I want to write this as a posting as I could not publish your much-welcomed comment. I've been blogging since late 2008 at the behest of the youngsters in my family who want a record of the family story. But I never, in my wildest dreams, expected this 'bonus'- that because of my blog I would be re-united with Sumijah, a long-lost and dear old friend after 30 years. And you, Roslina, made it all possible and enabled me - to quote you - to "share this precious link" with Sumijah. You further added: "Ahhh .. such a small world we live in now .. and the wonders of technology.."
But even the latest state-of- the art technology will not work if there are no human hands and hearts to make it move. I am forever in your debt.
I think this was the photo that first 'alerted' you to my old friend.
This was taken on the eve of my sister's wedding at our kampung house at Kampong Abu Kassim, Pasir Panjang Road. Sumijah is in the middle row, the first to the left, and I am next to her. That was December 1965!!
We were schoolmates at Crescent Girls School. I think the two of us were the original inventors, not of the word, but the act of melepak-ing. I would run away to Sumijah's house near Angullia Mosque (it was then located off Orchard Road) whenever I wanted to ponteng lectures at the Teachers Training College. I would do the same in her house in Brunei during the late 70s up to the mid 80s - whenever I needed a shoulder to lean on and a good pair of ears to listen to my whingeing - and of course a snack of fried kropok belinjau - even though she was by then a married lady with two kids! We lost touch when I left Brunei in 1984.
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| AsH and her students from Maktab Perguruan Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah circa early 1980s. |
So you see Roslina, you have given us a wonderful gift, to facilitate the reunion of two dear friends. And oh yes, I spoke to Sumijah yesterday. Once again thank you. I do hope that one day in the not so distant future, Roslina and Sumijah and AsH will be able to share a great chinwag over plates of kropok belinjau and mugs of kopi kampung.
4 comments:
Salam dearest author,
I am Hjh Sumijah's third son, its such a wonder to read such unbelievable stories considering my mother is such a secretive person who won't share her youthful stories. My mother is quite a stone age in modern IT therefore she required my expertise in this area whereby she gave me this blog if she could contact you in other means beside the conventional phonecall. She would be much delighted if she could contact you by other means by email or any online chats ie whatsapp or imessage, in that sense I would give a crash course guiding her to face the perils of the internet. Do correspond an email to: shahkinen@yahoo.com so I can share more details on how my mother could speak to you easily.
Thank You
P/S: My mother had quite the figure in her youth days haha!
My cup runneth over!
Salam and thank you Shahkinen for contacting me. If your dear mother belongs to the stone age - I am the dinosaur. Certainly I shall write to you to discuss other ways to talk to my dear old friend.
But it has to wait until we get back to KL ( in a few weeks'time) because like Hjh Sumijah I need the young ones in KL to guide me through this IT jungle.
And by the way, your mother looked a real smasher in her sarung kebaya - that's why this gentle young man, Idris, from Brunei fell for her! It's not just that - she's a very responsible and caring daughter, wife and mother and a great friend.
Thank you Shahkinen and kirim salam to your dear parents from us two in Leicester.
I spot a Lambretta, the back half of it, in the first photograph ...
Thank you Bru,
Trust you to notice the Lambretta!"
That fire-horse belonged to Pasir Panjang's "Terror on Two Wheels " circa 1960s - my 18 year old brother Mus.
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