During the first term holiday we were also whisked away to Kuala Lumpur to be with our grandmother who was longing to see us.As usual we had quite nice holiday of about two weks,then again back to school.
Our grandmother was quite alright.Within the next few months she was taken ill.We were rushed down to Kuala Lumpur to see.In fact this time the whole family went down.
On arrival we were taken to the General Hospital where our dear grandmother was being treated.Everything were not so fine as our grandmother was diagnosed as having cancer of the throat.That surely was bad news to us.
We saw her and she was very pleased to see us,smiling a little bit but she could not consume any food.That worried us but there was nothing we could do us accept looking on.Our Auntie seem very worried.Having seen her we rushed back home to Teluk Anson.
Only to return a week or so later as our grandmother was dying.It was very sad as we did not see her face before she passed away.Funeral was arranged at my Auntie's house which should not have been the case.What can we do for we do not had the means to perform those last rituals.
Before I left with our parents for Kuala Lumpur I wrote a leave letter to my teacher giving my reason for taking the emergency leave.I wrote it in good faith but sad to write this.I was ridiculed at, when I return to school after the funeral.
It was read out by the teacher in front of the class Well Nothing wrong in pointing out my English mistakes but some class mates took it as a joke.They created a big fuss out of it..
All her friends and relatives in Kuala Lumpur turned up for the occasion helping around.The coffin was sent down to Teluk Anson where she was buried at the 9th.mile Cemetery Changkat Jong Road.The whole funeral were properly arranged by our Auntie...
Though our grand mother had left us for so long, one thing very uncanny always happened to our younger brother whenever we went to pay our respects to her every Cheng Beng.She apparently was always playing "hide and seek" with him.
Everytime we sent him in front of us the grandmother's grave with the cleaners.,He can never find her grave with ease.He always had to take sometime to locate it.There were many incidences similar like that - even he was standing directly in front of her grave he still cannot see it,until we go near to show it to him.
Surely there was something very funny,uncanny.Our belief were that our dear grand mother although gone for so many years still returned to play hide and seek with her favourite grandson.It never happened to me.No jokes it is true,Strange?
Very soon after her demised our sister was accepted to be trained at Brinsford Lodge,U.K.,as a teacher.So once again we had to travel to Kuala Lumpur to sent our sister off.WE passed a night at our Auntis's place before sending her off to England at the Subang Airport.
Our dear sister had been employed as a temporary teacher at the Convent School after her school certificate examination.When the results finally came she was name the best candidate for lower Perak.Scores of friends from other school came our house to congratulate her.
Our mother was relief slightly when she was employed by the school.Now that she was leaving us temporary our mother would be deprieved of some cash.She need to return to work harder.Only consolation to her was that she had now only two school going boys to support.
Our father remained jobless but continued writing some articles contributing to some unkown newspaper earning a merger income insufficient to substain even himself.Nevertheless we get by.
We continued our usual life style here playing around the plantation Now that I was getting older I developed a little attracted to girls though I had no affectionate connection with any of them.We just moved around the line site teasing them,that was all,nothing more.That plantation had quite few beauties around but non really thrilled me.
Then in 1959 I was promoted to Form 5 - General.What a shame? Promoted to the worst class of the form 5s.Well, I took it easy anyway.We maybe the worst class and had all the cronies ever around.Very funny characters loomed within us.What a bloody laugh we had those days.
We thought our days of going to Kuala Lumour were no more after our grandmother passed away.How wrong we were?. Our dear Auntie still send for us to spend our holidays there.Perhaps the memory of her dearest mother still lingered on within her. That could be the sole reason she sent for us.Maybe our presence could eased her mind.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Chapter 19 We Shifted To Ratanui Estate.
With our mother being the sole bread winner it was then impossible for us to continue staying at that house cum office along Immigration Road.
Tapping for small holders she was not entitled to any housing,but should she be employed by an Estate.That would have made the difference.So she applied to join Ratanui Estate,a plantation about one and a half mile to town.That was towards the end of 1957.
There she given a one room quarter.Though it was so tiny we shifted into it - we had no other alternative. At least with that housing supplied we had a roof over our heads.Beggars were no choosers,we had to accept without condition.
We had a bed which were to be occupied by our mother and sister a We, both brothers slept under the bed.Those old fashion bed were raised quite high.So it was quite comfortable for us to sleep beneath it..Our poor father had no where else but to sleep on a crouch at the verandah which was quite wide..
Daily I had to cycle to school on our very old bicycle while my brother went on the school bus.Our sister too cycled to school.Here at least there were no rental or electricity bills to pay all were free.Electricity was lighted until 10.00 p.m.only to be re-ignited at 5.00 a,m,. the following morning..
Even having such detrimental conditions our dear sister survived her studies and in fact did very well . When the results of the Overseas Cambridge School Certificate examination came she scored the best results for the whole of Lower Perak. Mind you she studied under the light of a kerosene lamp and yet achieved such fantastic results.That was for 1957 school certificate examination..
I was in form four then.During the week ends we would have to assist our mother in her tapping of rubber by cleaning the latex cups.This was for an extra few cents only.Without us helping she would have managed with similar results.Here we had to do other chores such as collecting firewood from the fields.
.Residing in the rubber plantation was great fun though, for here we met with another different group of friends.The plantation type.There were some Chinese but most of the other labour force were Indians.Now I do not roamed the streets we ran wild among the rubber trees.Our activities took another drastic changed.
Now our play grounds were entirely different for in our spare time we go fishing or catch fighting fish.We stole fish from fish traps laid by some kampong folks.Simple traps with a piece of plank in front of a man made hole which was triggered to shut once a fish (haruan or snake head) got into it.
We also learned to use a parang to slash those fish if seen hidden among the water weeds.Welll not all the time we got the target and missed because the aim went astray and glided in water.We also learn to block spots that were full of fish - on both sides of a huge drain.On baling out all the water therein we catch the remaining fish.
Sometimes we caught a snake instead of a big fish.That really gave us a scared of our life.Before we were frightened at the very sight of snake,Not now we finished them off.Easy,first we strike the snake in its mid section curtailing its movements.Then we smashed its head.Snake would still moved even with its head smashed but that would slowly die down.
We hardly warmed up when suddenly out of no where came a relative requesting me and brother to be in Kuala Lumpur.Thus we simply packed and left. It was school holiday then so it was easy.We were actually going for a short holiday with our grandmother.Our Auntie sent for us because she found her dear mother very lonely and longing to see her grandsons.
We of course were excited with the trip. We were anxious to see Kuala Lumpur.A thing we could hardly afford those days or dream of.Now we were going at our Auntie's expense.What a luxury?. We changed train at Tapah then straight on to Kuala Lumpur.We did not go there all by ourselves as we were went together with another,a cousin brother-in-law.
Our Auntie was at hand to at the raiolway station to take us to her home.Our grandmother was so happy to see us there and for the first time we meet our cousin sister.Their bungalow was in Setapak.
Daily we just loitered around the house,playing with our cousin.She and my brother always complained about me teasing them which send the grandmother after me just like the old days at our old house.
I remembered on occasion while she catching I accidentally hit her hand and that spot turned blue black.That was pointed out to my Uncle who gave me a stern look but without any rebuke.It was entirely an accident but the blame definitely fell flat on me.
Finding us beginning to get bored of the stay our Auntie took us together with cousin sister to watch Cinema shows at the Rex Threatre and at time at Capitol.We were always at the reserved seats as she had complimentary tickets for all of us.
While there I also came to know of a friend named Alex.Alex was resided just the opposite of our Uncle's house.His father must be rich to stay n that huge bungalow.For the first time there I knew about toy plane flying because it was one of Alex hobby.In fact I was introduced to all his family members.Those days I think it was quite expensive for that.Well at least very expensive to me.
We were holidaying there for more than three weeks before we had to return to Teluk Anson as school was going to re-open.So we return to rags after a rich stinct holiday at our Auntie's.Similarly we traveled back by train at the guidance of that cousin brother-in-law.
Within days school was reopened and we returned to all our new friends.We went swimming at the 3rd,mile water gate.Our good friend there the Yap brothers and sisters,all children of Contractor.When we had nothing t do we listened to the yearning of an old timer.
He was most of time boasting about his earlier life as a hunter.However we all knew he was talking rubbish just plain boasting to small children,no truth whatsoever.I doubt he ever held a gun before.We just listened and later laughed over what he said.
We knew because he bluffed everyone present that opium grew on trees.And that he was an opium leaves Cintractor.What utter nonsense? However we never challenged him but allowed be.Once
I had a fight with another tappers' son and was told to see the Plantation Manager.The plantation had a European Manager,I was not afraid when I faced him in is office.He asked me sternly,"'Now young man why did you punched the other boy?'.
I replied "Sir,that boy was a crook,he tried to cheat me.That was why I punched him"."Now,young man what did he do?".The Manager asked. .I explained that we went cutting wood together and agreed to divide the wood when we returned home,because he got a bigger carriage on his bicycle to transport the bigger pieces.In return I had to climb the dried up rubber tree to cut down the dried wood.My job was dangerous and we agreed to share with him"
"But on returning he took all the wood he carried home,refusing to share with me,so in anger I punched him"."Oh I see,now you go home and do not fight again",said the Manager.The Manager scored the complainant and told them to go home in peace. Here after whenever I saw the Manager he would waved at me from his Land rover he would also showed me his thumb up.
Fate had it that we met again sometime later when he was Manager of Eagle Hurst Estate,Ulu Sapetang,Taiping.I was then working in a neighboring plantation but he could not recognized me so I allowed it be.
When I was already form iv and beginning to develop some liking for girls.Of course there were a few around in the plantation .We went around teasing them quite often.However I had no connection with any.For example there were the shop keeper's daughters.The elder of whom claimed that I was too young,so was another black beauty.Anyway I was still schooling.
Tapping for small holders she was not entitled to any housing,but should she be employed by an Estate.That would have made the difference.So she applied to join Ratanui Estate,a plantation about one and a half mile to town.That was towards the end of 1957.
There she given a one room quarter.Though it was so tiny we shifted into it - we had no other alternative. At least with that housing supplied we had a roof over our heads.Beggars were no choosers,we had to accept without condition.
We had a bed which were to be occupied by our mother and sister a We, both brothers slept under the bed.Those old fashion bed were raised quite high.So it was quite comfortable for us to sleep beneath it..Our poor father had no where else but to sleep on a crouch at the verandah which was quite wide..
Daily I had to cycle to school on our very old bicycle while my brother went on the school bus.Our sister too cycled to school.Here at least there were no rental or electricity bills to pay all were free.Electricity was lighted until 10.00 p.m.only to be re-ignited at 5.00 a,m,. the following morning..
Even having such detrimental conditions our dear sister survived her studies and in fact did very well . When the results of the Overseas Cambridge School Certificate examination came she scored the best results for the whole of Lower Perak. Mind you she studied under the light of a kerosene lamp and yet achieved such fantastic results.That was for 1957 school certificate examination..
I was in form four then.During the week ends we would have to assist our mother in her tapping of rubber by cleaning the latex cups.This was for an extra few cents only.Without us helping she would have managed with similar results.Here we had to do other chores such as collecting firewood from the fields.
.Residing in the rubber plantation was great fun though, for here we met with another different group of friends.The plantation type.There were some Chinese but most of the other labour force were Indians.Now I do not roamed the streets we ran wild among the rubber trees.Our activities took another drastic changed.
Now our play grounds were entirely different for in our spare time we go fishing or catch fighting fish.We stole fish from fish traps laid by some kampong folks.Simple traps with a piece of plank in front of a man made hole which was triggered to shut once a fish (haruan or snake head) got into it.
We also learned to use a parang to slash those fish if seen hidden among the water weeds.Welll not all the time we got the target and missed because the aim went astray and glided in water.We also learn to block spots that were full of fish - on both sides of a huge drain.On baling out all the water therein we catch the remaining fish.
Sometimes we caught a snake instead of a big fish.That really gave us a scared of our life.Before we were frightened at the very sight of snake,Not now we finished them off.Easy,first we strike the snake in its mid section curtailing its movements.Then we smashed its head.Snake would still moved even with its head smashed but that would slowly die down.
We hardly warmed up when suddenly out of no where came a relative requesting me and brother to be in Kuala Lumpur.Thus we simply packed and left. It was school holiday then so it was easy.We were actually going for a short holiday with our grandmother.Our Auntie sent for us because she found her dear mother very lonely and longing to see her grandsons.
We of course were excited with the trip. We were anxious to see Kuala Lumpur.A thing we could hardly afford those days or dream of.Now we were going at our Auntie's expense.What a luxury?. We changed train at Tapah then straight on to Kuala Lumpur.We did not go there all by ourselves as we were went together with another,a cousin brother-in-law.
Our Auntie was at hand to at the raiolway station to take us to her home.Our grandmother was so happy to see us there and for the first time we meet our cousin sister.Their bungalow was in Setapak.
Daily we just loitered around the house,playing with our cousin.She and my brother always complained about me teasing them which send the grandmother after me just like the old days at our old house.
I remembered on occasion while she catching I accidentally hit her hand and that spot turned blue black.That was pointed out to my Uncle who gave me a stern look but without any rebuke.It was entirely an accident but the blame definitely fell flat on me.
Finding us beginning to get bored of the stay our Auntie took us together with cousin sister to watch Cinema shows at the Rex Threatre and at time at Capitol.We were always at the reserved seats as she had complimentary tickets for all of us.
While there I also came to know of a friend named Alex.Alex was resided just the opposite of our Uncle's house.His father must be rich to stay n that huge bungalow.For the first time there I knew about toy plane flying because it was one of Alex hobby.In fact I was introduced to all his family members.Those days I think it was quite expensive for that.Well at least very expensive to me.
We were holidaying there for more than three weeks before we had to return to Teluk Anson as school was going to re-open.So we return to rags after a rich stinct holiday at our Auntie's.Similarly we traveled back by train at the guidance of that cousin brother-in-law.
Within days school was reopened and we returned to all our new friends.We went swimming at the 3rd,mile water gate.Our good friend there the Yap brothers and sisters,all children of Contractor.When we had nothing t do we listened to the yearning of an old timer.
He was most of time boasting about his earlier life as a hunter.However we all knew he was talking rubbish just plain boasting to small children,no truth whatsoever.I doubt he ever held a gun before.We just listened and later laughed over what he said.
We knew because he bluffed everyone present that opium grew on trees.And that he was an opium leaves Cintractor.What utter nonsense? However we never challenged him but allowed be.Once
I had a fight with another tappers' son and was told to see the Plantation Manager.The plantation had a European Manager,I was not afraid when I faced him in is office.He asked me sternly,"'Now young man why did you punched the other boy?'.
I replied "Sir,that boy was a crook,he tried to cheat me.That was why I punched him"."Now,young man what did he do?".The Manager asked. .I explained that we went cutting wood together and agreed to divide the wood when we returned home,because he got a bigger carriage on his bicycle to transport the bigger pieces.In return I had to climb the dried up rubber tree to cut down the dried wood.My job was dangerous and we agreed to share with him"
"But on returning he took all the wood he carried home,refusing to share with me,so in anger I punched him"."Oh I see,now you go home and do not fight again",said the Manager.The Manager scored the complainant and told them to go home in peace. Here after whenever I saw the Manager he would waved at me from his Land rover he would also showed me his thumb up.
Fate had it that we met again sometime later when he was Manager of Eagle Hurst Estate,Ulu Sapetang,Taiping.I was then working in a neighboring plantation but he could not recognized me so I allowed it be.
When I was already form iv and beginning to develop some liking for girls.Of course there were a few around in the plantation .We went around teasing them quite often.However I had no connection with any.For example there were the shop keeper's daughters.The elder of whom claimed that I was too young,so was another black beauty.Anyway I was still schooling.
Chapter 18 The Return Of Our Poor Grand Mother
On completing the sales of our house and given the most part of it to our father she left to stay in Kuala Lumpur.Undoubtedly she was never happy after the sales.She had guarded that final property.
She had refused our uncle to sell the house to help him to finance his business which he promised would bring us back to former glory She never trusted him for she knew him well.Most of all she was preserving that last inheritance to protect us..
All maybe lost still she kept it so we have a roof over over heads.Now with its lost she lost fate and left with a broken heart.The whole affair was driving her mad.She was not enjoying her stay with her daughter in Kuala Lumpur for she only wanted to reside in her own house with her grandchildren,that be us.
The staying away from us did her no good either as her condition was deteriorating further.She wanted to come home to us.Knowing our predicaments our Auntie held her back but with her constant pestering she just had to send her back when it was becoming unbearable.
She had expected our father to improve our status if not at least reside in a more decent house.Further the business running but to her dismay this was never to be.She was utterly shocked to see coffins in the show room.She stood there speechless.
Her emotions took another beating and her face turned paler.In anger she clasped her hard and then open up signifying the lost of everything.She had expected our father to do good with the capital he had in hand.How wrong she was?Now it was clear to her all were lost.
To make matter worst our father continued to pester for more money which she never had.That sent her reeling off her mind.She began walking around looking forlorn into the emptiness around.With teary eyes she would all of a sudden out of the blue let off clapping and then stretched her hands out to signify all were lost,the last of the family's fortune.
She undoubtedly was blaming herself. Dear old grandmother how deeply hurt she was.Our father never learn that he was never a business man.Life was never what he had in mind.Thinking back I think we all cannot totally blamed him for his failures because he was a pampered child for a start.
Although an adopted child he was well loved and never endured any hard life during his younger days.He had most things in life and when he did not perform well at school locally he was sent to study in Ipoh.That was where I think he squandered away his time studying mixing around with "pigs and dogs friend" as our mother used to emphasize regarding his friends.. .
He had not indulged fully into business but instead slowly squandered away all the money given to him.His stock in timber was never huge in any manner and therefore having not much share in the business.Maybe his strategy was all wrong.I was about thirteen years old then and surely knew what were happening.
Very often he blamed his failures on luck,now was it luck? No.never success or good fortune do not come easy we have to earn it.Good fortune do not fall from heaven.So from young I had learned to work hard to achieve our goal.
As if not enough one fine morning we found her lying in one of the coffin.Much to the displeasure of the coffin owner..In discontent he told our grandmother,"Granny,should you ever die I can even present one to you but not now that you are alive"..We also gathered round her beckoning her to come away from the coffin.
How dreadful was that event and it bothered all of us badly.That was another occasion almost a few days later she went missing in the middle of the night.We searched every where but she was no where to be found.So we broke up different direction to locate.
My brother and father found her at the jetty a short distance away.She was contemplating to jump into the Perak River.Had she jumped that very instant that would be her end but no she was just standing there.
In haste our father grabbed hold her .She never utter anything but refused to bulge.Seeing that he was forced to carry her home..Our dear Auntie when she heard of this incident rushed from Kuala Lumpur almost immediately.
Without waiting for any explanation she bundled our grandmother into her car and whisked her of back to Kuala Lumpur.She was of course angry at our father for attending to her mother properly.
I was then in Form three.We had to walk to school daily and what distance to the Anglo Chinese School (Secondary). Many a times went on without breakfast.Our dear Auntie was reside near to the Capitol Theatre which we passed daily on our way to school.
Her generosity were showed on us for as we passed her place she would invite us into her house for some breakfast plus tea.Bless her for that otherwise wise would have to drink only plain water until we were home for lunch.Those I also attended the Chinese afternoon classes held at the Anglo Chinese School (Primary) in the afternoon.
However I studied for about two years before giving up because I had no money to pay the school fees.That was why I can read and write some Mandarin.Though I was unable to pay the fees the teacher still invited me to continue studying there but I was too shy to accept those kind gesture.What a bloody shame really.
She had refused our uncle to sell the house to help him to finance his business which he promised would bring us back to former glory She never trusted him for she knew him well.Most of all she was preserving that last inheritance to protect us..
All maybe lost still she kept it so we have a roof over over heads.Now with its lost she lost fate and left with a broken heart.The whole affair was driving her mad.She was not enjoying her stay with her daughter in Kuala Lumpur for she only wanted to reside in her own house with her grandchildren,that be us.
The staying away from us did her no good either as her condition was deteriorating further.She wanted to come home to us.Knowing our predicaments our Auntie held her back but with her constant pestering she just had to send her back when it was becoming unbearable.
She had expected our father to improve our status if not at least reside in a more decent house.Further the business running but to her dismay this was never to be.She was utterly shocked to see coffins in the show room.She stood there speechless.
Her emotions took another beating and her face turned paler.In anger she clasped her hard and then open up signifying the lost of everything.She had expected our father to do good with the capital he had in hand.How wrong she was?Now it was clear to her all were lost.
To make matter worst our father continued to pester for more money which she never had.That sent her reeling off her mind.She began walking around looking forlorn into the emptiness around.With teary eyes she would all of a sudden out of the blue let off clapping and then stretched her hands out to signify all were lost,the last of the family's fortune.
She undoubtedly was blaming herself. Dear old grandmother how deeply hurt she was.Our father never learn that he was never a business man.Life was never what he had in mind.Thinking back I think we all cannot totally blamed him for his failures because he was a pampered child for a start.
Although an adopted child he was well loved and never endured any hard life during his younger days.He had most things in life and when he did not perform well at school locally he was sent to study in Ipoh.That was where I think he squandered away his time studying mixing around with "pigs and dogs friend" as our mother used to emphasize regarding his friends.. .
He had not indulged fully into business but instead slowly squandered away all the money given to him.His stock in timber was never huge in any manner and therefore having not much share in the business.Maybe his strategy was all wrong.I was about thirteen years old then and surely knew what were happening.
Very often he blamed his failures on luck,now was it luck? No.never success or good fortune do not come easy we have to earn it.Good fortune do not fall from heaven.So from young I had learned to work hard to achieve our goal.
As if not enough one fine morning we found her lying in one of the coffin.Much to the displeasure of the coffin owner..In discontent he told our grandmother,"Granny,should you ever die I can even present one to you but not now that you are alive"..We also gathered round her beckoning her to come away from the coffin.
How dreadful was that event and it bothered all of us badly.That was another occasion almost a few days later she went missing in the middle of the night.We searched every where but she was no where to be found.So we broke up different direction to locate.
My brother and father found her at the jetty a short distance away.She was contemplating to jump into the Perak River.Had she jumped that very instant that would be her end but no she was just standing there.
In haste our father grabbed hold her .She never utter anything but refused to bulge.Seeing that he was forced to carry her home..Our dear Auntie when she heard of this incident rushed from Kuala Lumpur almost immediately.
Without waiting for any explanation she bundled our grandmother into her car and whisked her of back to Kuala Lumpur.She was of course angry at our father for attending to her mother properly.
I was then in Form three.We had to walk to school daily and what distance to the Anglo Chinese School (Secondary). Many a times went on without breakfast.Our dear Auntie was reside near to the Capitol Theatre which we passed daily on our way to school.
Her generosity were showed on us for as we passed her place she would invite us into her house for some breakfast plus tea.Bless her for that otherwise wise would have to drink only plain water until we were home for lunch.Those I also attended the Chinese afternoon classes held at the Anglo Chinese School (Primary) in the afternoon.
However I studied for about two years before giving up because I had no money to pay the school fees.That was why I can read and write some Mandarin.Though I was unable to pay the fees the teacher still invited me to continue studying there but I was too shy to accept those kind gesture.What a bloody shame really.
Chap[ter 17 The Coffin Bunsiness
With the termination of our timber business our father rented the showroom to a coffin seller.So dear friends hat was never anything to do with us.
What a dreadful sign with coffins lying all round but we were too young to understand much so we as usual played around those coffins.Now everyone thought we were children of a coffin trader.How awful- being known coffin man's children.
Nevertheless we still played around those coffins.Some of our friends even played hide and seek with them hiding with these coffins.They even dared sleeping in them but never me I dared not.
Once I was insulted by a big bully and was challenged to fight him.Not fearing for the worst I stood up against him with drawn fists.He was starring deep into me with fist ready to punch.
He was huge in size and definitely hanged there over looking down on me Me, I was short and small comparatively.I was surely at a disadvantage against this brute. Nevertheless I braved on looking back at him.
Seeing him on the standoff I without hesitation swan my right uppercutting on to his chin.It was a strong and powerful punch.Poor thing was dropped to the floor by that punch.Next thing I knew I was proclaimed the hero from all angles.
"Wah",so said Ah Bye our one legged friend,"only one single punch and down felt the big bully.Very good". with everyone crowding around me he could not even rise up to fight me further.From then on I was known as a fighter a very good fighter.
During our stay there we had meet with another character,an apprentice of the carpenter.He was also staying at the workshop and it was he who taught me some Chinese "kungfu". His name was a Ah Soi semi- cracko.
My cousin who was working next door also taught me other "kungfu"moves.Strengthenimg my arms and fists by shadow boxing on trees.He was very skilful and could smashed the bark of trees with his fore arms..With such guidance how can I be a weakling?.
The extra field where our house stood also served as our training ground.The logs for the nearby sawmill also laid ready for us to train our jumping and resting.Resting to gaze at the starry nights of the beautiful sky.
There a large tract of land behid our house laying in waste.Littered with tall coconut palms through out the and with no coconuts in sight,presumably stolen before even mature.The undergrowth within were thick bushes.
Within this hid the "moon shiners".I had actually taken a peep at it once in the morning when the moon shiners were not around.They normally operated at night,deep into the night where no one noticed them.
The place was filthy with many rusty drums filled with dirty water lying around.There were dead rats by its side.Those have been drown in the moon shine.How on earth human being could have consumed such drinks..However they outings were short lived as soon the Police had them arrested and prosecuted in court. That ended their business.
Our father had nothing t do so he turned to writing small reports to certain not so well known newspaper.Earnings from such were extremely low if at all he was paid.Our livelihood was at its lowest then but carried on.
What a dreadful sign with coffins lying all round but we were too young to understand much so we as usual played around those coffins.Now everyone thought we were children of a coffin trader.How awful- being known coffin man's children.
Nevertheless we still played around those coffins.Some of our friends even played hide and seek with them hiding with these coffins.They even dared sleeping in them but never me I dared not.
Once I was insulted by a big bully and was challenged to fight him.Not fearing for the worst I stood up against him with drawn fists.He was starring deep into me with fist ready to punch.
He was huge in size and definitely hanged there over looking down on me Me, I was short and small comparatively.I was surely at a disadvantage against this brute. Nevertheless I braved on looking back at him.
Seeing him on the standoff I without hesitation swan my right uppercutting on to his chin.It was a strong and powerful punch.Poor thing was dropped to the floor by that punch.Next thing I knew I was proclaimed the hero from all angles.
"Wah",so said Ah Bye our one legged friend,"only one single punch and down felt the big bully.Very good". with everyone crowding around me he could not even rise up to fight me further.From then on I was known as a fighter a very good fighter.
During our stay there we had meet with another character,an apprentice of the carpenter.He was also staying at the workshop and it was he who taught me some Chinese "kungfu". His name was a Ah Soi semi- cracko.
My cousin who was working next door also taught me other "kungfu"moves.Strengthenimg my arms and fists by shadow boxing on trees.He was very skilful and could smashed the bark of trees with his fore arms..With such guidance how can I be a weakling?.
The extra field where our house stood also served as our training ground.The logs for the nearby sawmill also laid ready for us to train our jumping and resting.Resting to gaze at the starry nights of the beautiful sky.
There a large tract of land behid our house laying in waste.Littered with tall coconut palms through out the and with no coconuts in sight,presumably stolen before even mature.The undergrowth within were thick bushes.
Within this hid the "moon shiners".I had actually taken a peep at it once in the morning when the moon shiners were not around.They normally operated at night,deep into the night where no one noticed them.
The place was filthy with many rusty drums filled with dirty water lying around.There were dead rats by its side.Those have been drown in the moon shine.How on earth human being could have consumed such drinks..However they outings were short lived as soon the Police had them arrested and prosecuted in court. That ended their business.
Our father had nothing t do so he turned to writing small reports to certain not so well known newspaper.Earnings from such were extremely low if at all he was paid.Our livelihood was at its lowest then but carried on.
Chater 16 Our Father's Busiess.
We finally shifted to our father's office cum home along Immigration Road .We were only occupying one half of the house.
The other part,lived another tenants.We all had to live in one room with office space as sitting room.There was a Carpenter's workshop in front of our house with the rest of the space rested the timber our father had to trade.
The house was about two chains from the main road.On our right side was a saw milll. And on our left was another timber trader with very large stick of timber.At the back of our house about three chains or so away was the Perak River.
We were scared of the river initially but not for long before we ventured near it.We slowly got accustomed to it and took the courage to plunge into - it learning to swim.Weng Cheong came along when we began learning to swim.
Well,all of us shared the same amount of river water we swallowed during those days.It was no easy tasks learning to swim.We had no one to guide us either.Nevertheless,through trials and errors, by diving from one end to another we splashed ourselves to be quite good swimmers.
We were quite foolish to have ignored the danger of drowning.The fact was we were learning to swim in depths which were above our heads,It nearly proved fatal as one of us nearly got into trouble. Had it not been the presence of mine I pulled him away from danger in the need of time,thus pulling him to safety.It was Weng Cheong.Well no tears no gain at least all of us can swim thereafter.
The river was known for its other dangers from crocodiles,and fast tidal flowing river.As days drifted by we became stronger,tougher in mind and body.Daily we would played and swam around those areas with or without Weng Cheong we were always there .By now we had many new friends then all fairly naked waist up and completely without when swimming.
We also learned to fish, failing which we stole from the traps set by fishermen.The sides of the river were often laid with all sort of traps to catch shrimps and fish.The fishermen laid them during low tide only to return to catch fish and shrimps as the tide recede.
Water snakes were aplenty and sometimes when feeling for fish within those traps we would accidentally grabbed them and what a terrifying scared.The mangrove swamp also provided us with fruits,very sour fruits which monkeys dared not eat.Their trees also provided us with diving board.It was fun diving naked
Yeah,I was twelve to thirteen years old then.With this new group of friends we would play all sort of pranks beyond description.We were now change completely in this new environment..Here we knew about smoking and gambling but we were nowhere as we do not have the means to service such vices.
I remembered an occasion where I and my brother joined these friends there to carry funeral banners for a miserable two ringgit.What to do - no other means of getting pocket money.However our earnings were only spent on things we like to eat never otherwise.
We did that only once never again as we faced the gossiping tongues of people known to us. I felt no shame for our actions as we did not steal to earn that pocket money.Perhaps to carry funeral banners were not so honorable but what is honor without money.
Our father's business was never good.Despite the fact that now that he had sufficient the capital to work with. There were not much timber in stock at his showroom.Whereas his immediate neighbor had full of stocks customers could choose from.Until this day I still how this were so?.
Business was never good.He hardly made any big sales.Days went by and months drifted off yet his business was still at its lowest.In short we were only living on our money given to us by our dear grandmother.
To what I perceived our dear father does not know how to do business .All he knew was how to enjoy himself.He was gambling in the evening in clubs.Although only playing mahjong but at bigger stake.All these should have been beyond his means..
He was smart in keeping our mother quiet by supplying her sufficient for her to indulge deeply in her own life style,also gambling by playing mahjong.Her stakes were small but losing almost all the time.
Once one evening we followed our mother to a hotel where our father was seen hanging around.There was a quarrel and our father left that together with us.So we also harbor the belief that his past time was playing mahjong.Now it was exposed that he was also involved in womanizing.
Very soon the money in his hands dwindled away.After a year or so he had no more money t spent let alone buy us food.Rice became our most after item and we were daily in dire need of it.Each daily consumption were purchased in katty.
Then there were none in our rice contain our mother resorted to borrowing but when you were so down and broke even borrowing became a mighty problem.Luckily there were only a handful of relatives to rely on but foe how long?My auntie (her sister) assist many a times.
Here we also meet with a good Samaritan in a youth we called "botha"his actual named was Ah Yean..He was a loner who aided those illegal four digits people serving as their "runner".He was paid for all his runs whenever there were races.
He had been eating in our home for sometime and when there were no more rice in the coffer he obligated by buying some for us.A very kind gesture indeed it came just as when we were in need of it.
Other mother on the hand went back to tap rubber for small holders.Her earnings were not much just sufficient for us to get by.By then our rentals of the house were due.There were no money tio replenish our timber stock and therefore our father had to close shop,
The other part,lived another tenants.We all had to live in one room with office space as sitting room.There was a Carpenter's workshop in front of our house with the rest of the space rested the timber our father had to trade.
The house was about two chains from the main road.On our right side was a saw milll. And on our left was another timber trader with very large stick of timber.At the back of our house about three chains or so away was the Perak River.
We were scared of the river initially but not for long before we ventured near it.We slowly got accustomed to it and took the courage to plunge into - it learning to swim.Weng Cheong came along when we began learning to swim.
Well,all of us shared the same amount of river water we swallowed during those days.It was no easy tasks learning to swim.We had no one to guide us either.Nevertheless,through trials and errors, by diving from one end to another we splashed ourselves to be quite good swimmers.
We were quite foolish to have ignored the danger of drowning.The fact was we were learning to swim in depths which were above our heads,It nearly proved fatal as one of us nearly got into trouble. Had it not been the presence of mine I pulled him away from danger in the need of time,thus pulling him to safety.It was Weng Cheong.Well no tears no gain at least all of us can swim thereafter.
The river was known for its other dangers from crocodiles,and fast tidal flowing river.As days drifted by we became stronger,tougher in mind and body.Daily we would played and swam around those areas with or without Weng Cheong we were always there .By now we had many new friends then all fairly naked waist up and completely without when swimming.
We also learned to fish, failing which we stole from the traps set by fishermen.The sides of the river were often laid with all sort of traps to catch shrimps and fish.The fishermen laid them during low tide only to return to catch fish and shrimps as the tide recede.
Water snakes were aplenty and sometimes when feeling for fish within those traps we would accidentally grabbed them and what a terrifying scared.The mangrove swamp also provided us with fruits,very sour fruits which monkeys dared not eat.Their trees also provided us with diving board.It was fun diving naked
Yeah,I was twelve to thirteen years old then.With this new group of friends we would play all sort of pranks beyond description.We were now change completely in this new environment..Here we knew about smoking and gambling but we were nowhere as we do not have the means to service such vices.
I remembered an occasion where I and my brother joined these friends there to carry funeral banners for a miserable two ringgit.What to do - no other means of getting pocket money.However our earnings were only spent on things we like to eat never otherwise.
We did that only once never again as we faced the gossiping tongues of people known to us. I felt no shame for our actions as we did not steal to earn that pocket money.Perhaps to carry funeral banners were not so honorable but what is honor without money.
Our father's business was never good.Despite the fact that now that he had sufficient the capital to work with. There were not much timber in stock at his showroom.Whereas his immediate neighbor had full of stocks customers could choose from.Until this day I still how this were so?.
Business was never good.He hardly made any big sales.Days went by and months drifted off yet his business was still at its lowest.In short we were only living on our money given to us by our dear grandmother.
To what I perceived our dear father does not know how to do business .All he knew was how to enjoy himself.He was gambling in the evening in clubs.Although only playing mahjong but at bigger stake.All these should have been beyond his means..
He was smart in keeping our mother quiet by supplying her sufficient for her to indulge deeply in her own life style,also gambling by playing mahjong.Her stakes were small but losing almost all the time.
Once one evening we followed our mother to a hotel where our father was seen hanging around.There was a quarrel and our father left that together with us.So we also harbor the belief that his past time was playing mahjong.Now it was exposed that he was also involved in womanizing.
Very soon the money in his hands dwindled away.After a year or so he had no more money t spent let alone buy us food.Rice became our most after item and we were daily in dire need of it.Each daily consumption were purchased in katty.
Then there were none in our rice contain our mother resorted to borrowing but when you were so down and broke even borrowing became a mighty problem.Luckily there were only a handful of relatives to rely on but foe how long?My auntie (her sister) assist many a times.
Here we also meet with a good Samaritan in a youth we called "botha"his actual named was Ah Yean..He was a loner who aided those illegal four digits people serving as their "runner".He was paid for all his runs whenever there were races.
He had been eating in our home for sometime and when there were no more rice in the coffer he obligated by buying some for us.A very kind gesture indeed it came just as when we were in need of it.
Other mother on the hand went back to tap rubber for small holders.Her earnings were not much just sufficient for us to get by.By then our rentals of the house were due.There were no money tio replenish our timber stock and therefore our father had to close shop,
Chapter 15 Our Final Days At Anson Road.
Alas,we come to our final stage of our stay in Anson Road.Yes,there were things we would missed dearly.I was than about twelve years old.
For example our dear wooden house which had provided with much warm and shade us from the raging sun.Although "attap" roof shielded us from those torturous rain falls.We would also missed those floods which came after the rain in rainy season.
The flood that reached almost to our raised ground floor,where we always laid by its door steps to watch the flooding water moved around.Bringing tiny green worms floating by.Though we tried catching them but let them off as soon as the wiggled in out tiny hands.
However the flooding water never raised above our floor level.Our floor had been raised in anticipation with the routine flooding.After the floods walking in the gardener were almost impossible because much mud would stick on to our feet.Two pieces of planks were place from our door steps towards the main road to facilitate easy movement.
There were two mangoes trees in front of our house these trees had served us well by providing us plenty of mangoes during its season.We will also missed our red hibiscus fencing where we played around it most of the time.
The side drain marking the boundary between us our neighbor,where we did much fishing? .Fishing? Nor really but fishing ells from holes by the side of that drains.Those dank brown snaky thing were quite huge in sizes.
We dared not consumed then just for playing then released back where they came from.The water table in our land was quite high and a foot of digging water would flow out to fill that hole.That where we kept our ells but the next day all would have escaped.Nevertheless it was fun fishing them for those ells gave strong struggle before we can hauled them off their santuary.
Like to know how we learned to badminton? .Owning those expensive rackets and and shutter cocks were beyond our means.In most evening our neighbors were always playing badminton with their friends at a court near our boundary.
Although fenced with bard wire there were also a line of bamboo planted to prevent others from looking into them.The beauty here was that at times their shutter cocks over shot and landed on our side where retrieving them were quite impossible.
When ever that happened they allowed the shutter cock be as it was on our side.Well.all we had to do was just to wait for them to go away from their game.Only then we would collect those dropped over and used for ourselves.
For rackets we fabricated them from pieces of planks.All we need to do was to shaved one end small sufficiently for our grips.Not much of a racket without any tension but it served us well as beginners.From that humble beginning we became badminton players although not by world standard but we do know how to play badminton.The three of us enjoyed our game tremendously..
Our days of having our own sweet potatoes roasting no more.Those days we used to dig up from the field at the back.Our maternal grandfather had planted all those sweet potatoes whenever he was around our place.Beside this he also planted other vegetables..
Gone will also be our sole source of pocket money from those coconut trees.I think it was good as I have nothing more to climb.Remember those tall palms were quite dangerous,a simple slip could be fatal.
We would be missing our dear friends the Chong brothers and others like Loke Weng Cheong. Remember Suan Leng was my protector all those while.Now shifting away would mean I have to stand up for own self.But was that possible as I was never very strong or tough.
The Chongs had been our benefactor for years.Their father had been very generous to us as year after year he had been supplying us our school books.Although used but it help us tremendously as we were very poor then and our parents could ill effort all those books anyway.Therefore we are indebted to them.His honorable gesture will longed be remembered and treasured by us.
I would be against all odds and have to fight my own battle when we shift away.We have to grow up somehow sooner or later.We would be moving to an area known for its bad hats.That part was like the new villages,people were all Chinese.Known rowdies were from those areas.
It was called in Chinese."par Mei" or the other far end of the field in this case town..Now that we were shifting we had just to do as the Romans when in Rome.In short we be in the company of a totally different set of people.Those rough and dirty language type.To them XXXXXX your mother appeared to be "good morning".
Our life styles will definitely be not the same anymore.We were not the high class type nor we the middle class.We were from the struggling workers type - a more gentle type.
The whole episode grief our dear grand mother deeply.She cried in silence but whatever it be it was all over her face.Every morning she wake up with very, very sad look.As she walked around her face seem blank walking away aimlessly.
And out of no where she would suddenly clapped her hands and opened her palms wide as if to denote that everything were no more,all gone.Her thoughts ran wild.Fortunately there was our Auntie who when learning of her plight immediately took her home to Kuala Lumpur,away from this sad environment so created.
Poor grand mother she was blaming herself for the lost of the final property.She never got over that idea of having sold the property.No amount of kind words could bring mind back to happiness.To think of it brings back bad memories for her.
For example our dear wooden house which had provided with much warm and shade us from the raging sun.Although "attap" roof shielded us from those torturous rain falls.We would also missed those floods which came after the rain in rainy season.
The flood that reached almost to our raised ground floor,where we always laid by its door steps to watch the flooding water moved around.Bringing tiny green worms floating by.Though we tried catching them but let them off as soon as the wiggled in out tiny hands.
However the flooding water never raised above our floor level.Our floor had been raised in anticipation with the routine flooding.After the floods walking in the gardener were almost impossible because much mud would stick on to our feet.Two pieces of planks were place from our door steps towards the main road to facilitate easy movement.
There were two mangoes trees in front of our house these trees had served us well by providing us plenty of mangoes during its season.We will also missed our red hibiscus fencing where we played around it most of the time.
The side drain marking the boundary between us our neighbor,where we did much fishing? .Fishing? Nor really but fishing ells from holes by the side of that drains.Those dank brown snaky thing were quite huge in sizes.
We dared not consumed then just for playing then released back where they came from.The water table in our land was quite high and a foot of digging water would flow out to fill that hole.That where we kept our ells but the next day all would have escaped.Nevertheless it was fun fishing them for those ells gave strong struggle before we can hauled them off their santuary.
Like to know how we learned to badminton? .Owning those expensive rackets and and shutter cocks were beyond our means.In most evening our neighbors were always playing badminton with their friends at a court near our boundary.
Although fenced with bard wire there were also a line of bamboo planted to prevent others from looking into them.The beauty here was that at times their shutter cocks over shot and landed on our side where retrieving them were quite impossible.
When ever that happened they allowed the shutter cock be as it was on our side.Well.all we had to do was just to wait for them to go away from their game.Only then we would collect those dropped over and used for ourselves.
For rackets we fabricated them from pieces of planks.All we need to do was to shaved one end small sufficiently for our grips.Not much of a racket without any tension but it served us well as beginners.From that humble beginning we became badminton players although not by world standard but we do know how to play badminton.The three of us enjoyed our game tremendously..
Our days of having our own sweet potatoes roasting no more.Those days we used to dig up from the field at the back.Our maternal grandfather had planted all those sweet potatoes whenever he was around our place.Beside this he also planted other vegetables..
Gone will also be our sole source of pocket money from those coconut trees.I think it was good as I have nothing more to climb.Remember those tall palms were quite dangerous,a simple slip could be fatal.
We would be missing our dear friends the Chong brothers and others like Loke Weng Cheong. Remember Suan Leng was my protector all those while.Now shifting away would mean I have to stand up for own self.But was that possible as I was never very strong or tough.
The Chongs had been our benefactor for years.Their father had been very generous to us as year after year he had been supplying us our school books.Although used but it help us tremendously as we were very poor then and our parents could ill effort all those books anyway.Therefore we are indebted to them.His honorable gesture will longed be remembered and treasured by us.
I would be against all odds and have to fight my own battle when we shift away.We have to grow up somehow sooner or later.We would be moving to an area known for its bad hats.That part was like the new villages,people were all Chinese.Known rowdies were from those areas.
It was called in Chinese."par Mei" or the other far end of the field in this case town..Now that we were shifting we had just to do as the Romans when in Rome.In short we be in the company of a totally different set of people.Those rough and dirty language type.To them XXXXXX your mother appeared to be "good morning".
Our life styles will definitely be not the same anymore.We were not the high class type nor we the middle class.We were from the struggling workers type - a more gentle type.
The whole episode grief our dear grand mother deeply.She cried in silence but whatever it be it was all over her face.Every morning she wake up with very, very sad look.As she walked around her face seem blank walking away aimlessly.
And out of no where she would suddenly clapped her hands and opened her palms wide as if to denote that everything were no more,all gone.Her thoughts ran wild.Fortunately there was our Auntie who when learning of her plight immediately took her home to Kuala Lumpur,away from this sad environment so created.
Poor grand mother she was blaming herself for the lost of the final property.She never got over that idea of having sold the property.No amount of kind words could bring mind back to happiness.To think of it brings back bad memories for her.
Chapter 14 House/Land Finally Disposed
Alas,the house and land we all loved finally was to be sold.It saddened us deeply as the hose and land were our play ground most of the time.
The land behind were planted with sugar canes and plenty of sweet potatoes and other vegetables.The sugar cane gave us plenty to chewed on and extremely sweet.The growing sweet potatoes gave us something to roast on in days we had no money to buy other things to eat.The leaves gave us our green vegetables in time of need.
The tall coconut palms gave our father a little pocket money when he was in need There was a time where he was cheated by an Indian plucker who sold all the nuts he plucked and never returned with the money.When in need even a thief would spare you.
From time to time I too did tried to pluck some nuts to secure some pocket money on our own.While I climbed my kid brother would direct me to which nuts to pluck from the base.Just imagine I was then about eleven years old and my hands could hardy hold round those coconut palms tightly.
Their heights were nothing less than twenty five feet high.No matter what - there were no tasks easier than this yet I overcame it. No money came dandier than this.This were our coconut palms,we were not stealing.Stealing from our own tree was not stealing.No pocket money this was our way out.
All we got were a few cents per nut,not much but plenty to us. I bruised chest while climbing down which I hid up by wearing a shirt over it most of the time for a few days otherwise we went around half naked.One little secret when I was a little boy I never wore clothing as I ran around our compound.I really put on clothing on remittance to school.
Talking about falling from tree I actually felled down from one tree once.In fact I glided down with a broken branch.I always lie to climb tree while a young boy Most of the trees around our land had been climbed by me.
One day I was up a tree about twenty odd high when the branch I sat on suddenly break away..The branch glided down following strong gust of wind blowing.Circled slightly before it landed directly on ground.When I touched ground I was still sitting on that branch.
What a lucky escape at the full view of all present Mt maternal grandmother ,my siblings and two other cousins.We had a good laugh over it.A fall I remembered firever.
The land behind were planted with sugar canes and plenty of sweet potatoes and other vegetables.The sugar cane gave us plenty to chewed on and extremely sweet.The growing sweet potatoes gave us something to roast on in days we had no money to buy other things to eat.The leaves gave us our green vegetables in time of need.
The tall coconut palms gave our father a little pocket money when he was in need There was a time where he was cheated by an Indian plucker who sold all the nuts he plucked and never returned with the money.When in need even a thief would spare you.
From time to time I too did tried to pluck some nuts to secure some pocket money on our own.While I climbed my kid brother would direct me to which nuts to pluck from the base.Just imagine I was then about eleven years old and my hands could hardy hold round those coconut palms tightly.
Their heights were nothing less than twenty five feet high.No matter what - there were no tasks easier than this yet I overcame it. No money came dandier than this.This were our coconut palms,we were not stealing.Stealing from our own tree was not stealing.No pocket money this was our way out.
All we got were a few cents per nut,not much but plenty to us. I bruised chest while climbing down which I hid up by wearing a shirt over it most of the time for a few days otherwise we went around half naked.One little secret when I was a little boy I never wore clothing as I ran around our compound.I really put on clothing on remittance to school.
Talking about falling from tree I actually felled down from one tree once.In fact I glided down with a broken branch.I always lie to climb tree while a young boy Most of the trees around our land had been climbed by me.
One day I was up a tree about twenty odd high when the branch I sat on suddenly break away..The branch glided down following strong gust of wind blowing.Circled slightly before it landed directly on ground.When I touched ground I was still sitting on that branch.
What a lucky escape at the full view of all present Mt maternal grandmother ,my siblings and two other cousins.We had a good laugh over it.A fall I remembered firever.
Chapter 13 Grandmother's Anger
Our parents were never good in business, In many small ways their involvements were most of the time failures.Take for example our mother her business at the coffee stall unde0r the clock tower was a complete failure.Never mind the reasons leading to it.
Our father worst still,he never had any experience at all.When the family's fortune were taking a dipped he was still playing around at school.It was very unfortunate as the war also took its toll not only the family's fortune but also on him.
During the war they were on the run and when they came back during the Japanese occupation all their properties were loss. He was then jobless moving around with some so called friends of which most were idlers.All dreamers who had nothing to do.
We were then residing along Anson Road which our grandmother built.All those dreamers not only loitered around town with our father also led him by nose into all sort of wild suggestions.Most of their suggestions ended in losses.Much to the discontent of our grandmother.
I remembered that there were a time that our father did some selling of timber from our house.However without capital his stock were never large.He tried to obtained them from our grandmother but by then most of her savings were gone,
We were fortunate to have the wooden house with roof over our heads.Poor grandmother was determined to hold on to it until her death.There were no doubt that our father was all the time trying to induce her to sell the house plus land away but our grandmother flatly refused him.
The back of our house was rented out to a clog maker but after some time he shifted away.Another tenant a night hawker who plied his trade of salt fruits etc. at the Great World Park was our next tenant.I remember that hawker well as he was a joyful man cracking jokes all the time with us.
It was he who spotted my younger brother drawing in the sand.My brother was than only five years old or so and he drawing well with just twigs on the sand.A budding artist in the making.He was always full of praise for my brother then.
He rented our back portion residing with his family of five plus another brother.Both brothers sold their salted fruits together.The brother was once spotted by a British film director to play a p[art as a Japanese officer in a film..
This "Ah Loy Sok" as we fondly called him whenever he saw me he would speak English his way."Fatt Tit Four Fue Come Tit Mau See."That was because I was send to study in an English school.
Our next tenant who rented part of our land on the left side to trade in sawn timber.This trader had large capital invested on that trade.Not only that he was very enterprising as he also hand saw huge "Chengal logs"By such he was making more profit because labour force extremely cheap then.
Then,for the first time I saw the sawing of logs to timber by sheer human strength. Just imagine only two thin old men could lift by chain blocks up to a sawing bench with little effort and brain.Sawing by machinery would be more costly apparently.
In short we were actually surviving on house rentals.My mother was tapping rubber for small holders then During our schoold holidays we would follow her ther the rubber hlding to help he by cleaning the latex cups.
On leaving the home guard our father was jobless for a couple years.Later when his brother open business trading in sawn timber he employed by him at $ 5/= per day.The business lasted a year or so before he finally closed shop.
For long our father had always pestered our dear old grandmother to dispose our last property so that he could involved fully in business with sufficient capital to roll on.He was of course dreaming that he could succeed.
Many a times our grand mother had managed to escape his pestering by simply vanishing to Kuala Lumpur.That trick worked many times but our father never gave up,he pressured on relentlessly.most of the time.
Dear grandmother she longed for us and therefore often returned to Teluk Anson,only to face her son's wrath time and again,until one day she broke down and cried out,"Alright,I will sell it and let you have all the money'".
Selling was easy,but at a cut throat price.Those days money value were fantastically low.Money were scared and difficult to come by.Those who had held tightly to them.So when our last property was put on sales everyone tired to knock it down to rock bottom.
Our father apparently was relentless pressured on our poor grandmother.With much sadness and with teary eyes she finally had to let go.Despite pf all odds - to give her only son a chance to make good in business,a thing she had no fate in knowing her son capability.
Nevertheless she felt it was time to let go and allowed the fruatration imbedded within her to flow away.However when she agreed to sell that report there were numerous bad gossips. Adverse talks about how my father threatened and forced her to make such a rash action.One of the worst we heard was that our father threatened our dear grandmother with a knife and she sold it at knife point.
How true or absurd we were never clear but our grandmother did sold that property,our last inheritance.The buyer knew my plight there had offered to purchase it at an extremely exorbitant low price.
Take it or leave it, they said.Our poor grandmother was so hard pressed and with no other alternative that she just simply agreed to part with it.At least it was off her chest.What a tragic end to our last property.Our house plus the land of slightly more than one acres went up for only fourteen thousand five hundred ringgit.
The deal were much lower the current value those days.It should have been doubled or more.Initially she gave only part to our father to start his timber business but ultimately surrendered almost all to him.
Once the propert was sold we had to mov out of that property.We moved into a one room and one office house at our father business site.There our whole structure and out look in life took a drastic changed for the worst.Bad may it be but we strived on and survived.
Our father worst still,he never had any experience at all.When the family's fortune were taking a dipped he was still playing around at school.It was very unfortunate as the war also took its toll not only the family's fortune but also on him.
During the war they were on the run and when they came back during the Japanese occupation all their properties were loss. He was then jobless moving around with some so called friends of which most were idlers.All dreamers who had nothing to do.
We were then residing along Anson Road which our grandmother built.All those dreamers not only loitered around town with our father also led him by nose into all sort of wild suggestions.Most of their suggestions ended in losses.Much to the discontent of our grandmother.
I remembered that there were a time that our father did some selling of timber from our house.However without capital his stock were never large.He tried to obtained them from our grandmother but by then most of her savings were gone,
We were fortunate to have the wooden house with roof over our heads.Poor grandmother was determined to hold on to it until her death.There were no doubt that our father was all the time trying to induce her to sell the house plus land away but our grandmother flatly refused him.
The back of our house was rented out to a clog maker but after some time he shifted away.Another tenant a night hawker who plied his trade of salt fruits etc. at the Great World Park was our next tenant.I remember that hawker well as he was a joyful man cracking jokes all the time with us.
It was he who spotted my younger brother drawing in the sand.My brother was than only five years old or so and he drawing well with just twigs on the sand.A budding artist in the making.He was always full of praise for my brother then.
He rented our back portion residing with his family of five plus another brother.Both brothers sold their salted fruits together.The brother was once spotted by a British film director to play a p[art as a Japanese officer in a film..
This "Ah Loy Sok" as we fondly called him whenever he saw me he would speak English his way."Fatt Tit Four Fue Come Tit Mau See."That was because I was send to study in an English school.
Our next tenant who rented part of our land on the left side to trade in sawn timber.This trader had large capital invested on that trade.Not only that he was very enterprising as he also hand saw huge "Chengal logs"By such he was making more profit because labour force extremely cheap then.
Then,for the first time I saw the sawing of logs to timber by sheer human strength. Just imagine only two thin old men could lift by chain blocks up to a sawing bench with little effort and brain.Sawing by machinery would be more costly apparently.
In short we were actually surviving on house rentals.My mother was tapping rubber for small holders then During our schoold holidays we would follow her ther the rubber hlding to help he by cleaning the latex cups.
On leaving the home guard our father was jobless for a couple years.Later when his brother open business trading in sawn timber he employed by him at $ 5/= per day.The business lasted a year or so before he finally closed shop.
For long our father had always pestered our dear old grandmother to dispose our last property so that he could involved fully in business with sufficient capital to roll on.He was of course dreaming that he could succeed.
Many a times our grand mother had managed to escape his pestering by simply vanishing to Kuala Lumpur.That trick worked many times but our father never gave up,he pressured on relentlessly.most of the time.
Dear grandmother she longed for us and therefore often returned to Teluk Anson,only to face her son's wrath time and again,until one day she broke down and cried out,"Alright,I will sell it and let you have all the money'".
Selling was easy,but at a cut throat price.Those days money value were fantastically low.Money were scared and difficult to come by.Those who had held tightly to them.So when our last property was put on sales everyone tired to knock it down to rock bottom.
Our father apparently was relentless pressured on our poor grandmother.With much sadness and with teary eyes she finally had to let go.Despite pf all odds - to give her only son a chance to make good in business,a thing she had no fate in knowing her son capability.
Nevertheless she felt it was time to let go and allowed the fruatration imbedded within her to flow away.However when she agreed to sell that report there were numerous bad gossips. Adverse talks about how my father threatened and forced her to make such a rash action.One of the worst we heard was that our father threatened our dear grandmother with a knife and she sold it at knife point.
How true or absurd we were never clear but our grandmother did sold that property,our last inheritance.The buyer knew my plight there had offered to purchase it at an extremely exorbitant low price.
Take it or leave it, they said.Our poor grandmother was so hard pressed and with no other alternative that she just simply agreed to part with it.At least it was off her chest.What a tragic end to our last property.Our house plus the land of slightly more than one acres went up for only fourteen thousand five hundred ringgit.
The deal were much lower the current value those days.It should have been doubled or more.Initially she gave only part to our father to start his timber business but ultimately surrendered almost all to him.
Once the propert was sold we had to mov out of that property.We moved into a one room and one office house at our father business site.There our whole structure and out look in life took a drastic changed for the worst.Bad may it be but we strived on and survived.
Chapter 12 Hawkers Along Anson Road
Anson Road was not a very long road ,during our childhood days,at one extreme end was a small jetty.It catered for vegetables farmers to send their crop to the market which was situated three quarter legth of that road.
Folks from the other side of the river also dropped in there to reach town.On the other side of were a number of Malay kampongs,vegetable farms and rubber plantations.Those days no oil palm planting yet.That jetty can be considered a busy small jetty..
In front of it were a row of wooden shop houses reputed to be constructed and once owned by our grandfather.All being disposed after his demised.That was before the war and sold away thereafter.
By the side of that road was a water gate constructed to stop water during high tide especially during the rainy seasons to over flowed into the town.This was built after the great flood of Teluk Anson in 1898.Not only that the whole town were surround by bunds to prevent another flood.However since then no serious floods were encountered so far.
Beside the water gate were raised embankments where river sand were unloaded.River sand from the other side of Perak River were used for construction purposes.Many "tong kangs" served as transporters of river sand those days. Those "tong kangs "followed the natural flow of the river for their livelihood.When the river flowed down stream in low tide.
The "tong kangs"floated down stream and directed to the other side of the river where laid beautiful clean sand.The boat will then be stationed on a suitable spot and loaded with sand manually by spate scooping only after the tide receded further.
Loading were quick by the boatman but on filling to the brink they have to wait for the high tide to return.They could only moved if they boat were lifted up once again by the rising tide.Then on floating up following the flow up stream and re-directed back home.
By then the water level ought to as high as those embankments where then the sand were easily scooped off the boat.On completion they rested and rested until the next low tide. The process thus repeated over and over again.
However the used of river sand was longed phased out by the introduction of modern transportation - the lorries ,where mining sand were used in place of river sand.Thus ended the river sand trade.In Teluk Anson was another place where river sand were transported near the far end of Raja Musa Road.
I had on one occasion had the opportunity to go along with one of these "tong kangs". That was I why I know how those sand were transported those days.Mind you the water on the other side of the river were very clearer or crystal clear never muddy as on these sides of the same river.It was a trip I well remembered.
The next land mark along that road was the Dhobi Gnat where town folks had their dirty linen washed by Indian washers.Further down the road was the General Hospital and its staffs quarters.
Opposite of it was the Anglo Chinese School (Primary). After that was the Indian temple where the Hindus prayed.Come the beginning of the year there be processions of large throngs worshipers in trance.They came from all parts of Perak even further joining to celebrate worship.
That was the time the whole town were flooded with Indian devotees.They could be found everywhere sleeping on five foot ways etc or any place they could rest themselves.They would be around for two or three days until the festival was over.These were days of the past - never today.
During those festivals we,too, joined in the procession shouting in unision,"Wai!! Wai,Alo Gra". Together with worshipers following a devotee in trance pierced with numerous needles and carrying "kavadis".
After that was the market ,the clock tower. At the end of that road was the Police Station.The road actually touches both ends of the Perak River .The river normally flows meandering around the town.
That was why the soil in Teluk Anson was very fertile.It was famous those days of its green oranges.It brought much wealth to some farmers but that were short lived as that oranges were soon knocked off by some serious root diseases.That diseased stayed on thus depriving farmers of any future planting and that as a major producer.
When the crop were at its peak I remembered our mischievous deeds one of those days.As myself and a friend Ong Kee Hooi taking a short cut through one of those farms in Pasir Pedamar. We stopped when we found no farmers around to pick up some ripe oranges .We filled our bicycle bags to the brim before cycling off.
There were so many on the fruiting trees around. The farmers will never missed any of them.Of course we be in trouble should they caught red handed. Well,this was one of those pranks we often played.
Anson Road those days were an extremely busy road direct from the early hours till late at night. For example as at the break of dawn we all can see man hauled carts.Just imagine very strong guy pulling a huge cart of vegetables,or winter melons or sugar cane.
The men involved were very muscular.With a thick rope attached to the handles of the cart,he by sheer brute strength,dragged the full load forward.No doubt he was extremely strong,but he still required the services of another similarly strong guy to push from behind.This lightened his load slightly and moved faster to market.They performed more than two trips per day.What tough guys we had those days.
Following there were the bullock carts performing almost the same job.However their load were smaller compared to the former.The carts were driven by the bullock cart drive normally a Bengali.
Whenever those carts passed our house we would shout at the Bengali Driver.making fun of him He would jumped out to shout back at us.He dared not come near to us as our grandmother was always at hand to deter him.
Small farmers carried their own crops with "kandar" sticks and their produced hanging on both ends in baskets.Come durian season the aroma of durians filled the air as they passed by.Cannot afford the fruits but enjoying its wonderful smell can be a consolation.
There were many hawkers plying their trade along that stretch of road.Those days hawkers come the door steps and you need not go out to town to buy your breakfast.
Usually first to come were those selling cakes or "Kuih". Those days very cheap only five to ten cents per piece.Very often they made their presence felt by shouting out loud and clear,heralding their coming.
Most "kuih" sellers were Chinese women.I had a Malay school mate who would go round selling 'Goreng pisang" during school holidays.I should know because I always brought from him.
Then there was an Indian man who sold "kutu Moyong". No big deal it was rounded up "mee hoon",to be consumed with grinned coconut fresh.
A "ting ting" man followed ."Ting ting man" usually an old man carrying a large plate of sweet.He used his "ting ting" tools to break up the correct amount for five or ten cents sales.
We were never short of money to buy any of such eateries because my grandmother was always at hand to satisfy our demands.Grandmother never said 'No" you any of us.We were happy with her presence.
Those days ice cream were homemade type.Dirty by our today's standard.They normally came in a foot length and divided by simple cutting as per requirement.A small stick was struck at one one to serve as handle.
Come evening the hawkers were different.First an Indian selling "Pop Paing"but he would called out 'Hop,Hop" as he drew near our place.Followed by the "tick tock" mee.The push cart followed the sound of "ting tock"created by the assistant noodle seller.He made that wonderful rythematic sound by hitting two pieces of bamboos.
We seldom eat supper those days although those quite cheap,only ten cents or so per bowl of "wan ton Mee". Partly also because we were that well to do.Our dinner were sufficient to keep us full till the morning.
Folks from the other side of the river also dropped in there to reach town.On the other side of were a number of Malay kampongs,vegetable farms and rubber plantations.Those days no oil palm planting yet.That jetty can be considered a busy small jetty..
In front of it were a row of wooden shop houses reputed to be constructed and once owned by our grandfather.All being disposed after his demised.That was before the war and sold away thereafter.
By the side of that road was a water gate constructed to stop water during high tide especially during the rainy seasons to over flowed into the town.This was built after the great flood of Teluk Anson in 1898.Not only that the whole town were surround by bunds to prevent another flood.However since then no serious floods were encountered so far.
Beside the water gate were raised embankments where river sand were unloaded.River sand from the other side of Perak River were used for construction purposes.Many "tong kangs" served as transporters of river sand those days. Those "tong kangs "followed the natural flow of the river for their livelihood.When the river flowed down stream in low tide.
The "tong kangs"floated down stream and directed to the other side of the river where laid beautiful clean sand.The boat will then be stationed on a suitable spot and loaded with sand manually by spate scooping only after the tide receded further.
Loading were quick by the boatman but on filling to the brink they have to wait for the high tide to return.They could only moved if they boat were lifted up once again by the rising tide.Then on floating up following the flow up stream and re-directed back home.
By then the water level ought to as high as those embankments where then the sand were easily scooped off the boat.On completion they rested and rested until the next low tide. The process thus repeated over and over again.
However the used of river sand was longed phased out by the introduction of modern transportation - the lorries ,where mining sand were used in place of river sand.Thus ended the river sand trade.In Teluk Anson was another place where river sand were transported near the far end of Raja Musa Road.
I had on one occasion had the opportunity to go along with one of these "tong kangs". That was I why I know how those sand were transported those days.Mind you the water on the other side of the river were very clearer or crystal clear never muddy as on these sides of the same river.It was a trip I well remembered.
The next land mark along that road was the Dhobi Gnat where town folks had their dirty linen washed by Indian washers.Further down the road was the General Hospital and its staffs quarters.
Opposite of it was the Anglo Chinese School (Primary). After that was the Indian temple where the Hindus prayed.Come the beginning of the year there be processions of large throngs worshipers in trance.They came from all parts of Perak even further joining to celebrate worship.
That was the time the whole town were flooded with Indian devotees.They could be found everywhere sleeping on five foot ways etc or any place they could rest themselves.They would be around for two or three days until the festival was over.These were days of the past - never today.
During those festivals we,too, joined in the procession shouting in unision,"Wai!! Wai,Alo Gra". Together with worshipers following a devotee in trance pierced with numerous needles and carrying "kavadis".
After that was the market ,the clock tower. At the end of that road was the Police Station.The road actually touches both ends of the Perak River .The river normally flows meandering around the town.
That was why the soil in Teluk Anson was very fertile.It was famous those days of its green oranges.It brought much wealth to some farmers but that were short lived as that oranges were soon knocked off by some serious root diseases.That diseased stayed on thus depriving farmers of any future planting and that as a major producer.
When the crop were at its peak I remembered our mischievous deeds one of those days.As myself and a friend Ong Kee Hooi taking a short cut through one of those farms in Pasir Pedamar. We stopped when we found no farmers around to pick up some ripe oranges .We filled our bicycle bags to the brim before cycling off.
There were so many on the fruiting trees around. The farmers will never missed any of them.Of course we be in trouble should they caught red handed. Well,this was one of those pranks we often played.
Anson Road those days were an extremely busy road direct from the early hours till late at night. For example as at the break of dawn we all can see man hauled carts.Just imagine very strong guy pulling a huge cart of vegetables,or winter melons or sugar cane.
The men involved were very muscular.With a thick rope attached to the handles of the cart,he by sheer brute strength,dragged the full load forward.No doubt he was extremely strong,but he still required the services of another similarly strong guy to push from behind.This lightened his load slightly and moved faster to market.They performed more than two trips per day.What tough guys we had those days.
Following there were the bullock carts performing almost the same job.However their load were smaller compared to the former.The carts were driven by the bullock cart drive normally a Bengali.
Whenever those carts passed our house we would shout at the Bengali Driver.making fun of him He would jumped out to shout back at us.He dared not come near to us as our grandmother was always at hand to deter him.
Small farmers carried their own crops with "kandar" sticks and their produced hanging on both ends in baskets.Come durian season the aroma of durians filled the air as they passed by.Cannot afford the fruits but enjoying its wonderful smell can be a consolation.
There were many hawkers plying their trade along that stretch of road.Those days hawkers come the door steps and you need not go out to town to buy your breakfast.
Usually first to come were those selling cakes or "Kuih". Those days very cheap only five to ten cents per piece.Very often they made their presence felt by shouting out loud and clear,heralding their coming.
Most "kuih" sellers were Chinese women.I had a Malay school mate who would go round selling 'Goreng pisang" during school holidays.I should know because I always brought from him.
Then there was an Indian man who sold "kutu Moyong". No big deal it was rounded up "mee hoon",to be consumed with grinned coconut fresh.
A "ting ting" man followed ."Ting ting man" usually an old man carrying a large plate of sweet.He used his "ting ting" tools to break up the correct amount for five or ten cents sales.
We were never short of money to buy any of such eateries because my grandmother was always at hand to satisfy our demands.Grandmother never said 'No" you any of us.We were happy with her presence.
Those days ice cream were homemade type.Dirty by our today's standard.They normally came in a foot length and divided by simple cutting as per requirement.A small stick was struck at one one to serve as handle.
Come evening the hawkers were different.First an Indian selling "Pop Paing"but he would called out 'Hop,Hop" as he drew near our place.Followed by the "tick tock" mee.The push cart followed the sound of "ting tock"created by the assistant noodle seller.He made that wonderful rythematic sound by hitting two pieces of bamboos.
We seldom eat supper those days although those quite cheap,only ten cents or so per bowl of "wan ton Mee". Partly also because we were that well to do.Our dinner were sufficient to keep us full till the morning.
Chapter 11 Our Friends Those Days (in place of Hawkers)
Most part of my early childhood days were spent growing up in that house along Anson Road. Our immediate neighbors were on our left was an Indian family.Their bungalow was only a stone's throw away from us and it was all fenced up,so we do not have any contact with them
On our right was another bungalow similarly fenced up and more secured.It was actually a residentual house cum mini-factory where tobacco were rolled into cigars.I think we knew them casually only.Just "hello" here and there when they met our parents. The sweet aroma of tobacco leaves do come out from that place.
So initially we had not many friends near us.Opposite us dwelt the Chong family.Their father a Hospital Assistant They lived in a Government bungalow near to the wards.The second son of this family and us were good friends My brother I crossed over to their house to play most the times.
Their parents also knew us well My brother and I spend quite a lot of time there and a many a days invited to join them for lunch.Their mother was a very good cook and cooked fantastic Nyonya curries.I still could remember how well she prepared her "ikan perut" etc.Normally we ate till our hearts' content. Well,May God bless her..
This family had a number of children the older three another boy and two elder sisters do not play with us.Neither was the younger sister who was the same age as me.In fact we were in the same school.That time I was too shy for girls and do not know about them much.The younger brother was too young for us then.
They can be considered our first friends I remembered during younger days their second son name Suan Leng was almost my protector.This was so because whenever I was in trouble he would without question jumped out to help me.I remembered once I was surrounded by four of the school gardeners sons.My brother yelled on top of his voice to Suan Leng who was in their house was about 100 meters from that place.
The magical call of his name alone drew many nearby on lookers to run to my aid.He was in deed a popular guy around then.Of course at my brother's call Ah Leng also came sprinting in to join in.When those big size gardener's sons saw so many coming in to join in the fight they gave up and ran away home.
Those coming in to help were not only Chinese but also several Malays,so those were the days - our one Malaysia.
Ah Leng as he was known had good relationship with all the youngsters around irrespective of race. A force to reckon with those days.
We have our fair shares in kite fighting those days.Making kites and fabricating glass threads in preparation for the kite fighting.In short we were experts in making kites and glass threads.
We had also our exciting moment in kite chasing.The thrill of of it all were beyond description and definitely unforgetable. Such things can never be experienced by kids today. Those we surely would treasured forever,Bravo Ah Leng we were the best.
Out of excitement both us went stealing sugar cane not that we were hungry or lacking of it.I remembered we delibrately went to that spot where the sugar cane were grown,just behind our house.From there we could see its owner chatting among themselves along their verandah.
Slowly we crept up to that spot in the darkness.They could not have seen us as we were sitting in the dried up drain well below the normal ground level. I held on to a full grown cane while Ah Leng administered the vital cutting.Then as soon as the cane was fully cut we allowed the cane to fall flat slowly.
Although in the darkness those from the house could viewed a cane falling.Suddenly yelled out "Hey!!! why that cane moving?".As soon as he saw us he shouted, " Woi,Curi tebu". With that we grapped the cane and ran as fast as we could away.Well we got the cane alright,but what a laugh we had at our prank?.Yeah this was one of those naughty things we did..
In front of their house was a mango tree which bore fruits almost every season.Yes,that "machang" tree always bore a lot of fruits.When dropping time arrived we would sleep under that tree waiting for the fruits and consumed them as they felt.Eating them on the very spot surely was fantastically sweet beside fresh..From there we would teased young girls as they drift by,cycling most of the time.His youngest brother Suan Hoe would joined us.
Another friend I had was Loke Weng Cheong who stayed a short distance from the back of our land,He was also our school mates.Between us it was either very charmy or enemies which no mattered what we in the end always made up.We have fought each other many a times.
Once I playfully fought with him in the school's compound.As he was slightly stronger than myself, pinned down rendering me helpless.Seeing myself in trouble my brother knocked him on the back of his head with a piece of wood.The painful knock forced him to release me.He however was sporting to laugh that away as we were good friends.
His brothers and other friends used to use by pass our house as short cut to school.Yeah I knew all of them.In good terms or otherwise they still by passed our house and that where quarrels began.Time and again fought and became friends again after a short lapse of time.
There was a time I took on his brother during his absence and pinned down under the "machang tree" with the Chong brothers watching and I fed him dried grass.A thing he remembers and never wanted to talk to me ever.
Once I walked passed that tree with a young girl my age together with her younger sister.Instead of siding me the Chong brothers teased me shouting,"Wah!!! Ah Kuen got girl friend already huh?".That made me shy,shunned away from her, walking farther from those girls.But the elder girl was sporting just smiled away.
Girls about twelve were more matured than boys of similar age.They are well versed about sex,while we,boys that age seemingly stupid about them. I remembered that girl well, she was a niece of my uncle whose parents had just been transferred to Telauk Anson.
For a start they were temporary residing in my uncle's house.Her father was to be the Post Master and was staying put waiting for his Government quater to be vacated for him and family to move in.Anyway they need not wait long for after a month or so they moved away.
Her name was Dolly.An extremely fair girl tall and beautiful but unfortunately not my type.I think at that moment my interest in girls were blank.What a waste?.We never meet again after she shifted away.No lost because I was never in love with her.
On our right was another bungalow similarly fenced up and more secured.It was actually a residentual house cum mini-factory where tobacco were rolled into cigars.I think we knew them casually only.Just "hello" here and there when they met our parents. The sweet aroma of tobacco leaves do come out from that place.
So initially we had not many friends near us.Opposite us dwelt the Chong family.Their father a Hospital Assistant They lived in a Government bungalow near to the wards.The second son of this family and us were good friends My brother I crossed over to their house to play most the times.
Their parents also knew us well My brother and I spend quite a lot of time there and a many a days invited to join them for lunch.Their mother was a very good cook and cooked fantastic Nyonya curries.I still could remember how well she prepared her "ikan perut" etc.Normally we ate till our hearts' content. Well,May God bless her..
This family had a number of children the older three another boy and two elder sisters do not play with us.Neither was the younger sister who was the same age as me.In fact we were in the same school.That time I was too shy for girls and do not know about them much.The younger brother was too young for us then.
They can be considered our first friends I remembered during younger days their second son name Suan Leng was almost my protector.This was so because whenever I was in trouble he would without question jumped out to help me.I remembered once I was surrounded by four of the school gardeners sons.My brother yelled on top of his voice to Suan Leng who was in their house was about 100 meters from that place.
The magical call of his name alone drew many nearby on lookers to run to my aid.He was in deed a popular guy around then.Of course at my brother's call Ah Leng also came sprinting in to join in.When those big size gardener's sons saw so many coming in to join in the fight they gave up and ran away home.
Those coming in to help were not only Chinese but also several Malays,so those were the days - our one Malaysia.
Ah Leng as he was known had good relationship with all the youngsters around irrespective of race. A force to reckon with those days.
We have our fair shares in kite fighting those days.Making kites and fabricating glass threads in preparation for the kite fighting.In short we were experts in making kites and glass threads.
We had also our exciting moment in kite chasing.The thrill of of it all were beyond description and definitely unforgetable. Such things can never be experienced by kids today. Those we surely would treasured forever,Bravo Ah Leng we were the best.
Out of excitement both us went stealing sugar cane not that we were hungry or lacking of it.I remembered we delibrately went to that spot where the sugar cane were grown,just behind our house.From there we could see its owner chatting among themselves along their verandah.
Slowly we crept up to that spot in the darkness.They could not have seen us as we were sitting in the dried up drain well below the normal ground level. I held on to a full grown cane while Ah Leng administered the vital cutting.Then as soon as the cane was fully cut we allowed the cane to fall flat slowly.
Although in the darkness those from the house could viewed a cane falling.Suddenly yelled out "Hey!!! why that cane moving?".As soon as he saw us he shouted, " Woi,Curi tebu". With that we grapped the cane and ran as fast as we could away.Well we got the cane alright,but what a laugh we had at our prank?.Yeah this was one of those naughty things we did..
In front of their house was a mango tree which bore fruits almost every season.Yes,that "machang" tree always bore a lot of fruits.When dropping time arrived we would sleep under that tree waiting for the fruits and consumed them as they felt.Eating them on the very spot surely was fantastically sweet beside fresh..From there we would teased young girls as they drift by,cycling most of the time.His youngest brother Suan Hoe would joined us.
Another friend I had was Loke Weng Cheong who stayed a short distance from the back of our land,He was also our school mates.Between us it was either very charmy or enemies which no mattered what we in the end always made up.We have fought each other many a times.
Once I playfully fought with him in the school's compound.As he was slightly stronger than myself, pinned down rendering me helpless.Seeing myself in trouble my brother knocked him on the back of his head with a piece of wood.The painful knock forced him to release me.He however was sporting to laugh that away as we were good friends.
His brothers and other friends used to use by pass our house as short cut to school.Yeah I knew all of them.In good terms or otherwise they still by passed our house and that where quarrels began.Time and again fought and became friends again after a short lapse of time.
There was a time I took on his brother during his absence and pinned down under the "machang tree" with the Chong brothers watching and I fed him dried grass.A thing he remembers and never wanted to talk to me ever.
Once I walked passed that tree with a young girl my age together with her younger sister.Instead of siding me the Chong brothers teased me shouting,"Wah!!! Ah Kuen got girl friend already huh?".That made me shy,shunned away from her, walking farther from those girls.But the elder girl was sporting just smiled away.
Girls about twelve were more matured than boys of similar age.They are well versed about sex,while we,boys that age seemingly stupid about them. I remembered that girl well, she was a niece of my uncle whose parents had just been transferred to Telauk Anson.
For a start they were temporary residing in my uncle's house.Her father was to be the Post Master and was staying put waiting for his Government quater to be vacated for him and family to move in.Anyway they need not wait long for after a month or so they moved away.
Her name was Dolly.An extremely fair girl tall and beautiful but unfortunately not my type.I think at that moment my interest in girls were blank.What a waste?.We never meet again after she shifted away.No lost because I was never in love with her.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Chapter 10 Our Father - A Home Guard
Jobs in Teluk Anson were difficult to come by and especially for our father who had only Chinese education. There nothing for him to go by with except to write some small articles for some Chinese News Paper.Income was never attractive at all not enough even to buy himself a decent breakfast.
When I was in Primary three he secured a job as Home Guard,stationed in the out skirt of Kampar.This was to prevent Communists from infitrating onto the new villages.Whenever he was off duty he would returned home to us.
Most important was he was bring home money for us to live by.When at home he would play with us and take us out for breakfast at the then renown Chinese restaurant named Cheong Kee.those days.He usually took us on there on his iron horse the Hercules bicycle.My brother would ride on on the center bar while I ride pillion.
At the restaurant he would order a cup of tea or coffee which he would poured partly on the plate for me to sip the coffee or tea.Sipping ? No I normally slurred the coffee or tea into my mouth.Very nice feeling in deed.Once instead of slurring down.
My brother would then be given the remaining of drinks in the cup.All were that well when that small brother also wanted the drinks in the dish.To prevent him having that I rushed in to slur the drinks first.
In haste instead of sucking the drinks into my mouth I blew it hard,thus the drinks flew all out splashing onto my dear brother all over.He was not a let down of cause he cried out loud and I ended up getting the scolding.That was when he laughed out loud at me.
Now that I am older I would sometime like to try out slurring my tea into my mouth.That I think would caused lookers to laugh at my endeavor,I presumed.Well,nothing like going through once again as I did when I was young.I think I have to give a try what so ever.
Our father would order for us glutinous rice with chicken ( Law Mike Kay ). One bowl was too big for one of us,so we both shared one.Those days this dish was very delicious but nowadays they never seem to be ant good either.
Our dear grand mother never did like any of those restaurant and never followed us there but our mother she was always in company.Our sister usually stayed back home with the grand mother who loved her dearly.
Once when our paternal grandmother was away in Kuala Lumpur,our father took us all to Ipoh and also to visit his place of work in Kampar.Our Maternal Grand mother also came with us with our small cousin Ah Soon.Our Teluk Anson uncle took us there in his car,a dark green Morris Minor.
So many of us yet can easily filled into the car,why?. We were all so very young then and definitely small in sizes.Just imagine Four adults and four small kids.Our auntie did not go along because no extra place.
That day we visited the "Sam Poh Tong",the "Nam Tien tong" and the Perak Tong.Ipoh was not that big those days and traffic never heavy at all.It was our first outing out station and we enjoyed that trip tremendrously.
We also visited our father's place of work.Their post were all Attap all round from roofings to the side walls.All those present wore green uniforms.They were housed at an old mining site.It was only a brief visit as we were not allowed to go any where we pleased.
I remembered once when my father was back just before the Chinese New Year he went out to town to purchase New Year's clothing for all of us..Of course there was no way he could by for us expensive clothing.Nevertheless he brought us what others also had those days.New clothes and shoes.
Alas being poor was never a sin only thing were my father could not afford to purchase for us expensive dresses,that was all.Nevertheless we had new clothes and shoes to celebrate Chinese New Year. No doubt the quality were not good but purchased from road side vendors.
The designs and color were outrageoous but new.Wen we first put on we felt very proud and wore them to school just after Chinese New Year.Those days we do not have uniforms at all.I think the Convent School were the only school wearing uniforms.White shirts and light blue skirts.
No sooner had we stepped into the school compound one of the fattest boy from my class began calling us names as soon as he saw the wording on my brand new shit.It was written nicely as ABCD.Know what that fatty said,"Hey!!! ABCD - or Assistant Bullock Card Driver" on top of his voice.Well everyone laughed of course.
In reply I shouted back at him calling him,"Fatty,fatty Bom!!! Bom!!! Orang curi jagan". Immediately he chased after me.That when all the rest of the boys joined in and shouted the same wording at him which made him jumped like a gorilla.
Well that gorilla was a "Baby Beng Fatt",surprisingly stopped chasing and cried aloud.Of course everyone laughed at him.Next day he stopped coming back to school and what a tragic lost to us.Without him no more names calling.I remembered his name even until this day.He was called Ong Chew Hock.
Our father as a home guard short lived for with the next three years he was retrenched as the operation against the Communist were a huge success.Very soon it was all over with remnants of bandits surrendering.With the emergency over our father and company were left in a lurch without any further appointment at hand.
I was in Primary six or so when he returned home without any employment.Later his elder brother gave him a job selling sawn timber at $ 5/= per day at his outlet along Immigrant Road..Those days barely enough for us to carry on.Business was never good and after a year he surrendered that business.Our father was again about to lose his job.
Our father had high hopes that he could take over and continued that business.The trouble was he never had the capital to take over. There was our last property in hand.He tried his very best to convince our dear old grandmother to sell it.He pestered her relentlessly but she was stubborn and flatly refused him.
So whenever he brought the matter to her she would run away to Kuala Lumpur.That kept him off his track temporary.Occasonally she would returned to see us.Whenever she be around it was customary for all to gather all family members together for dinner.
Eating at the round table where beginning from the youngest to the elder child, had to respect the Elders calling them name by name before we began to eat.That was the normal practice for most Chinese families.Not adhering to this tradition would be considered as ill-mannered,poor up bringing as well as disrespectful for the Elders.
That was where most of the troubles began.Usually from simple conversation then with heated grumbling and argument from our mother,father and then the grandmother.
Many a time ending in explosive situation,where our frustrated father would jumped up screaming on top of his voice.When in anger he would throw his bowl rice on the ground,smashing it.There was a time while pouring hot tea on to his cup got extremely angry at the constant grumbling against him smashing hot pot of tea on to the floor.
We all jumped up in fright but there was nothing we could do.He also insisted his mother to sell away the last property so that he can have the necessary capital to indulge fully into the timber business.
Poor grandmother was the end of her wits held on and on to the last of the Cheahs property.She knew very well that should she disposed of this last property,that would meant the end of the Cheahs heritage.So she always expressed that could only happened over her dead body.However,my father was relentless continued his pestering with no results to his favor.
When I was in Primary three he secured a job as Home Guard,stationed in the out skirt of Kampar.This was to prevent Communists from infitrating onto the new villages.Whenever he was off duty he would returned home to us.
Most important was he was bring home money for us to live by.When at home he would play with us and take us out for breakfast at the then renown Chinese restaurant named Cheong Kee.those days.He usually took us on there on his iron horse the Hercules bicycle.My brother would ride on on the center bar while I ride pillion.
At the restaurant he would order a cup of tea or coffee which he would poured partly on the plate for me to sip the coffee or tea.Sipping ? No I normally slurred the coffee or tea into my mouth.Very nice feeling in deed.Once instead of slurring down.
My brother would then be given the remaining of drinks in the cup.All were that well when that small brother also wanted the drinks in the dish.To prevent him having that I rushed in to slur the drinks first.
In haste instead of sucking the drinks into my mouth I blew it hard,thus the drinks flew all out splashing onto my dear brother all over.He was not a let down of cause he cried out loud and I ended up getting the scolding.That was when he laughed out loud at me.
Now that I am older I would sometime like to try out slurring my tea into my mouth.That I think would caused lookers to laugh at my endeavor,I presumed.Well,nothing like going through once again as I did when I was young.I think I have to give a try what so ever.
Our father would order for us glutinous rice with chicken ( Law Mike Kay ). One bowl was too big for one of us,so we both shared one.Those days this dish was very delicious but nowadays they never seem to be ant good either.
Our dear grand mother never did like any of those restaurant and never followed us there but our mother she was always in company.Our sister usually stayed back home with the grand mother who loved her dearly.
Once when our paternal grandmother was away in Kuala Lumpur,our father took us all to Ipoh and also to visit his place of work in Kampar.Our Maternal Grand mother also came with us with our small cousin Ah Soon.Our Teluk Anson uncle took us there in his car,a dark green Morris Minor.
So many of us yet can easily filled into the car,why?. We were all so very young then and definitely small in sizes.Just imagine Four adults and four small kids.Our auntie did not go along because no extra place.
That day we visited the "Sam Poh Tong",the "Nam Tien tong" and the Perak Tong.Ipoh was not that big those days and traffic never heavy at all.It was our first outing out station and we enjoyed that trip tremendrously.
We also visited our father's place of work.Their post were all Attap all round from roofings to the side walls.All those present wore green uniforms.They were housed at an old mining site.It was only a brief visit as we were not allowed to go any where we pleased.
I remembered once when my father was back just before the Chinese New Year he went out to town to purchase New Year's clothing for all of us..Of course there was no way he could by for us expensive clothing.Nevertheless he brought us what others also had those days.New clothes and shoes.
Alas being poor was never a sin only thing were my father could not afford to purchase for us expensive dresses,that was all.Nevertheless we had new clothes and shoes to celebrate Chinese New Year. No doubt the quality were not good but purchased from road side vendors.
The designs and color were outrageoous but new.Wen we first put on we felt very proud and wore them to school just after Chinese New Year.Those days we do not have uniforms at all.I think the Convent School were the only school wearing uniforms.White shirts and light blue skirts.
No sooner had we stepped into the school compound one of the fattest boy from my class began calling us names as soon as he saw the wording on my brand new shit.It was written nicely as ABCD.Know what that fatty said,"Hey!!! ABCD - or Assistant Bullock Card Driver" on top of his voice.Well everyone laughed of course.
In reply I shouted back at him calling him,"Fatty,fatty Bom!!! Bom!!! Orang curi jagan". Immediately he chased after me.That when all the rest of the boys joined in and shouted the same wording at him which made him jumped like a gorilla.
Well that gorilla was a "Baby Beng Fatt",surprisingly stopped chasing and cried aloud.Of course everyone laughed at him.Next day he stopped coming back to school and what a tragic lost to us.Without him no more names calling.I remembered his name even until this day.He was called Ong Chew Hock.
Our father as a home guard short lived for with the next three years he was retrenched as the operation against the Communist were a huge success.Very soon it was all over with remnants of bandits surrendering.With the emergency over our father and company were left in a lurch without any further appointment at hand.
I was in Primary six or so when he returned home without any employment.Later his elder brother gave him a job selling sawn timber at $ 5/= per day at his outlet along Immigrant Road..Those days barely enough for us to carry on.Business was never good and after a year he surrendered that business.Our father was again about to lose his job.
Our father had high hopes that he could take over and continued that business.The trouble was he never had the capital to take over. There was our last property in hand.He tried his very best to convince our dear old grandmother to sell it.He pestered her relentlessly but she was stubborn and flatly refused him.
So whenever he brought the matter to her she would run away to Kuala Lumpur.That kept him off his track temporary.Occasonally she would returned to see us.Whenever she be around it was customary for all to gather all family members together for dinner.
Eating at the round table where beginning from the youngest to the elder child, had to respect the Elders calling them name by name before we began to eat.That was the normal practice for most Chinese families.Not adhering to this tradition would be considered as ill-mannered,poor up bringing as well as disrespectful for the Elders.
That was where most of the troubles began.Usually from simple conversation then with heated grumbling and argument from our mother,father and then the grandmother.
Many a time ending in explosive situation,where our frustrated father would jumped up screaming on top of his voice.When in anger he would throw his bowl rice on the ground,smashing it.There was a time while pouring hot tea on to his cup got extremely angry at the constant grumbling against him smashing hot pot of tea on to the floor.
We all jumped up in fright but there was nothing we could do.He also insisted his mother to sell away the last property so that he can have the necessary capital to indulge fully into the timber business.
Poor grandmother was the end of her wits held on and on to the last of the Cheahs property.She knew very well that should she disposed of this last property,that would meant the end of the Cheahs heritage.So she always expressed that could only happened over her dead body.However,my father was relentless continued his pestering with no results to his favor.
Chapter 9 Coffee Stall Beneath the Clock Tower
Our school was the Anglo Chinese School (Primary) along Anson Road also just opposite the General Hospital.It was actually a stone's throw from our house.The Head master was Mr.Peirara.The Supervisor was Mr.Vengadasalem who later took over as Head Master when the former retired.Mr.Vengadasalem was a bald headed gentleman who walked around the school with teeth gashing up front even when smiling.A fearsome look of course and he can really shout.Roaring like an angry lion.
I was enrolled into Primary one when I attained the tender age of seven ion 1948.I could vividly remember my first days in school.My mother had taken the trouble to go along with me during those days.She was present when the teacher Mrs. Tai registered me as a student of her class.She was a tall slim god looking teacher.
Well,I remembered her well especially her kind and gentle smile.I remembered her so well because it was she who spelled my name wrongly from the start at registration.My name on the old registration card had that as Cheah Mun Cheng given by my uncle )mother's brother when making a report to th Police on the day I was born). It was issued during the Japanese occupation.
My father insisted that I be called Cheah Kok Kuen.But on registration day my mother gave my name as Cheah Kok Kuen,however the teacher heard that as Cheah Kok Hin so the Hin struck to me like glue the rest of my life.A new copy of my birth certificate thus followed suit.So that Hin remained instead of kuen.In Chinese writing I would forever be kuen and never Hin.Well and that stuck on me forever.What ever that be I am still what I am.So I have two names.
When I was about eight years old our mother with a little capital she had accumulated through her years of tapping rubber ventured into a coffee stall business.The small stall was situated just outside the fence of the clock tower.It was a corner of the existing roads. The stall was operated day and night.In the evening the stall had female waitress serving.
Those days females serving at coffee tables were common .The coffee stalls were called "koki carek' or "digging coffee". Nothing sinister in it as it sounded.Those days that were the cheapest place for men to relax over a cup of coffee with tenderness of a woman around listening to their rubbish talk.
Maybe at times the customers could touched or fiddled those woman waitresses a little with their approvals. Nothing duly wrong about that. Of course they have to pay for those services.Those were never free under the table or otherwise.They were daily paid and survived partly on tips by customer.
We had one initially waitress named Ah Thai,which was one too many,because with her around my mother's brother would patronized the stall most of the time.With them in love where got other customers coming to our place for a drink and chit-chat.So business was not good. at all. We all remembered those women employed by our mother because they stayed with us in our house.
Worst still they even made love in our house when all members of the family were away with us kids around only.We all could see him kissing the waitress.Those days they were not shameful as the thought we wefe too young to understand. Our uncle was a married man but he likes other beautiful woman,too.Of course he was tall and handsome that was why young women went after him or his types.
With no business that woman had insufficient income so was forced to leave for greener pastures.That ended their love affair,but never for long before another waitress was employed. The next waitress was a tall,slim beauty from Kampar.With her around our dear uncle was almost immediately again linked to her but she was smarter keeping him at bay.This chap never gives up and kept staying around. All the same his presence caused others to stay away just as bad ain't it so?.
Our grand mother was sometimes back from Kuala lumpur and my uncle stayed away whenever she was around.Through her hawk eyes she knew or could sense some nonsense betwen them altouygh they stayed away most of the time.She never liked my uncle anyway. but just kept mum to avoid any heated arguement wuith our mother.When she was not pleased with any situation she would notify her daughter in Kuala Lumpur.Without hesitation our Auntie would then whisked her back to Kuala Lumpur.
During those days I wold be do my home work under the street lights near the clock tower.My brother would simply draw away under those lights.Our sister stayed at home most of this while. When tired we would dozed off in those bamboo chairs.Our father then brought us home one at a time on his bicycle.
No body visited nor allowed up the clock tower those days.To us the floors of the clock tower were actually not very safe for people to go up and down.Of course the clock worked quite accurately those days but required winding up every now and then. With those stairs rotting away the job was considered quite a risky job.I think the second floor was then pccupied by the Sea scouts movement.They often held their meetings there.
The clock tower was the reservior of Teluk Anson town for beneath the tower was also a well filled with water. Later with the population growing larger the reservior was transferred to 9th.Mile Changkat Jong Road.Water from the Perak river were pumped into for treatment before distribution to the town and villages around.
I was enrolled into Primary one when I attained the tender age of seven ion 1948.I could vividly remember my first days in school.My mother had taken the trouble to go along with me during those days.She was present when the teacher Mrs. Tai registered me as a student of her class.She was a tall slim god looking teacher.
Well,I remembered her well especially her kind and gentle smile.I remembered her so well because it was she who spelled my name wrongly from the start at registration.My name on the old registration card had that as Cheah Mun Cheng given by my uncle )mother's brother when making a report to th Police on the day I was born). It was issued during the Japanese occupation.
My father insisted that I be called Cheah Kok Kuen.But on registration day my mother gave my name as Cheah Kok Kuen,however the teacher heard that as Cheah Kok Hin so the Hin struck to me like glue the rest of my life.A new copy of my birth certificate thus followed suit.So that Hin remained instead of kuen.In Chinese writing I would forever be kuen and never Hin.Well and that stuck on me forever.What ever that be I am still what I am.So I have two names.
When I was about eight years old our mother with a little capital she had accumulated through her years of tapping rubber ventured into a coffee stall business.The small stall was situated just outside the fence of the clock tower.It was a corner of the existing roads. The stall was operated day and night.In the evening the stall had female waitress serving.
Those days females serving at coffee tables were common .The coffee stalls were called "koki carek' or "digging coffee". Nothing sinister in it as it sounded.Those days that were the cheapest place for men to relax over a cup of coffee with tenderness of a woman around listening to their rubbish talk.
Maybe at times the customers could touched or fiddled those woman waitresses a little with their approvals. Nothing duly wrong about that. Of course they have to pay for those services.Those were never free under the table or otherwise.They were daily paid and survived partly on tips by customer.
We had one initially waitress named Ah Thai,which was one too many,because with her around my mother's brother would patronized the stall most of the time.With them in love where got other customers coming to our place for a drink and chit-chat.So business was not good. at all. We all remembered those women employed by our mother because they stayed with us in our house.
Worst still they even made love in our house when all members of the family were away with us kids around only.We all could see him kissing the waitress.Those days they were not shameful as the thought we wefe too young to understand. Our uncle was a married man but he likes other beautiful woman,too.Of course he was tall and handsome that was why young women went after him or his types.
With no business that woman had insufficient income so was forced to leave for greener pastures.That ended their love affair,but never for long before another waitress was employed. The next waitress was a tall,slim beauty from Kampar.With her around our dear uncle was almost immediately again linked to her but she was smarter keeping him at bay.This chap never gives up and kept staying around. All the same his presence caused others to stay away just as bad ain't it so?.
Our grand mother was sometimes back from Kuala lumpur and my uncle stayed away whenever she was around.Through her hawk eyes she knew or could sense some nonsense betwen them altouygh they stayed away most of the time.She never liked my uncle anyway. but just kept mum to avoid any heated arguement wuith our mother.When she was not pleased with any situation she would notify her daughter in Kuala Lumpur.Without hesitation our Auntie would then whisked her back to Kuala Lumpur.
During those days I wold be do my home work under the street lights near the clock tower.My brother would simply draw away under those lights.Our sister stayed at home most of this while. When tired we would dozed off in those bamboo chairs.Our father then brought us home one at a time on his bicycle.
No body visited nor allowed up the clock tower those days.To us the floors of the clock tower were actually not very safe for people to go up and down.Of course the clock worked quite accurately those days but required winding up every now and then. With those stairs rotting away the job was considered quite a risky job.I think the second floor was then pccupied by the Sea scouts movement.They often held their meetings there.
The clock tower was the reservior of Teluk Anson town for beneath the tower was also a well filled with water. Later with the population growing larger the reservior was transferred to 9th.Mile Changkat Jong Road.Water from the Perak river were pumped into for treatment before distribution to the town and villages around.
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