SUNGAI CHOH (3) : Once Upon A Time | Until The last Raindrop

Once Upon A time

(Ia menjadi mimpi dan menjadi rindu)

5

Road Shops

2 Year Kid

Old Memory

Cowboy Town

"Kedai Seberang"

This morning was blurred by a thin curtain of mist, gently floating among the leaves. Nevertheless in the serenity I could hear the rhythm of raindrops and the whisper of gentle  breeze. Then unknowingly I felt my mind  slowly floating into old memories. Anyhow  I couldn't hold back my memory of late 50s. Where the rain brought excitement and joy. Regardless of girls and boys, every single drop of rain was like a rhythm of a song that brings  nostalgia back. We're wet together and we're happy together.

Rain, rain, go away

Come again another day

Brother wants to play

Rain, rain, go away

(The traditional nursery rhyme)

The yougest

Little Children

3 Siblings

Lembak Relative

Those  were the days of my nostalgic memories of  Sungai Choh  in the late 50s. My friends and I, of course danced happily following the rhythm of the rain, and together with the wild cry.  Just to answer "the battle cry" of the thunder. By then we were really the children of the season, and the  guests of nature. But then, all of a sudden a drop of tears flowed down my cheeks. Might be this was only  my imagination or might be the morning mist got into my eyes. Oh God, I really miss the rain dance. Where are you now my old friends? I really miss you all. Until now you are all gone without leaving any trace.

Feeling Cold

Abah's House

In Memory

New Buildings

 Side Of The Road

We really chilled to the bones then. But the joy was everything to ignore the cold. We could not deny the dripping sound of raindrops and the humming sound of wind. So exciting and enchanting. Thus, each shared moment gave deep meaning to the life of every child back then. Then unknowingly everything synchronized to form the melodious rhythm of rain dance.  So we kept on  dancing and singing,  until the last raindrop.

Masihkah kau ingat

Ia menjadi mimpi dan menjadi rindu

Masihkah kau ingat

Masihkah kau ingat

Kita berlari-lari di kaki langit mencari pelangi

Lalu hujan turun kita basah bersama

Masihkah kau ingat

Masihkah kau ingat

(Kopratasa)

SUNGAI CHOH (2) : Once Upon A Time | Who Am I?

Once Upon A time

(A Secret Makes A Woman Pretty)

My Home Town 

Abah's House

Born Here

Colouful Life

Sungai Choh Simpang

I was born in 1950 in Kampung Sungai Choh Simpang,  as ordinary infant. No thunderstorm and no lightning whatever  to celebrate my first birthday. There was even no extraordinary phenomenon or miraculous event to make myself a legend.  Whatever legendry birth, It is just a myht. Just a fairy-tale or a bedtime story. So, I was born normally and later became a normal boy with no problems, because everything I took for granted. So, I was just a plain and simple village boy, that’s all. Anyway I was  the second son to the family, and so the youngest to get parents’ love by then.

2 Month

3 Years 

3 Little Kids

Mother's Love

From Serendah

But now it's only a step to enter 7 series. Oh God, what a big number to count. Anyway I don't care less, it is just a number. Nothing significant about it. Yet to a woman it is exclusively a secret. Sometimes it becomes a taboo to ask about age. May be, a secret makes a woman pretty. Anyway I keep on wondering when people talk about the greatness of being old. Sometimes they just create something of glamour for themselves. Even they've given  a thousand reasons to keep themselves glamourous, but it always comes back to where it started. Perhaps it is just an illusion or hype to say that, "old is gold". Really ridiculous, or do I misinterpret?

Second Son

Two Siblings

Big Brother

To Sungai Buaya

However "once upon  a time", there was no birthday celeberation during my childhood. I was even not aware of my age. My friends and I just let the day pass by. Sometimes  did not know how old we were  when asked. Anyway today's children  smile proudly when friends come to celeberate their birthday. What a joy to be a celebrity of the day. Then they all clap their hands together after the "happy birthday" song. It's really a joy to share. By then,  the old grandpa just witness the event, as a guest of the day. But I wonder, do people  remember the day of our death? May be, but after years we will be gradually disappear from their memory. That is the fate after death. Sorry to say that.

Arya 3 Months

Ayla 2 Years

Ayla 4 Years 

Ayla's Birthday

Ayra's Birthday

Birthday Party

SUNGAI CHOH (1) : Once Upon A Time I Lost In Memory Lane

Once Upon A time

(Too Little Time But Too Much To Remember)

Sungai Choh

Map Of Sungai Choh

School Road

SK Sungai Choh

1961 Memory

It’s the paradox of time. Too little time but too much to remember.  However I couldn't care less. No doubt, time give me an opportunity to see myself in person and as well as to rediscover myself from the 50's.  Anyway I have  to retrieve the missing memory. There is no doubt that some memories have been faded away in the course of time. Only then  I find myself not anywhere near. Finally I retreat to the beginning.  May be this is just a dramatic escapism or dramatic irony whatever.  Anyway everything has changed. Only time gives me freedom to go through the past.

Kampung Style

By The Road

Home Guard Barrack

That’s the freedom to explore  the past. However, the memories of the late 50's  are too sentimental and nostalgic. Sometimes these memories are a little bit confused  with dreams and fantasies. Anyway I believe,  yesterday's memory is tomorrow's dream. That's  what wisdom means, "yesterday's dream is the mirror of today's  reality". However, I begin to lose gradually  the 50s scenario. Though the  inland village of Sungai Choh  still exists,  its 50s memory is increasingly blurred year after year. Finally It becomes a side mirror. Only once in a while, I look back when I feel myself a little bit lost.

Wooden Shop

Memory Road

Missing Love

Knowledgable

Innocent Faces

So, I walk along the memory lane, trying to collect bit by bit the nearly forgotten memories. It is like looking into the dark corner. Only to find  a memory lapse or a missing link in the memories. Without realizing, year by year the time gap  separates  the past and the present. Just to find it too difficult to cross the gap. There is no time machine to pick up the memories and no magic wand to bridge the gap. What's more, the past has no time capsule to recover the memories.  Neither the chronological events are written nor drawn for reflection and for reference.

Small Town

 To Serendah

 To Rawang

To Sungai Buaya