We had to sit for the special exam then to win a place and study in a boarding school. When the results were eventually out, and I was among the successful candidates, my father called and asked me which one would I choose - to go to Tanjung Malim or Ipoh. Since my Geography was not good at that time (never was), I asked him where about these places were. I remembered my father telling me all about Tanjung Malim - the shops where he used to frequent as a student (he studied at Sultan Idris Training College (now Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris). And he told me that Ipoh was the capital town of Perak and it was slightly further up north. Okay, I told him, I made up my mind., it was Ipoh then - Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh and not sekolah Dato Abdul Razak, in Tanjung Malim. My father had this 'connection' in Seremban (present terminolgy - networking' lah!) and told me that he could fixed and sent me to whichever school that I chose.
Together with Ajoi and his father, we rented a cab and made our way to Ipoh. Of course both my father and Ajoi's insisted on stopping over and had our break and lunch in Tanjung Malim - the then R&R!!. And of course, lunch was to be followed with that special Tanjung Malim's dessert - kueh pau!!.
It was the longest journey and the first time ever that I shared with my father. When it was time for him to leave for home, deep inside I konow that he had made the right decission of sending me over to Ipoh.
Abah is no longer around. He died in 1998. I am a father now. And I hope that I will make the right decission on my children's future just as my father did.
To all you guys out there..., Happy Father's Day!.
A moving piece indeed. My father was a product of the SITC in Tg Malim as well. I can still recall his joy on my admission to STAR, his dejection on receiving my mediocre Form Five results and his elation when I somewhat redeemed myself at sixth form and got myself enrolled into university.
ReplyDeleteYes we all worry what will be of our offsprings and ask ourselves if we have done our part in the way that our parents did. But if your daughter (with whom I have the privilege to work with) is anything to go by, I can say that you have done well on that count too.