A FORMER CLASSMATE

Last weekend we traveled north to attend a wedding of my son-in-law’s younger brother held at their parents’ house in Kangar, Perlis. We went on Friday and came back to PJ on Sunday. It is a six hours drive to Kangar and we left early on Friday morning driving leisurely. There was not much traffic on the road and I was tempted to speed. It was fortunate that I did not as there were speed traps along the way and I would have been caught if I had.

About midway through the highway, we diverted to a small town called Kemunting, slightly north of Taiping, a town in a hilly area just at the foot of the Main Range. My intention was to visit a former classmate of mine whom I have not met for a very long time. I have his address but was not sure whether he is still there and just thought I would take the chance hoping that he is still living at that address.

It was not difficult to find the house. When we arrived, the house was very quiet with all the windows and doors closed. No car in the driveway, no shoes and slippers lying around, one or two letters sticking out of the letterbox, empty clothesline, all telltale signs that the occupants are away. I rang the bell anyway, several times, and waited. After a while someone opened the door and peered out. It was him, hair totally white, slightly built but otherwise appear sturdy and sprightly, a clear indication that this man looks after his health and well being. He then came out and asked if I was looking for some one. “Yes, you”, I said, because I could already recognize him and his voice and mannerism, which has not changed over time. He came closer, looked at me, put his hand on his head and exclaimed some gibberish thing and said Kamil?? I could see the excitement in him just as I was excited meeting him. He opened the gate wide and insisted that I park my car inside. After that it was a long question and answer session, both seeking to know what happened to ourselves over the past forty years or so!!

We were very close during our schooldays. We share the same birthday even. We were classmates, study mate, play mate and what have you during our upper secondary schooldays. There are two or three other very close classmates in our group including the lawyer guy who have had four strokes (see my previous posting here). Two others in this group have died one of cancer and the other of heart problems and both were leading doctors in their respective towns.

This classmate who lives in Kemunting, comes from a family of Arabic descent. His father was a well known and respected writer, historian and educationist, his paternal grandfather also a writer and an Islamic religious leader. Both of them have a number of books published to their name and credit. His siblings are doing well in their respective careers. He joined the army after leaving school and left at the age of forty or so and went into contracting business in the telecommunication field. He has left this business now and is currently doing consultancy work on a freelance basis. I could see and guess, from what I see and hear, that he has had a good life, or has he? …………..

He was alone in the house when we came. His wife had gone to their eldest son’s house for the weekend while his three other children are away on their own, living in the Klang Valley area. Only the youngest child is not yet married and is in the final year at the University. He has six grandchildren. I learnt that he is in Kemunting only during the weekends and is in Kuala Lumpur on weekdays. Apparently his wife does not want to leave the Kemunting area having had built up her circle of friends, community activities and so on and is comfortable there. He has to be in Kuala Lumpur during the weekdays for his work and hence both of them live alone part of the week. I thought that this sort of arrangement is not quite right for a husband and wife, not really a good life ………… especially now when we are at the ‘twilight’ years, but it seems that they are comfortable with the arrangement, so I guess it is alright, for them at least.

We exchanged contact numbers and promised to contact each other and meet up with the lawyer friend sometime somewhere in Kuala Lumpur later. Before leaving he suddenly asked me how he should address me and he was very polite about it. I said I am still the same Kamil. He was wondering whether I have a title or something, a royal or state award and he wants to address me appropriately. "Rubbish" I said. "Call me Kamil as you have always called me".

Titles are worldly make beliefs, use and misused by some for worldly gains, an arm-booster, but what you have in the end is the name given by your parents when you were born ……… that’s everlasting. I wish I can be remembered after my death by my name, what I have done and what little contribution I made to this world, and not because I have a title given by the state or royalty……

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya