Life as the Eldest Child in the House of Abasouff - Part 4

When I was up in the sky with the other passengers, doubt is like trying to overthrown my courage & bravery... As the plane hit the clouds my mind was at a blank knowing nothing or what soever will happen to me during flight.

This reminded me of my childhood memories...

My first school was SK Layang Kanan, Parit (1976) where my late grandpa was teaching there. It's really a kampung school where all the agriculture activities where the main economy. I was 6 y.o then & registered as pre-school child although I was in std one. I remembered my English teacher was Mr Zahuri, a great man coz he never uses bahasa Melayu when speaking with the students even after class. The basic islam subject was taught by my late grandpa Ustaz Yusoff... people in that district called him as Tuan Yusoff, I dunno why...

And I remembered this one girl trying to be close to me so badly, she's the daughter of a teacher that teaches at nearby school. I was like blurred all the way by her behaviour. Where ever I go she always followed me, even when i wanna go back home... I was puzzled why she treated my grandpa like her own... that made me more blurred... ah... i remember her name... Nurul Fitri...

The funny thing was in 1994 I taught in SK Pasir Kubu, Teluk Sena, Kg Gajah... and the Headmaster was her father... what a coincidence... Better still the girl married to one of my best friend near my parents home in Ipoh. Both of their father are teachers & so are they... And I'm one of the best man & she still recognised me after all these years at their wedding....hahahahaha...

After a year as 'pre-school' boy, then it's the end for me as I was registered again in standard one, this time in SRK Iskandar Shah, Parit (1977). I've made new friends with multi-racial faces in my class. All I could remember was this one boy Aminuddin (Amin) who was my good friend & neighbour at that time. His dad was a teacher. I'm in a different league compared to him, coz he's the youngest in his family but I'm the eldest. I'm still learning to become big brother while he already got one whom worked at the naval base.

And I remembered during Ramadan there was a donation campaign to give to the unfortunate. Conducted by my class teacher Puan Johara, the campaign aimed to give out school shoes. So she knew who were the less fortunate. My friend Amin was looking at his shoes while sitting right infront of me & suddenly I heard a loud voice infront of me saying, "Kasut aku lagi cantik la dari tu!" (My shoes are better than that!). That very instant Puan Johara yelled at Amin & scolded him coz she thought Amin was the culprit who spoke that proud words....

Back home at night I played the fireworks infront of the house, Amin was living next door. I want to ask him why he spoke like that & I was again shocked when he touched the flaming firework right at my chest, then he screamed, "Bukan aku! Amat buat!" (It's not me! Amat did it!). He ran away to his home crying & slamed the door.

Now I know that it was Amat (Ahmad Husaini @ Man) who spoke that loud words. Amin was blindly accused for a crime he did not commit & he felt sad coz could not do anything to make it right. Amat at that time was the most notorious kid in class because he missused his dad's influence as the Asst. Head Master of SRK Iskandar Shah. People called his dad Ce'gu Halim Panjang & he's very nice & a humble man. I dunno why they call him that... but when I grew up I understood coz he is a tall & extra slim man.

The moral of Standard One story... It's happening in Malaysia right now... the son missused the power of his dad...