Dead Man's Tales Chapter 12 My Dearest Brother Francis Cheah

Yeah!!! My brother and I am going to write something about him.He has written so much about me and others so it is time I returned the favour.Well.can be said who else knows him better but only me.

We grew up together,everyone knew that.We  can be said are extremely closed to each other.When small he tagged along every where I went.It was in later years that we went separate ways,each for himself but we are constantly in touched.

Let me begin with him being a talented artist at an extremely tender age about three or four  years old. He started off by drawing on the sandy ground directly at the back of our house along Anson Road.There were no pencils nor papers to draw on then.He conveniently drew with a short small twig on the sand.It would not be wrong should I say he started to draw as soon as he could walked and talked.He was born with those talents..

In actual fact it was the Cantonese Operas main charactors with their colorful costumes that inspired him to begin drawing.We were introduced to the Cantonese Operas at a tender age by our dear paternal grandmother.You see, whenever those Cantonese troope appeared in town our grandmother would always be the first one to attend those shows,never - missing any.

All of us tagged along most of the evenings.That was why all of us were fans of the operas from young.Having enjoyed those shows the following morning as soon as the sun was up we were always at the back of our house drawing something  that transpired in the show.Much of those drawings  were merely our imaginations.

We drew and sang the operas  as we drew.It was my brother who showed the greatest interest in his drawings for he never stopped doing that.However he stopped the singing but continued to develop his talent in drawing otherwise he could be singing operas as well.He was introduced to the use of  pencils and colors as soon as he was enrolled into school.

He amazed the teachers with his talent and thereafter he began emerging as winners in many drawing competitions thus winning many prices for his drawings.In school  his art improved tremendously.In school there were some good teachers to guide him.His talent were well known  and even taught art in school as a temporarily teacher  after his school certificate examinations.

From young he always tagged along where ever I went
When I was plucking coconuts he would "see water" and direct me which to pick from the base of another tree nearby.Many may wander what is this "see water"?.Well it is just to watch out just in case our parents drop  by.Then I would be on serious trouble.

 The sales of the nuts we shared.Once when I was losing in wrestling match with another friend. I was pinned down on the ground helplessly unable to fight back..Seeing that I was in trouble his first instinct was to attack my opponent with a knuckle in hand.

Though it was only play, play thing, my brother refused to allow me to lose.Not only lose when I was once surrounded by some Indian boys he shouted on top of his voice which brought our friend Chong Suan Leng  sprinting from  roughly 100 meters away  to help me. Just  imagine that of my brother.Can anyone beat that?.

He was  twelve and I fourteen or  so.Together we learned to swim in the Perak River along Immigrant Road (the areas  near to a sawmill and a stone's throw from the jetty)).Every day we would swim in  that river diving from high branches of mangrove trees,fishing and stealing shrimps from cages in that crocodile infested river.Most of the naughty things I did he always involved in a small part. 

From a tender age I was known to be hyperactive while he the weaker one at home.Our grandmother loved everyone of us but he was her pet grandson.She loved him so much she even played hide and seek with him even after death.Believe me or not?.Well that happened on most Cheng Beng days when we went to her grave to pay our due respect .Nine out of ten times my brother would failed to locate he grave even she was directly in front of him.Very uncanny but it is the truth.

In school he was a known artist and among the first batch of Boys Brigade when it first began.I remember those dark blue uniform they donned  and the band they formed.He played the bugle while with them.Observing the smartness of the Brigade our other cousins followed suit to join in later.I have known him to have his own group of friends all much younger than me but I knew most. of them as well.

On completion of  the School Certificate Examination in 1961 he  became a temporarily teacher in the same school in the afternoon classes for two years..I think he was teaching art mostly and with students almost his age it was quite a task for him to continue.

Following he joined an advertising firm in Kuala Lumpur.That was why he was reasonably well versed with advertising.After a short stint he left to join the Ministry of Information as an artist.Had he continued in advertising he would definitely prosper and be well known.Maybe a head of some advertising firm like his friends.

In stead he opted for the Government position where as  we Chinese  would put it as attaining a position that would be having a rice bowl as solid as gold.Anyway that was his own choosing .Perhaps that that did him a world of good as he grew with that Ministry,from a simple artist to graphic designer  then on,until retirement.Many of  the designs on exhibitions those days were designed  by him.

Having work so hard for the Government for a couple of years they finally selected or rewarded to go to U.K. where he completed a crashed course at Hardknock University.On returned he gave lectures around the country for Government servants.He served the Government well and for long services was also rewarded with a small title AMN by the Sultan of Selangor on one of his birthdays..

As a senior Government servant he was on few occasions appointed to serve as a member of the  jury  by the High court for several big cases.In any case he was well versed with the law as he had privately took up law studies in his spare time where he reached the second year.Unfortunately due to pressure of his work and family commitments he was  not able to full filled his dream.Yes,God willing he might finished it once and for all-one of these days.

The two years  in reading law definitely did improved his command of the English language. His flaw of English make him induced him to write beautiful eassys,a thing he never admits of course.Whatever it be his writings are always excellent reading materials for admirals.

Had he finished his law studies it would have  been an excellent end to his entire career as an artist,designer,painter and finally a lawyer.Carry on Brother I will back you up all the way,for it is never too late to carry on.

That were about his career,now his private life.When he was in school I knew that he and friends went after several beauties in town those days.Yeah,I often overheard them discussing about the beautiful girl at the "rumah hantu" which he depicted in his cartoon where they were told to leave her house by the father as the time was passing 12.00 a.m.I tell you all. Many of the cartoons he drew depicted some of his untold stories.

However he finally met and felt madly in love with a girl along King Street.He chased her all the way from Kuala Lumpur until she finally agreed to marry him.Together they had four children- two girls and two boys.After several years of hard struggling all his children are now finally grown ups.Two of them having their own families and two still single.As a father he had served his purpose well as all are well educated and at least the two boys took after him,excelling in art as he does.

Now in retirement he still adhered to his art by drawing his cartoons,doing some drawings,paintings and teaching others to draw where ever required of him.Most of all he does a lot of blogging.His blogs and face book are well known.In other spare time he attends the Church in Selayang and was duly baptized last year.May God Bless Him.

Oh yes,lest I forget presently he and a couple of old classmates of his had been organizing Alma Mater meetings to replenish old acquaintances and to further enhance their bonds together.Places of meetings varies  according to necessity.All those renewal of kinship happened with lavish dinners.

What better ways to renew their friendship.I am sure many had many fantastic stories to share with each other.Or measure each others height not in reality but in terms of successes.Well,It is wonderful to brag a little but please do not go over board.Otherwise the whole ship will sink with you all within it.So good luck.








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