Abah and Ibu
I remembered being carried around on his shoulders, when I was much younger and definitely much
lighter, whenever we visited the zoo. That was my most vivid memory of my dad during my childhood. I was probably 4 years old then. I don't remember him complaining back then, I was too heavy...likewise now..obviously..
I remembered telling my tuition teacher in Vinita that my dad was a
soldier (because I've always heard him talking with pride about his RMC days, and I thought he was a soldier), and then I told her again that "after that,my dad became a
doctor, (I can't remember why, but I think because we were always hanging out with his Dr friend's family,and so I thought he was a doctor), and now he is a
GM(at that time, when I said those exact words, to my teacher, he was a GM,not knowing it was for General Manager). For God's sake, I was only in Standard 1.And, yes, in Standard 1, your dad is a Superhero.
There were times when we all dreaded his weekly "potong rumput days". When, all the neighbourhood kids were playing bicycles and catching, we(my siblings and I), had to mow the lawn. The boys had to mow the lawn, while my sister and I, we rake the grass and throw it in the Black plastic bin.
As were grew older, we often went to the club where he worked. Asmit, his driver would send us there, and we will swim and play the video game till my dad's office hours ended. After swim, it would be "
Half a dozen chicken wings,ice kacang and beef burger.Under En Ahmad Ramli please". Haha, it's no wonder isn't it???. And, yes my siblings and I were never deprived of food. But the really funny thing is, I know the food bill will always be more than the video game, but we were often scolded for the Video Game bills being so HIGH.
but NEVER for the FOOD.Hahaha.
The other ordeal, we all went through were during Subuh prayers. Back then, when my parents were still using the oldskool brown air-cond, if he SWITCHED IT OFF, we could all be awaken and would be jumping to the toilet . Firstly, it was the noise the air-cond made, second was his footsteps.
" DAH SMAYANG BELUMM??!!", while the knocks threatened to knock down the door..."DAH!!", you could almost hear in unison, both my brother and I.Well, he still does it now, but not as often as he used to. I guess it's because we are all grown up now.
During my adolescent days, was also the Internet booming days, when Jaring was the only method to go online, and emails were restricted to @tm.net.my. Days when cybercafes were the popular hangout. My dad, being the techology savvy person he is, had the computer at our home, equipped with the Internet, and mind you, I was only in Std 4,and most of my peers, hadn't heard of Internet yet. My two older brothers, were of course, using the Internet for hours, only to make my dad furious with all of us. Eventhough my sister and I, we both were only allowed an hour a week. There would be a "sesi, musahabah diri, like," where we siblings, we brought for hearing. My dad would lecture us on "
luxury,luxury,luxury", and that we should not waste money on such things-RM400-500 for Internet bills.
I'm not sure if my siblings still remember the Tabung we made, for those who used the Internet longer than allowed. But, as far as the scoldings go, the money collected were never used and never taken by my dad.I think my brother took all the money and bought concert tickets?!!
Back then, we used to wonder, why he did, what he did. It's merely to discipline us all, and yes he has his own ways of dealing with our stubbornness, well you could say his formula worked.As I can proudly say I've done and know a lot more technical and manly stuff that most friends doesn't.
I am trained the military style!With his 5'3 frame, I definitely do not look like my dad, although my curly locks would give it away. I would proudly say I inherited his sense of humour and writing style from him. And yes, sometimes, the jokes are only understood by the two of us.
He used to tell me
bedtime stories,of these 3 guys who went exploring in a cave.For some awkward reason, as soon as these 3 guys got into the cave, they kept exploring, and I will wait with anticipation, but the next thing I hear is , my dad snoring. So the stories will be repeated every day, and when it came to the part where they entered the cave, and until today, the 3 guys have never found their way out. For years, I really thought, those guys got lost,until I realised, my dad couldn't "
GORENG" any more stories.
He gets motivated by reading and by teaching. And, honestly, I'm really proud that I can still ask my old man to help me with "answering well during interviews". The right words, the perfect words that sounds intelligent, rather than my "
bimbo-ish poke fun at myself humour".
He has always allowed us to do what we liked (study and career wise). I never recall him pushing me to study medic, never recall him scolding me for the bad marks....Only scolding me for misplacing my things over and over again.
He is also a sporty man, who played all types of Sports. I am lucky that my dad has always encouraged us to take up sports.Any sports, the only sport he didn't want me to play was football , and perhaps Ballet(but that's obvious lah kan?). I played golf, and he was often at the driving range looking at us hitting those balls.And never put us down.
His love for sports never fades,despite an accident, which a goat was sacrificed, and his Sports Bike into
besi buruk. He started cycling when he was 52. That's something, I'm not sure I can do when I reach that age.
And so, for his 55th birthday, he toured Peninsular Malaysia on a bicycle, and reached his hometown in Kelantan on 21st July. For his 56th, he toured Sabah,Sarawak and Brunei. But for his 57th birthday? Let's leave it to him for other new challenges...Happy 57th birthday Abah!
We love you and proud of what you do!
