Dead Man's Tales Chapter 11 Now Talking About My Wife

I may had been infatuated with some one else a long long time ago.She was in my heart for more than half a century.Admittedly I still do think of her - at times.Well no harm done now that I am also married to another equally lovely woman if not better.There should not be any ill feelings or enmity with any one concerned.We are too matured for that.

Sad to admit that due to my infatuation for her I committed many wrongs with many young and beautiful girls in the past.I was so very young than and m out of rage, obviously extremely immature.Agreed,those were lamed excuses,but after so many years I sincerely am regret  my irrational  actions.I do not expect those women whom I wronged to forgive me by admitting ,at l;east that cleared my conscience.Now that we are so old already so let by gone  be by gone.Hate me  if you persist .so be it,if it pleases them.

I actually met my wife in Bentong,Pahang.She was nineteen or so then.When I was transferred to Bentong Estate,Benting,Pahang.I always ventured into town every evenings on my motor-cycle.One day when rounding town with a friend I saw a slim beauty walking on a road and following her was a small boy learning to cycle.

She was a lovey slim girl with long,swift flowing hair,with beautiful eyes.She was not that tall just like my height.Her dressing were as simple just any plain Chinese girls would dressed those days.I like her at first glance and actually wanted t befriend her.My admiration did not stopped there as I tried to find out more about her.

I took note of her first several days but never had the courage to approach her.In a small town you cannot simply talked to just any girl on the road that would be inviting trouble.Following I me a friend who knew her and engaged his help to introduce her to me.My friend knew that she would also come out to town at night with another girl friend so e arranged to bump into them.That was how I got to know her.

Apparently both girls apparently liked me but I was all for the slimmer girl.That caused a minor rift among them I was told but nevertheless it was my choice and I choose her.Subsequently at a slow space I slowly met more and more of her until I was able to date out alone.

A lovely courtship followed.Then one late evening the inevitable happened.As it was raining heavily I could not made my trip back to the plantation and waited for the down pour to subside but it seem never ending and went on raining "cats and dogs".

I waited by her main door while she stood by the side just inches away at the side of the door.Her loveliness attracted me to attempt stealing a kiss on her sweet lips.This happened  while all others were busy inside talking,not noticing us.Yes,I planted a kiss on her and she allowed me to kiss her further that immediately sealed our friendship.

She  a part time hair dresser those days  and by day she helped her parents to tap rubber.Most girls in Bentong does that to help their family then.So it was no surprise she did just that.Following our we went steady for a time.There were no doubt that she was deply in love with me.

However.sad to admit images of the first girl came flashing all over me.That made me to have second thought of her.Without the slightest doubt I could not forget the past girl.She had loved me and trusted me yet it was I who betrayed her.I began to made mistakes by taking other girls  around.That of course hurt her very much.It was heartless of me to break off with her.

In sadness she left town to work in a distant land with the hope that the new environment would help her eased her memories of me.Within those periods I met with complete failures in my job.I was rejected by Guthries.In sorrow I returned home to Teluk Anson where I did a lot of soul searching.

In the end I found myself.I knew then that to fight back in my career I had to have a partner to support me,a someone whose shoulders I can lean on for support if not shed a tear or two of childish tears.Her consolation should bring out the difference.Or ever someone to share my defeat in bad times and my glory in time of victory..Because every successful man should have a wonderful woman behind him.So I searched for the inevitable one in my entire life.I ran through a long list of former girl friends and ended up with one and that was to be her.

Knowing that I had to act fast to locate her.I was quite lucky in many ways as there were people who were willing to help me.So without much time lost I secured her whereabouts.I immediately went to seek her.Yeah,she was then working as a hair dresser in Yong Peng,Johore.

With little difficulty I found her as Yong Peng was a cowboy town with one street then.She was as beautiful as before if not more beautiful.Instead of her long hair  she now spotted short hair,making her the more attractive.She was caught off guard as I approach her work place.Her beaming eyes showed that she was astonished as well as delighted of my present.I confident believed she still loved me dearly.

With that image of me still embedded within her my job were so much simpler although there were so many admirers eying her.So I acted with haste.There were no need of explanations,nor were there any begging as she still loved me very much .We made up easily that very instant.Two weeks later I took her back to my home town where we were married at the Registrar.So all went well and smoothly for me as there were no denying that I had actually found the one that I surely loved.That sealed my fate with her.

As Chinese her parents wanted something more official like a Chinese wedding where the bride had to be officially married away from her parents house.As I was out of a decent job that ought to wait slightly longer.Whatever it was we were already married officially 

Not much longer after that I got a job as Manager of Ulu Selangor Estate, Kuala Kubu Bahru,Selangor.AS she was now my wife she thus went along and stayed with me in my new position.That position was short lived and I left after few months.However we were officially married the Chinese way in 1969 when I was working at the sawmill Karak.


It is therefore correct to say that she had been with me in the thick or thin of my career.In the days when I was down she chipped in dearly to help keep the family running Many a times the payments I received were low by other standard but to her she proved that those were nothing As long as there were something coming she had found the ways how to preserve well and made it valueblely  sufficient for the whole family.. 

To her  having a lot she spent slightly more and saving wherever necessary only should it be low she still performed miracles to make  ends meet In Karak for example when we just beginning our family my earnings then were nothing and she chip by working a small holder without any fuss.

In St.Andrew Estate,Batng Berjuntai we were better off.There our family were enlarged to the addition of another two kids,so we have three thereafter.There she proved herself by being a dutiful house wife not only that she was also an excellent gardener as she established our garden full of beautiful orchids.Our children grew up there wonderfully for ten yeaars.

When I was doing business she helped to take care of the shop when I was out.When the chips were down for me and the business failed she still struck by me.We had actually faced all sort of difficulties together and she proved her mental by staying aloft and gracefully accepted our fate with grace.

The last fifteen years of my working career in Sri Jaya Oil Palm Estate,Sri Jaya,she stayed at home initially in Bentong then in Kualaa Lumpur to take of our teenage children.Our growing children were in secondary schools and then in  Colleges.At that tender ages they had to be look after all the time,lest anything should go wrong.For me it was alright I struggled in the plantation so that my children could have a better life than I had.That i Think we did well and our struggle worthwhile.

  I appreciate her the more when I felt ill with Luikaemia (AML),she was at my bedside all the while I was under Chymore Therapy.It was the 4th.stage of cancer.In grief she consealed my condition well from me all the while I was under treatment.I only knew of my condition after I was under remission..

Just imagine she was with me by my bedside when I was terribly ill especially during the first and second therapy.Many had expected me to die but I did not.Much of these could be due to the Doctors and nurses but most of all my beloved wife.The tears she shed secretly,sacrifices and tender care she put put me back on road to recovery.Of course, most of all there was the Lord above whose compassion and grace saved me from certain death.

My wife therefore was the best thing that I have in my life.I dare say she she loved me more than anything else even when she  were angry with me she would always forgive me,no matter what the problems were. Well - it happened many dozens of times yet she would always be the same.She can never get angry with me for long.

 Aya!!!!!!!!!!, we have been together for more than half a century.All my children are fully grown up and were fully aware that their mother always had a heart for me for all things.Not not to mention  eating for example. In that she always leave apart something for me if not half of what she  has.I am not bragging when I say she always had me in her heart when she were eat..I eat fully and she  half stomach she does mind and  never recent that fact.She served me first.

 I would not give her up for another `even in another lifeLife is funny,for you can be deeply in love in your teens.Falling out was not the end of the world for the Lord is Great as always,All was required was just a little more patience and sooner than you can for see another dropped by who could be  just as charming if not better So do not waste way good liofe,don't play play..





To be continued.