Tokonang Den (6)

A prelude to the annual sports day was the cross country run. It was one of the event that I had waited anxiously during my lower forms but not over the later years. During those days, if my memory has not lapsed me, the cross-country event was being monopolised by these bunch of runners: Shahrir (senior from Blue House) or Solahuddin (also a senior - Black House) or Musa Omar (Red or was he from White House .... Yellow?) or Fauzi Alias (senior - Yellow House). We (Batch 73) had our own middle distance and X-country champion in Yunus Karim. But most often than not, the accolades for the X-country event belonged to those guys ... Shahril, Solahuddin ...

The country run took us away from the school compound via the side gate near the surau, out into the rubber estates, over a 'titi' across a tiny stream, alongside a pamelo plantation, the 'oink-oink farm, then came out on the 'country' road just alongside the town of Ampang Baru. Then we'll be struggling and pulling ourselves along Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi (formely Dairy Road) and back to the school. The most welcome sight then was seeing the school a distance away especially from that corner after Yellow House. But, that whole stretched, from that corner until the finishing line, was the most torturous and longest journey ever to the finishing line, I have ever experienced!.

Idris (Dato'), Daniel Tomo, Yuri, Zaini Rashid, Jalal Atan and Saleh Jabar were among the guys (Batch 73) on the photograph. When I met Daniel Tomo last month's during the OBW, he was twice the figure that appeared in the photo. (Do not despair Tomo.., guys, member-member lain pun gemok dan boyot juga, including yours truly!!). During those X-country run, quite often I came acrossed and stumbled upon Tomo but I wouldn't say the same thing though on Rostam. Was he running or was he among the 'selected markers'? or 'check-pointers?' Or could it be that he took part in another 'running event' than X-country? I did try once though, applying for the position of a 'marker' but was disqualified. I was made to understand that one must be really "OKUed" to qualify! The easier way then, they told me, was to get the recomendation from the matron! (Raja Mas Juita). No way man!

Ipoh, if not Perak, is famous for its nasi ganja (of course lah., Rostam would not have agreed more!), kacang menggelembu, pamelo as well as jambu apple!. Talking about pamelo, ever since that X-country runs and ever since I stumbled upon the pig farm (which was sited beside the pamelo plantation), I forbid myself totally from eating pameloes. When Mohamad asked me to pull over and stopped at the stalls on our way home to KL via Simpang Pulai, so that he could buy some pamelo, I just couldn't say no. These pamelo stalls were being manned by amoys, but I doubt whether they are locals. Could these amoys be the real reason why Mohamad wanted the pameloes so desperately? Pure tricks of the trades. I wonder!

Tokonang Den ( 5 )

The year was 1971. The event was the school annual sports day. This particular sports day was being remembered as something special, something spectacular, not only by me, but to the rest of the school.. It was special because during the opening ceremony, the march past was graced and led by the newly revival school cadet band.

Months before, prior to the event, at the beginning of the school term, words were already being spread around that Headmaster, En. Ahmad bin Dahan, would revived the school cadet band (one that has been 'hibernating' for so many years) and he wanted the band to perform during the school sports day. Hearing that news, together with other hopefulls and budding musicians, I enrolled and became the new cadet band member. There were others as well from batch 73 who answered the call - Awang Adek, Ahmad Abu Khair, Ansor, Zainudin Omar, Rashid Abdullah and Linggam. Each and everyone of us then opted for our favourite equipments - the one we love to learn and to play - Awang Adek, Ansor and Abu Khair opted for the flute, Rashid went for the bugle and Zainudin, Linggam and yours truly opted for the drums.

The training was anything but easy and it was conducted once a week. Nearing the sports meet, training session was double to twice a week. We were lucky two have two instructers, ex-army officers, (En. Yusof and his friend) to train and teach us, playing the equipments as well as marching. Personally, it was not that easy task to play the blowing instruments - be it the flute or bugle. I have tried playing the bugle but no sound came out of it. Rashid must have that extra 'wind' to have succeeded in blowing and getting sound out of the 'twisted brass' (bugle). Awang Adek and Abu Khair also practising hard on their flutes. Linggam was the obvious choice and the only one strong enough to carry the bass drum. And by the third month, Linggam was able to play the drum like Steve Thorntorn!!.

We were not without pressure. In fact the pressure was intense and enormous, to say the least. We had a deadline and it was blood, sweat and tears all along. Even though En. Yang Razali told us that the school encountered some financial problem and could not raised the money to buy the band uniform, that did not dampen our spirits. Due to our lack of practice and short of time for the instructers to prepare us, we had to be content to learn just a few songs, enough to carry us through the opening ceremony. Typical songs being prepared for us by En. Yusof were Malaysia Berjaya, Nona Zaman Sekarang and Rasa Sayang Eh and the side drum routines.

And when the actual day came, we were excited. Very much excited. You could tell from the look on our faces - grinning from ear to ear. The moment truth. The one we have been waiting for all this while. Yes, it was show time!!. We were dressed in an all white attire, olde-worlde, and we did ourselves and the school proud with the performance. And I was sure that Tun Hamdan who was there to witness the ceremony would have agreed to that.

We had our setbacked then but that didn't stop us from giving our fullest on that day. We were not accomplished musicians nor were we dressed in the proper uniform. But nevertherless our spitirs were high and everybody wanted to contribute to the special event. That brief encounter and during that special moment, we were in cloud nine. Never mind the marching steps that was out of paced and not synchronised, never mind that the 'pitching' and sound was a bit out, I was sure that the school cadet band that day made the school proud.

End of Part 5

At Last!

The date was Saturday. We left Putrajaya around 3 pm and headed for Jaya Jusco, Bukit Raja. Earlier on I managed to contact him and it was agreed that we should meet at JJ. We took the ELITE highway and since we were not that familiar with Klang, we drove slowly so as not to miss the place. I had been to Klang only twice before - the first time was in search of my former 'housemaid' after I came back from the UK in 1995 and the second time was with my family in 2007, an accidental shopping outing!.

Rostam suggested that we should have our lunch and wait at the Old Town White Coffee restaurant. After about 10 minutes, then came the person we had been waiting for and the one we had not met almost 36 years. Yes, finally we met Nari Ansari!. The walk and gestures were still there. And he is more handsome now than before - with moustache - and a more confident guy I would say.

It was such a meaningful reunion and we chitchat almost about everything. He told us about the adventure that he had with Mat Dollah, hitchiking all the way from Malacca to Perlis, visiting guys like Lookeman and Fadhil Hassan. Never mind the fact that he could not remember our secret 'duel' when we were in the remove class. We were in the midst of chitchatting when I received an unexpected SMS from Mail Don. Guessed what, he was in Ipoh and was having his lunch at Yong Suan's!. It was only last week that he came down to Ipoh that he has to come down again and couldnot helped but having another go at nasi ganja!. Sheer addiction!

Nari is doing okay and is an 'Atuk' now!. And we were told that his wife currently operated a stall at stadium Shah Alam during Sunday's pasar tani from 7 till 1 in the afternoon - known as 'gerai kueh lapis Norma - selling all kind of kueh mueh.

We said goodbye around 6.30 pm and Nari promised that he will keep in touch with the rest of the gang from Class of 73.