not that he does know the answers to all the examination questions posed but he was suffering from that breakdown and could hardly moved his hands to write properly,let alone answer those questions.Had he produced a good result, would that be any difference? And what be installed for him next?

Absolutely nothing as they would get rid of him anyway.In a way his failures to impress those above was a sort of blessing in disguised.Agreed?So he nevertheless was a flop in that company.He might have escaped those torturous moments had he been in the correct frame of mind to expose the sole secret of the Training Centre.

What was the secret?In fact it was one of the cadets who found out a secret of all secrets.It was by accident that he found out that another cadet was having a duplicate key to the Manager's drawer.With that all his answers papers were rewritten,little wander he did extremely well in all his weekly test papers.Alex happened to be friendly with them did exposed them but he abstained from getting involved with the culprit.The key was apparently handed down to him, by previous batch of cadets.

In any case the whole training was almost over and therefore to expose him would not changed anyting as those above already had a bad report regarding him.Exposing him might caused an uproar within that company and should they reinstate him back to its foe will nevertheless meaningless other than teaching every one a lesson.But this fellow was a friend or was he really a friend???.Exposing the Manager's corrupt practises will be much better at least they clinged to each other and can die together,that corrupted "Old man".

Now that he had lost his job he had to return home.The duck was very apprehensive and happy when he recieved the news that Alex was to leave and amazing released him on that spurred of moment.Poor Alex had to leave without anyone to say goodbye to accept the young female cook.

He traveled straight home- a very sad and troubled young man with no one to confide in or worst a kind shoulder to lean on.That evening he went to the river side and looked beyond its water,it was high tide then and the water seemingly dancing to the rhyme of the slight breeze.He stood there watching blankly and pondered about himself and his future.He needed someone to console and to confide in,yes,he now realized that it was imperative that a man requires a woman to support him,in sucesses and in failures. All sucessful men requires the support of the women they loved, and he was no different.Yes,he was now a matured young man.

He pondered over the list of ladies he knew wandering which would fit in his plan most.
Carol?No.no she was too young,about seventeen,definitely too young for him.That lady barber named Charlie,sweet,charming and beautiful,but she hardly knew her well enough to consider her.He ran through many other names,none seem suitable for his agenda,and that name Queenie cropped up.Ah, yes!!! Queenie,and he knew she loved him very much,but where was she presently?

She was badly hurt when she left Bentong, now after almost two years where could she be now,that was the question? Can she be located? Will she forgive him and return to his arms?What if she by now had someone else? He had to act fast before it was too late.