The Photo

Down Memory Lane

Surely it is true that a picture speaks a thousand words.

In Muar today, I could not help but trudge to the backyard that I was so familiar with in my growing years. The flower pot stand where some pots are still placed is the only sight that I could associate with my mum's green fingers and her love for flowers.

But the bougainvillea trees were definitely planted by my mother and how tall and unruly they have grown. When I showed mum the shot she immediately reiterated that the new owners do not love the garden. Mum had resided there for a good few decades and had taken much pride in her then well kept garden. So, she spoke with much pain and regret at the present status.

The backyard was the neighbourhood where my siblings and I used as our daily playground. We played hop scotch, shuttle cock games, hide and seek and everything under the sun. Mum and dad were mostly concerned about making meager earnings to make ends meet. They know no English.

Who would teach us to speak English?

The teachers in our schools of course. Who says children cannot learn under normal teaching and tuition is needed? We had no money for those extras. It was either you learn from one another or you are out. Thank you teachers.

Who taught us Mandarin?

The POL classes in school. Thank you teachers.

Who taught us the little Bahasa Melayu we knew then?

The teachers in school of course. Thank you teachers.

Having being brought around a rich neighbourhood of varied language users, we spoke Teo chew, Hokkien, Hakka and thrive successfully as linguists.

Thanks to hardship and street wisdom that we survived.

Circumstances do shape the quality and values we are brought up. Not having the best under the sun does not equate with right living. We need to listen to parents and their principles and follow when appropriate. Seldom do parents not want to impart right values.

It was at this very spot when it was clean and neat then that I had memories of girl friends and boy friends. My girl friends would pop over for my mum's tasteful dishes for lunches after school. My mother knew most of my friends then and some still visit her till this day.

It was also here that boy friends came to court my siblings and I ! We would spend hours chatting and exchange high opinions ! Hahaha so very often we would gather together for supper and even durian eating. Oh , today I went all nostalgic recalling those times but it was surely a place of many events and turmoil too. My father who was very stoic then could even slam the door driving all the boys away ! Who said you can allow boys to come ? Mum was more understanding; she was afraid we were not able to be married off so she was more tolerant and allowed courtships! She has sharp eyes and opined quite accurately about them; so the boys were smart. They befriended her first and when she was on their side, my father followed suit. This principle of courtship surely is still relevant today. Try it, boys.

Many more to be recalled. It would take a while but I need to pause now to allow the best memoirs to be recounted. So that's it for now.

The backyard siblings.