Grandmother's PlaceI saw a younger me way back in the younger years, traveling back to the countryside, back where my family roots are. As we approaching nearer to our destination, nothing but palm trees can be seen everywhere, and we entered into that small lane, passed by few more farming area and finally, there stood a row of wooden houses, and there we are, we're at my grandmother's place (Malacca).
Every time when its time to balik kampung for the New Year festival, we will put on our unenthusiastic faces and get into the car. I never liked that place, It was hot in the afternoon and there is nothing to do in the evening. Eventually when the night falls, things got worse as its moist and mosquitoes are everywhere! And don't get me started on toilets!
It's just not my style of leisure T__T
Just a monotonous routine everyday!
Like every usual evening there, me, my sis and my brother used to play hide-and-seek, annoy our uncle to take us on his motorbike to (blow wind in our face wtf, in mandarin *chui feng*) and of course this game: whereby we draw 8 boxes and a semi circle on the top (as displayed below) on sand and start the game by throwing the stone on 1 and we start hopping with one foot from box "2" to box "8", make a turn and back to box "2" and pick the stone from box "1" and you passed the first level. easy hor... (cant remember the name of the game though)
Other than that, we watch TV most of the time, when all the adults taking their nap, and aunt and grandmother will be busy preparing dinner. It was pretty quiet here, especially during the night. I can't think anything better to do than taking a stack of paper and start to draw.
It sounds boring, cause it's really boring! However this place carries so much of my childhood memories that are unforgettable...
Illustration #1
It was the first time in my life to see a life very unlucky chicken (you know why later) that was passing by our doorstep and was caught by my grandmother. I really know the chicken meat i love to eat so much and that animal is called chicken, but really didnt think about the process to the end product of that delicious chickens. Haha, that was my first time witnessed when my grandmother actually brings it to the kitchen and then that my grandmother gave that poor chicken a neck-break and head chop-off and blood starts coming out from that broken neck.. yuck... and I turned away! (in my head, why my grandmother so cruel one) -.-
Reason behind this, I was sitting near the entrance when I saw a chicken passing by, grandmother was sitting on the sofa near me and I told her, chicken! I thought her reaction will be verbal like (calling me pandai or watsoever) but instead she stood up and tangkap tu ayam! (in my mind, wow are we having a new pet? wtf) So I so excitedly follow her to the kitchen and thats what happen lar. She tied up those claws and .............. (so sorry for that chicken la, I really no intention one, didn't know ended up become my dinner)
Illustration #2
At tat age, my uncle was jobless, so he used to take me and my bro on his motorbike and he drive us (kai kai). Some various place he took us really astonished me. I remembered the tree house that he and his friends built them during his schooldays. It's situated somewhere in those palm tree that we passed by so so many times. Amazing (my first impression), but barely nothing left there except that wooden box and WORMS growing from the plank, damn gross!
Another mysterious place he brought us to was a river, also in the palm trees area to fishing! It was the last few hours of our stay before he head home, while leaving my mummy and daddy packing our staff, uncle bring us fishing (to be honest it was my idea, cause he have this fish tank at home and I was really really wanted to rear them). Was really really excited, me and bro get into the river each holding a jar and we caught some guppies. And the scary part was, went we got up onto the bike, we saw this huge sneak went into the river! (shivering) Thank God we get out just before that!!! Rest assure next time I'm not asking for another fishing trip for the next visit!
It was simply the utmost treasured childhood memories I would never forget! With a glance of the flash back can be dull, however when it's segmented and centralized into those tiny bit of details, it simply transformed a translucent picture into a priceless vibrant picture that stoically ravishing.
Im missing that fusty room.
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