During the early days when people were still very superstitious, rumours about flying apparitions especially the one with dangling entrails abound. There was a male teacher who advised me to hang a bottle of concentrated acid at the doorway or windows of my living quaters to ward off the apparition with the dangling entrails. He even suggested that I get my bottle of acid from the science laboratory since I have access to the place.
I never took up his advice not because I'm fearless but because I know the danger of concentrated acid. Had I been less fearful of the stuff, I would have set up camp permanently in the chemical store as obviously that would be the safest place for anyone to stay. With all the different types of acid available, what other place could have offered a better protection.
As the apparition with the dangling entrails was a lesser treat in my opinion, I failed to seize the opportunity that came knocking. Just imagine how much I could have saved on rental and utility bills had I decide to camp in the chemical store! I could have been rich!
I guess I have to learn to seize the opportunity when it arises but then, how many opportunities can one have? I have heard before that opportunity knocks but once!
No wonder I'm still poor. Hoohoo.......
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Hanging Toilets
Talk about dreaming and chicken wings that never went flapping during the night brought to mind a time when there were some very superstitious people in the school. During those early days rumours abound that there were many unclean things around and every once in a while those rumours would be striking fear in some students.
I remember wardens reporting about junior form students being too scared to go out to the toilet during the night (toilets are separated from the hostel block). The only solution for those kids when they felt desperate and just could not wait until dawn was to climb up to the ceiling of the hostel to answer the call of nature and for some, the call was a long call. Guess they had more fear of the unknown than the punishment they would face if caught.
It is also probable that doing their business at a higher level is something acceptable. One of the former Principal of the school once told the staff about tandas atas pokok (toilet on trees) during his childhood. Its seems back in his village in those days, when anyone feels the urge to answer a long call, he will squat high up on a tree branch and he will have to shift about along the branch to avoid crowning anyone who might be passing by beneath.
I have learnt about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in history class during my school days but it was only a few years back that I learnt about the Hanging Toilets of Sarawak! There is no dispute, learning is definitely a lifelong process.
I remember wardens reporting about junior form students being too scared to go out to the toilet during the night (toilets are separated from the hostel block). The only solution for those kids when they felt desperate and just could not wait until dawn was to climb up to the ceiling of the hostel to answer the call of nature and for some, the call was a long call. Guess they had more fear of the unknown than the punishment they would face if caught.
It is also probable that doing their business at a higher level is something acceptable. One of the former Principal of the school once told the staff about tandas atas pokok (toilet on trees) during his childhood. Its seems back in his village in those days, when anyone feels the urge to answer a long call, he will squat high up on a tree branch and he will have to shift about along the branch to avoid crowning anyone who might be passing by beneath.
I have learnt about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in history class during my school days but it was only a few years back that I learnt about the Hanging Toilets of Sarawak! There is no dispute, learning is definitely a lifelong process.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Friday Happy Hour
Someone gave me a boost to continue writing, so I'm back after a long break.
Well, since Serian was a cowboy town back in the early 1980s, there was hardly any night life except for two cinemas: Lina and Empress. These two cinemas were quite popular even though there was no air conditioning and the fans were ineffectiveI. I was also told by a colleague that one has to bring along a mosquito coil to keep the blood suckers away once the light has dimmed. For want of entertainment, I suppose bringing along your own mosquito coil is nothing but just a mere inconvenience. However, I never step foot inside those cinemas. I was not that desperate!
My Happy Hour on Friday night was not going to the movies or pubs but going out to town with my housemates. I would wait for them to be back after the afternoon session ends and we would walk to town to get some supplies from the only sundry shop that opens partially at night. Then, we would go to buy Sarawak famous Kolo mee for our dinner. I would also buy a fried chicken wing, remember there's no chicken dish during the week! My eyes were always bigger than my stomach. Each time I would only be able to eat up the Kolo mee and always had to keep the chicken wing for the next day. Since there was no refrigerator and there was one rat too many in the kitchen, I always hung my chicken wing from the door knob inside my room. Luckily I never get any nightmares about chicken wings that go flapping in the dark trying to get out!
Well, it might not be much of a happy hour to most but I cherish the time when we went out together. It was very relaxing and there was much laughter as we chatted and forgot about our school work temporarily to spent the only evening of the week together in town. In today's rat race, how many of us can spare the time just to go for a stroll or call upon a friend.
We do not need to go out in a big fancy car or to a posh place for a ridiculously expensive meal to be happy. As long as the company is right, even hawkers' fair beside the yukky monsoon drain with four-legged creatures scavenging around will make us happy. We should have a Happy Hour everyday in order to keep our sanity in today's world of kiasu!
Well, since Serian was a cowboy town back in the early 1980s, there was hardly any night life except for two cinemas: Lina and Empress. These two cinemas were quite popular even though there was no air conditioning and the fans were ineffectiveI. I was also told by a colleague that one has to bring along a mosquito coil to keep the blood suckers away once the light has dimmed. For want of entertainment, I suppose bringing along your own mosquito coil is nothing but just a mere inconvenience. However, I never step foot inside those cinemas. I was not that desperate!
My Happy Hour on Friday night was not going to the movies or pubs but going out to town with my housemates. I would wait for them to be back after the afternoon session ends and we would walk to town to get some supplies from the only sundry shop that opens partially at night. Then, we would go to buy Sarawak famous Kolo mee for our dinner. I would also buy a fried chicken wing, remember there's no chicken dish during the week! My eyes were always bigger than my stomach. Each time I would only be able to eat up the Kolo mee and always had to keep the chicken wing for the next day. Since there was no refrigerator and there was one rat too many in the kitchen, I always hung my chicken wing from the door knob inside my room. Luckily I never get any nightmares about chicken wings that go flapping in the dark trying to get out!
Well, it might not be much of a happy hour to most but I cherish the time when we went out together. It was very relaxing and there was much laughter as we chatted and forgot about our school work temporarily to spent the only evening of the week together in town. In today's rat race, how many of us can spare the time just to go for a stroll or call upon a friend.
We do not need to go out in a big fancy car or to a posh place for a ridiculously expensive meal to be happy. As long as the company is right, even hawkers' fair beside the yukky monsoon drain with four-legged creatures scavenging around will make us happy. We should have a Happy Hour everyday in order to keep our sanity in today's world of kiasu!
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