Kal Oomph Pang!

Last weekend was special. Instead of waiting for Mars to appear like a moon in the sky, I was busy dipping, floating and resurfacing in the river of Kalumpang.

Arghhh! The water's cold. Good thing there are boulders heated by the sun.

But since today is Monday, I'm going to take some time to recover from the blues and post the rest of the pictures and the story later ;-P

Meanwhile, some pictures are at Bert's, Dzu's and Ifzan's .

Mars spectacular hoax

Much have been said and circulated around the internet about mars travelling so close to earth it will look like we have two moons on August 27, 2006. I Googled about and learned that it is actually a hoax (I'm so stuck in Yesterday) Or is it? Check out these links, links and links. Well, you'll get the picture.

I mean, the interest and anticipation of this so called factual event happening makes some people unsure what to believe anymore. Could the multiple debunking of this spectacular event in the internet be a hoax as well? An elaborate one I might add.

On second thought, I'll just keep the reminder of the event at the little corner of my thoughts, in my 'just curious' basket. Meanwhile, I'll just go about my original plans, having fun over the weekend, occassionally watching the night sky, just in case I see two moons. I'll be outdoors barbequeing anyway. But it will be an absolut sober event, which means I'll just see one good old moon and some bright stars. Wheee

Meanwhile, here's a picture of mars from one of the links above, the Hoax Slayer, just so you won't end up with a stiff neck come Monday.

They say men are from Mars.

A party and a gig

It's already Wednesday but I'm only posting last weekend's events. Catching up on updates used to be easy. Now it's about priorities. Oh heck, that's just one lame excuse. But that's no reason to slow down. There's much to do around town.

Last friday my bunch of new friends and I went ot watch Adam Sandler's Click. Loved it! I can't tell you my favorite bits and how they made me feel coz that'll just ruin your experience. Plus, there are no favorite bits, it just flows effortlessly. I love this flick, it just clicks!

After the movie we went to T Club at Bangsar for some drinks (and a good dance...) It turned out to be a great party. What a great set of friends I was introduced to, lucky me.

They say friends come and go. I say, at least they came (so I get a chance to make it last)

Then on Saturday, I went to this Seattle band tribute. Love the setup. But the bands that played didn't stay true to the theme. Each one tried to inject their own creations which were not that good. Like hello...! It's a tribute to Seattle Bands, so step up. It might not sound like the real thing but they could at least try...

Except for Stonebay. I could be totally biased because this band, specifically the guitarist, is our friend, but I'm totally biased because they played the songs that mattered and played good they did! Stone temple pilot's Interstate love song and Plush, Pearl Jam's Animal and Alice in Chains' Rooster. There's gotta be at least one song that you love in this one!!!

"Wow! You went to a gig! That's so cool" said Zack when I told him about last weekend.

"Yeah, but it's not really a hard core gig. And I was told to come coz the guitarist is a friend of a blogger friend. Also it's a time to remember the songs we used to listen to growing up." I told him.

"I didn't know you listened to those kind of songs in high school..." he asked

"True, but I've learned to love them (Good songs are hard to ignore). Like they say, 'when it's gone, you'll miss it sooner or later' " I explained.

" Stonebay stoned" came Bert's text as we each reached home, "coz 'Stonebay rocked' doesn't quite sound right" he elaborated.

The crazy crew.

"Hey, if the gig wasn't what u expected, let me know and I'll compensate your cover charge" Brucie the guitarist apologized.

Hey Brucie (CPMS, pass this one to Brucie), I came to see Stonebay play and I'm glad to be there, no apology and/or compensation expected.

We don't care about the rest of the bands really, especially after their strayed performance.

Jim and tonic

A shaken and stirred conclusion to Jim's tour of duty free

(Note: Conversations are in Malay, English translation in blue.)



It was a good two minutes of staring at the band when the GRO attempted another conversation with Jim.

“Girlfriend kamu dari mana? [Where’s your girlfriend from? ]” She asked.
“Miri” Jim answered, they continued looking at the band.

“Bila mau kahwin? [When are you getting married? ]” she pressed on.
“Ah, belum lagi. Duit tak ada lagi. Kereta belum beli, rumah belum beli [Ah, not the time yet. Money’s not enough. I haven’t bought a car, or a house ] ” explained Jim.
She nodded and finished her drink.

Jim saw this and prayed for help. There was nothing else to discuss. He’s damn sure she would soon order another drink.

Sure enough, she asked “Satu lagi beer ya? [Another glass of beer ya? ]”
“F***!! How the hell did I get into this? She’s about to suck another fourteen bucks and all I have is one! ” Jim complained in silence.

“Swipe…” the devil called.
“F*** you inner voice. I’m not charging my card for this GRO, not worth it!!! Screw the ‘priceless’ ad for Mastercard” (Yeah, he only brought Visa)

Horror struck as Jim nodded and said OK.
“Black magic woman!” he thought, angry at the seemingly mystical force empowering her.

Then she asked again “Belanja satu lagi minum ya? [Buy me another drink ya? ]”

‘Dear Lord, thank you for giving me a second chance to say “No, f*** off! Amen’, he gave thanks, broke the gridlock and bravely said “Tak ada cash lah, tinggal berapa ringgit lagi [I’ve got no more cash, just a few bucks left ]”

“Satu saja bah, boleh bah [Only one, please… ]” she pleaded.
‘When did she became a Sabahan bah? Or Sarawakian bah!’ Jim thought.
‘Bah! I don’t care, I’m still going to say I have no cash.’ he strategized.

Holding her hands on his lap he said to her “Ok, tak apa, saya mau balik, jadi kita dua angkat sama-sama [Ok, tell you what, I gotta go, so we’ll both get up ]”. He hoped she understood the plan to save face, so nobody gets embarrassed.

“Ambil duit ya [To get cash ya… ]” she suggested bitchfully (Jim’s word, not mine. I’d put ‘cheerfully’)
“Tak, tak, Saya mau balik, tak cukup duit sudah ni [No, no. I have to go, no more cash here ]”
“Boleh bah, ambil duit. Datang sini lagi…[Sure you can, get cash. Come right back ]” she persuaded.

“Tak boleh lah. Ok. [I really can’t. Ok ]” with all his might Jim lifted his glass and tried to drain the remaining half of his Long Island tea. It almost blew his brains out. But his glass wasn’t even empty yet! (How optimistic)

“So” he started “Lenny, saya balik dulu, nice meeting you, jumpa lagi [Lenny, I’m leaving now, nice meeting you, see you around ]

(Yeah, I hear you, when did that name, Lenny, came about? Anyway, )

Jim held her hand, reached for her left cheek and gave her a quick kiss. She looked at him wide eyed and smiled, finally saying “Ok, bye, see you”

Jim smiled back as he began to step away, telling himself ‘Now, all you have to do is keep walking, and don’t let the booze get to you and fall smack on your face! Walk straight damn it!’

‘Wait a minute, why did I kiss her? That could cost me.’ He thought. He dared not look back lest a bouncer or two catch up with him and demanded he pay for the kiss.

Finally reaching the door, he grabbed the handle, swung it open and took in a deep breath of island breeze. Musty but fresh. Jim Beam-ed. Damn! He was relieved to be out of the ego trap. How could he have said no to buying a woman’s drink, or denying her a seat by his side? Or admitting he has enough money for himself only.

‘F***! That bitch cost me fourteen bucks, and a little leftover of Long Island! What a waste! I can’t drink all that in less than 10 minutes!’ He thought, as he carefully arranged his steps toward the hotel, just 10 meters away.

‘What a way to end the evening - early, broke and sad, and still lonely (not that it was an issue really) Well, at least I didn’t screw up so bad. No sir, I wasn’t screwed. I didn’t screw! Not tonight! Hmmm, is that good or bad?’such was his reasoning; his head was quite messed up, (yeah, both of them).

Back at the hotel lobby, he tried to calm down. He sat at the sofa near the reception, reading the newspaper. After a while he approached the male receptionist whom he thought should know a trick or two, being in the business and all.

“How do I reject a GRO here in Labuan? Any tips? Coz they’re quite a nuisance really. I just got back from the club across the road. All I wanted to do in there was enjoy the live band, me and my drink, and this GRO just ruined everything?” Jim explained.

“Oh, Just say no. It’s that easy” explained the receptionist.

“They won’t get offended or mark you and stuff? You know, I’m an outsider and it’s pretty obvious. This is my first time here and I’ve heard rumors, horror I tell you” Jim needed a confirmation.

“Nah, as long as you’re polite they’re okay with it. It’s their job. They’ll just go for the next potential client” the receptionist assured him.

‘Oh I was polite alright; too polite for my own good. I guess entertaining an approaching woman dressed to kill means something else here” he thought. (It means you’re in the zone - sex for hire, get it while it’s hot! Oh who am I kidding - It’s always hot!)

Jim walked back to his room reflecting on his experience. In his room he sat at the writing table, thinking ‘damn, how dumb can one get? I must not forget this incident.’ He opened his journal and started to write…

Labuan, March 27, 2004.

My Fourteen Ringgit GRO………

(Cheap. Now that’s priceless!)

Jim's tour of duty free

Note: Conversations are in Malay, with English translations in blue.

Jim has been sitting in the theater-turned-club lounge area listening to bad singing for quite some time now. He entered the place early after dinner at 9pm because he wanted to start experiencing duty free Labuan island’s night life with a good head start.

It was his second night there, having arrived late and tired the night before, with a pounding headache. He didn’t have time to think then so he bought a taxi coupon for Sheraton upon arrival, only to find the rate disturbingly expensive, too expensive for his boss’ approval he reckoned. “Oh what the hell, I’m spending the night here and check in to a cheaper one tomorrow” he thought, too tired and sick to even think about looking for a cheaper alternative. Besides, he had already sent his ride away.

The karaoke session that night was painful to say the least. Bad singers came one after the other. “Why don’t they have private rooms for this kind of torture? It’s like enduring Cameron Diaz’s singing in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, without Cameron Diaz, and all of them are men!” he silently grumbled.

As his mug of Tiger beer emptied, he ordered a glass of Long Island Ice Tea. His drink came and he took a sip. His eyes widened, his brows jumped and his brain shook. “Now that’s tea. Talk about duty free, uhuk...huk” he chuckled with absolut delight.

Moments later the band came up. “Finally! If only I have friends around” He said to himself.

As the band started playing, the place too started to fill up. Soon he was surrounded by strangers, all mingling about, making him more conscious about his loneliness. One song, he was lonely, two song, he’s still lonely, three song and everyone got the picture, he was alone!

Half hour had passed when he was approached by a petit lady wearing a tight black dress.

“Seorang ya? [You alone?]” she asked, speaking in local accent, typical of Labuan and Sabah, almost Indonesian.
“Ya.” Jim answered and continued to face the band in front.

“Tak ada kawan? [No friends with you?]” she continued, trying to start a conversation.
“Tak ada. [No]” Jim answered rather loudly, still facing the band which he thought rocked.

“Boleh saya jadi kawan? [Can I be your friend?] she asked.
“Ok.” Jim agreed, not a clue to what he’s gone into.

The woman sat beside him and told the other girl she came in with, (who was standing nearby all the while) to look for another lonesome cowboy. She sat quietly for a minute as Jim stared at the band. She then asked “Belanja minum? [Buy me a drink?]”
“Boleh, mau minum apa? [Sure, what do you want? ]” Jim asked.

“Beer saja [Just beer ]” she said, twice, almost shouting considering the noise level and Jim’s expression. She flagged a waiter and signaled for a drink. That sent the waiter straight to the bar.

“Minum apa itu? [What are you drinking there? ]” she asked Jim.
“Long Island” he said, offering her a sip. She almost coughed because of the intensity.

The waiter came back with a short glass of beer as a result of what seemed to be a flawless communication amidst organized chaos and noise. He handed Jim the bill which startled him. It was five times the regular price and half the volume. “Oh dear, here we go.” Jim thought, he was beginning to see the clear picture in that dimly lit atmosphere.

“Datang Labuan kerja? [You’re in Labuan for work? ]” she asked.
“Ya.”
“Kerja apa? [What kind of work? ]”
“Ada chemical mau hantar ke Shell [There’s chemicals to deliver to Shell ]” Jim explained and she nodded.

“Kamu kerja sini ya?[Do you work here? ]” It was Jim’s turn to ask the questions.
“Ya”
“Berapa lama sudah?[for how long already? ]” Jim continued.
“Tiga bulan [Three months ]”


The conversation stopped and they decided to watch the band play, occasionally sipping their drinks. Jim felt her left hand now resting on his lap and got really worried. He wouldn’t know how to react if that little hand reached his crotch. Much to his relief, she pulled it back. They continued to watch the band.

She tried the lap maneuver again and this time tried to start a long and fruitful conversation.

“Kamu dari mana? [Where you from? ]” she aksed.
Jim explained his origin, mumbling here and there; he was reluctant to expose his identity. She nodded all the same. It didn’t seem all that important to her either. She continued to work his lap with her hand which drove him absolutely mad. She lifted her glass and they clinked, neither taking a good sip.
“Tak minum? [Don’t you drink? ] She curiously asked
“Slow slow, ini keras bah… [Slowly, this is potent you know ]” Jim explained.
“Boleh mabuk ya? [Gets you drunk? ] she asked, like a little girl.
“Mh~hmmm”

“Kamu kerja dengan ejen ya? [Do you work with an agent? ] Jim investigates.
“Tidak, kalau Philippine ada ejen [No, but Pilipino usually do ]
“Kamu dari mana? [Where are you from? ] Jim asked in response.
“Indonesia”
“Oh great! What am I getting myself into now? "He sighed in regret. Getting caught employing an illegal imigrant with his pants down was the last thing he needed, especially when he's there on duty.
“Sini banyak kompeni servis GRO? [Are there many Guest Relations Officer service companies here?] Jim asked.
“Ada juga [There are some ]”
“Macam mana bisnes? [How’s business? ]” Jim was curious.
“Ok…”
“Kamu kerja sini atau sama ejen? [You’re employed by this place or an agent? ]” he continued.
“Saya GRO sini. [I’m the GRO here ]” she explained.

By this time Jim was well under the influence of alcohol. He needed to get out of there quick but his glass was three quarters full, talk about optimism! The thought of quickly gulping his drink came like radio waves to a reluctant listener. He needed to finish his drink and get out of there before she makes use of the advantage. But the Long Island Ice Tea was really hard! He was in dilema. Her glass was almost empty and soon she will want another drink. ‘Quick, stall her’ he thought.

“Kamu diberi gaji bulanan atau komisyen? [Do you get monthly salary or commission? ]” he asked her.
“Saya kerja sini. Kalau macam minum tadi, 14 ringgit kan, saya ambil 8 ringgit. Saya minum, client pun minum. [I work here. Like the drink I ordered earlier, I take 8 bucks out of the 14 bucks glass of beer ]” She explained.
“Kamu cari client ya? [You’re looking for client tonight aren’t you? ]” Jim asked naively.
“Ya”

“Saya ada girlfriend di bilik hotel tapi dia sakit kepala, maka tidak ada sama saya sekarang. Jadi saya tidak dapat bawa kamu balik bilik. [My girlfriend is back in our hotel room with a headache, so can’t take you to my room (to subscribe to your services)]” Jim lied.

She nodded, understood and replied “Saya tahu. Bukan semestinya saya mau balik bilik sama client. Yang pentingnya saya di sini order minum dan temankan customer. Order mereka minum. Kalau mereka bawa balik, boleh juga. [I understand. I don’t necessarily want to go home with the client. What’s important is that I order them drinks and accompany them. If they want to take me home, I am available as well. ]” She explained.

“Kalau mereka bawa kamu balik, itu kamu punya sendiri ya? [If they take you home, it’s all yours isn’t it? ]” asked Jim.

“Tidak, bayar di sini juga. [No they pay here first ]” she answered.
“O, hmmmm. Jadi mereka di sini uruskan semua la…[Oh, so they take care of everything right here… ]” Jim indicated his comprehension.

Once again they quietly watched the band play. The situation was increasingly awkward.

Village Coffee

After much delay, I finally got my hands on Kopi Kampung (lit. Village Coffee), a Starbucks Black Apron Exclusive from my favorite store. This particular offering comes from the Sapan and Minanga market towns in Northern Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Friends, I know, the former sounds like Sapen, but let's not go there.

Upon opening the bag, a lovely pungent scent emanates, almost like durian being served somewhere distant. There's also sesame oil. Talk about complex!

As I slowly grind the beans using the new member of my collection, this earthy/woody smell registers from the small mill drawer.

The first test was from my espresso machine. It was so good I moaned. It has a rich and full body. Smooth and elegant. I had to have another shot! And then I decided to have another shot from the normal Sulawesi beans I had previously. They're different, but I'm not sure how.

I daftly had three shots of espresso aroung 11pm last night! Ever hypnotized yourself to sleep?

And this morning I had a rich cup of dripped Kopi Kampung. The same smooth and earthy feel swirled in my mouth, signified by a tangy twist. A twang. Somewhere around the bend came this multiple spice notes, of which I'm still trying to identify.

As my empty cup dries up in my air conditioned office, I picked it up, took a deep breath of the lingering scent inside and was immediately transported to a wood fired kitchen, the one we used to have in my own village a long time ago. A kerosene stove is somewhere nearby.

They say you can't put a single definition on Sulawesi beans - a personal experience is critical.

I agree.

Sarawak Textile Museum

(a.k.a. ''Textile for Dummies'', as commented by FH2o. Brilliant!)

Kuching has many colonial style architectures and some are well preserved and tastefully rejuvenated to reflect the remnants of the British Empire of James Brooke. I say some because there are many more forgotten and abbandoned sites wearily waiting to be noticed and restored or mercifully saved from the claws of urbanisation. Others are also currently being used but the tenants just couldn't care less about the heritage upkeep.

While walking around in Kuching city browsing the alleyways and back lanes I stumbled upon a beautifully restored old building which houses the Textile Museum of Sarawak. My visit to this museum took place early July but I'm going to describe it like it was just yesterday-it's no fun talking about ancient times.

The weather yesterday was fine as I stepped into the textile museum, not without taking some pictures of the facade and the surroundings first.

Just across the road is the Sarawak General Post Office, very much alive and in operation but the building it uses is sadly not well taken care of. From far it looks fairly white. Take a closer look though and you'll see stains, thick accumulated dust and bird droppings. Plants too start growing on some nooks and crannies containing enough dirt for a good grip - nature. It really is difficult to do paint jobs and basic cleanups isn't it? Human nature.

And yet, across the road, the view is inspiring!

This is the man that greets every visitor on the first floor which displays costumes for every ethnic community in Sarawak, mostly for wedding ceremonies. This is the costume for the Orang Ulu tribe, warrior themed. Ladies, peek no lower, there's nothing down there. He's just another pretty faced dummy.

These are bidayuh newlyweds. They look guilty in one way or another, don't you think so? Hey John! What have you got behind your hand there? And why the worried face Jane? Cheer up, you just got married! Sigh, love is a strange thing.


This is a Malay wedding setup. I see more cheer in the kids' expressions.

And the Melanau newlyweds couple. At least she looks happy.

Here's an Iban couple. Oh no, the bride looks so sad... Whoa! Those are impressive biceps Joe. Go easy on her will ya!

A chart explaining the Bidayuh tribe's wedding tradition. Very elaborate costumes I must say. You wont find them in your local tailor shop though. Maybe one could get married at the museum. Now that's reality TV.

Some Imperial Chinese costumes are also on display. These are Barbie sized dolls, with sticks up their uhm... arse.

Another floor shows how cloth coloring and printing is done in the old days. This setup gave me a stun as I was not expecting anyone doing anything besides quietly browsing in the museum. The air conditioning was buzzing and it was rather cold and very quiet. Most of the time I was the only one in the room. Spooky. And some of the ugly faces didn't help either.

These ladies are hard at work. No breakfast, lunch or dinner break. Not even a ciggie. Talk about begrudged souls.

This dummy looks like it spent more time in the oven than it should. She so needs a facial as well. Clear and smooth complexion, that should do the trick.

There are many charts and posters explaining a lot of stuff about the early textile industry in Sarawak and Malaysia. Very useful for students and researchers and those working in the industry. Drop by even if you're only remotely curious. You might find something you've been wanting to learn.

But don't let the ugly dummies scare you.

Sundae float

The trip to Kalumpang last Sunday was a blast. We even visited Tanjung Malim, the town nearby, to get our food supply for the picnic. Then it was off to Dzu's holiday home.

I felt like Van Gogh that day. Here the chair sat still, enduring the elements and time.

Going to the river to play.

Bert and Suze.

Ifzan laying the mat down as the hungry people looked on.

The border and boulders of the property.

More boulders! And water!

Ifzan told me that it's fun to float on the huge tube down these rapids. And I did! Too bad there's no picture. Next time I'll be sure to ask someone to get the shots.

I'm doing the mandatory 'chilling my foot', again.

There's something about sitting in the water, waist down, against the gushing flow. The rush, therapeutic.

Mermaids... haha, I wouldn't stick around to take photos if I didn't arrive with them (I mean, if these two were strangers and they suddenly appeared out of no where and I'm alone... *shivers*) Wegra and Pijah, hi girls!

The boys continued to soak in the pool till their fingers shrivelled, like monkeys, hahah...

Ducks under the shade, taking cover.

Anis, Ifzan and Wegra, during tea break at Marmalade, Mont Kiara, that evening, back from a long day at Kalumpang.

"Let's make our weirdest pose" said Dzu, and this was all we had. And the crazy bloggers just kept chatting the evening away, till it was time to wash up for dinner.

What a splash. Thanks guys!

And Thanks Dzu, for having us at your wonderful world of Disney place in Kalumpang.

Hut

While at the rainforest music festival I took some shots of the traditional house samples of the natives of Sarawak. This is one of the nomad tribe's hut (can't recall the tribe, perhaps someone could). This is normally found deep in the jungle or in someone's orchard today though. Not much protection from wild beasts and falling coconuts and durians I suspect.

Mostly made of wood, bamboo and palm leaves. Note the tribal carving on the right, in case you thought you saw a troll or a gnome.

A nice setup. Reminds me of the song 'Mamula Moon'.

Have a great weekend. I'll be going for a picnic (and a float) in Kalumpang, if everything goes well. Right Dzu?

The Bloody Fall: Sanctuary

(Continued from Transferred)

I woke up the next morning with my surroundings already abuzz with hospital activity. The nurses were going on their morning rounds, pushing pills, doctors and interns visiting patients one by one, friends and relatives catching up on daily issues and myself, wondering what the hell was I doing there ** Actually it took me only one minute to establish where I was then. I added that last scene just for kicks.

I noticed that I wore the green patient’s robe though. Somebody must have slipped it on me last night, that included myself. As long as my ‘boxer’ was still on, it didn’t bother me.

Outside, the compound was also generating all sorts of sounds, mainly by vehicles fast and slow, silent and loud. ‘So this is what it’s like, waking up at the hospital, having spent a night in the general ward. I’ve always passed by this hospital in a bus and wondered how the patients were doing up in the wards, now I know” I told myself.

The ENT doctor came by and basically told me that there was nothing to worry about and I would be discharged sometime around noon. He told me to get plenty of rest and stick with the medication regime; pills and ointments. He also told me not to perform any rigorous movements for a while to help the healing process. I have no arguments there; slight head movements have given me hell so far. My vision would start to spin and all hell might break lose if I don’t stop, stay perfectly still and regain control. After scribbling something on my chart, he said “you feel dizzy when you move because of the blood clot in your ear. Give it time to clear. Other than that, you’ll be fine”. He smiled and left.

Breakfast was served but I was in no mood to eat. Moreover, sitting up proved to be a tremendous headache, but medication was motivation, so I endured.

My aunt and uncle soon came to visit me and eventually take me home. They brought a change of clothes, my toothbrush and my trusty glasses. “Can you get up?” Aunty Ben asked.

“It’s not pleasant but I don’t have a choice” I told her.
It was indeed unpleasant. After standing up I had to take a long pause to stop the spinning sensation. Then, like a very old man I took small steps, grabbing every solid bed frame all the way to the wash room. I changed clothes and brushed my teeth at the slowest pace with the least movement. I realized then, that I was at the beginning of a dreadful road to recovery and wondered how long the journey would last.

After some paper work and a very slow walk, I was on my way to aunty Ben’s house-location: 8th Mile, Ulu Kinta, merely 2 kilometers from Tanjung Rambutan. For non-Malaysians and the uninitiated, Tanjung Rambutan (Cape of Rambutan) is famous for the age old mental institution, aptly called Hospital Bahagia (Happy Hospital). I used to tell friends that I sometimes visit my aunt in Tanjung Rambutan and their instant response was “does she work there or is she a patient?”

I explained “Neither, she’s married to a man who grew up near that area. It used to be a country side. Now there are many resettlement and housing estates there. And theirs is located at 8th mile Ulu Kinta, 2 kilometers from the famous asylum”

“Owh…” is always the last word.

Now I say 8th mile, Ulu Kinta, near Tanjung Rambutan.

Moving along….

Word about my discharge reached some of my friends. And one certainly put it to good use when he was asked by a group of friends, “Hey, how’s Agus doing?”

“Oh, I think he’s doing just fine. Last I heard, he was discharged yesterday and now he’s in Tanjung Rambutan.” He said casually.

Everyone fell silent. Sorrow and sympathy masked their expressions. One even whispered “oh no…”
There was a long pause.
“He’s at his aunt’s place near there….” He delightfully added and burst into laughter.

The group was annoyed at this evil joke but they were joyful nonetheless.

Personally, I thought it was perfectly executed. An opportunity for a good spin of fun shouldn’t be wasted. I had a good laugh when he told me about it. If only I was there to see the looks on their faces. But then again, it wouldn’t be as effective would it?

I spent the rest of the weekdays and the whole weekend recuperating and getting used to the whole experience. Getting out of bed was a very slow process. I had to linger in bed for a very long time, sometimes up to an hour after I wake up, to avoid from stirring up my brain it seemed. Then I inclined myself a few degrees at a time before I could sit up straight. Soon I learned that if I first lean on my side and then get up sideways, I could avoid the dizziness, using my arm to push me up and support my lingering position at the same time. All however, must be done ever so slowly and gingerly.

I was very blessed to have my aunt and her family taking care of me. Everything I needed was there. Best of all, being married to an Indian family, she’s learned to cook some fine Indian dishes, apart from our traditional meals of course. Good food and quality rest, a perfect combination for a recovery and to reflect on my experience. Her place was nothing less than a sanctuary.




The Bloody Fall: Visions and conclusion

I started to get visions both when asleep and awake since my first day in the ward. Two remain prominent till this day.

In one recollection, I saw myself in the common area of our house. It was left empty save for a stack of boxes containing last semesters’ books and seniors’ study notes at a corner. With marble flooring and white walls, the room was very brightly lit by two fluorescent lights. There was a mattress at one side of the room where Michael sometimes does his revisions. I was alone, on my stomach, crawling toward the mattress. There was a pool of blood between myself and the mattress, about the size of an A4 paper.

Another scene that I recalled was set in the toilet, the squatting type, the size of a portable toilet often seen in construction sites and outdoor roadshows. It was also very late at night and I have just cleaned up. I remember getting up with both hands on either side of the walls, supporting my seemingly heavy body. I also remember pulling my shorts up as well.

I had the chance to ask Eric and Michael on different occasions during their visit at the hospital concerning these recurring visions that I have. Both confirmed that there was a pool of blood in the common area beside the mattress. They also acknowledged blood stains marked by a set of fingers on either sides of the toilet wall. And then they added another sign which made the combo sound very much like a case for CSI- a cutlery basket was found fallen from our dining table, scattering forks and spoons all over the dining area floor.

Suddenly I thought of something.
“Did you happen to have a film loaded camera and take pictures of the scene?” I asked Eric, my hopes high.

“No, we cleaned up everything. It didn’t cross our mind” Eric told me. There goes the crime scene. I was disappointed. I shouldn’t expect more from my housemates especially after all that they have done for me but I wished I had thought about it and made the request earlier. That would indeed make a good case.

I was puzzled and lost. With only eyewitnesses of the scene, it was very difficult to determine what happened to me late that night. Could I have got the injury at the common area, crawled to the dining table to get my balance, knocking the cutlery basket to the floor and finally made my way to bed? All this without waking up my room mate, Michael? Where does the toilet scene fit in? Did I relieve myself after the injury before going to bed?

Or was I injured at the dining area before going to the toilet and then proceeded to the common area where I fell and crawled into the bedroom? Does that make any sense?

I continued to have the same recollections at my aunt’s place, and back in Tronoh, each one giving a clearer picture of the two scenes. I also found bruise marks on my arms. This made me joke about self inflicted injuries with Eric sometimes, but the truth is I could never be sure of anything.

All kinds of theories played in my mind. Especially on what caused the bleeding. I even considered the possibility of being slapped on my right ear by a violent evil spirit!

When I finally got home I talked about the incident with my housemates. They were pretty freaked out about the whole incident. Even more so when I told them I had no idea how it happened. Michael told me he had to sleep with the door closed because my poster of the movie Sixth Sense (remember that one?) was facing him when the door was wide open. Creepy, I know. That’s why I sometimes half joked about the spirit slapping theory.

Friends continued to visit me as I was still absent from classes for a few more days. They kept asking what happened and if I knew how. I told them what I went through but only had theories of the actual cause. Even during a follow up with the ENT doctor, I was asked “so, do you finally know what happened to you that night?”

No, I still can’t figure out what actually took place. And if I was having some serious medical conditions which could have led to the incident, the doctor would be the first one to know and hand me the clues.

I have had clear and evident recollections but they’re still not enough to give me the whole picture. I have told you everything I know and experienced; how it felt like, but I am as puzzled as you are to this very day. The only difference is, it happened to me six years ago and you’ve only finished reading about it now. All I can say is that it was a bizarre experience for me and I call it ‘The Bloody Fall’.

The bloody fall: Transferred

*continued from The wake up call*

When we arrived at Batu Gajah hospital, all I remember is that I was put in a wheelchair and pushed inside the ward, emergency I assume. A neck brace was fixed around my neck and the next thing I knew I was lying in bed, a blanket kept me warm. Then a doctor came in and asked me how I was feeling. She told me that I didn’t need a CAT scan since they found nothing alarming about my head’s X-ray.

“Huh? I don’t recall any X-ray procedure. How does that affect my brain?” I thought.

“Gus, we’re going back now. I’ll come back as soon as I’ve freshen up. What do you need? And what’s your aunt’s number? The one in Ulu Kinta, Perak” Michael said.

“Uhm, her number is in my wallet back home. There’s a piece of paper with phone numbers. Aunty Ben” I said and my thoughts drifted, I slipped into slumber.

I must have slept for a few hours since my surrounding was already bright and it didn’t feel so cold anymore when I woke up. Aunty Ben stood beside me. I could just see her from the corner of my sight since I couldn’t really move my neck with the brace on.

“Hi…” I weakly greeted her.
“How are you feeling now?” she asked.
“Okay I guess. My head feels very dizzy though”

Then another familiar face came near. She’s aunty Ben’s sister in-law, a nurse in Ipoh hospital. I’m not sure if my uncles are around as it was all blurry since I am short sighted, faces are only clear from less than a meter away. Somehow I forgot about my glasses. My surrounding seemed hazy.

The two ladies spoke for a while and then my aunt told me “They’re transferring you to Ipoh General Hospital. She works there and it’s nearer for us to check on you”

After they left, several nurses came with a stretcher. I was ‘loaded’ on with a mere lift. I didn’t need to move a muscle. Neat, I thought. If only I was feeling better. They pushed me into an ambulance. As the door slammed close, I realized that I was without a blanket. I could see my nipples. Horror! I have no shirt on! I looked further down and discovered another horror. I was wearing my favorite cotton shorts, soft and thin; the kind I’d wear in bed, without any briefs on. It was effectively a boxer!

Oh great! I have only one piece of clothing, and it’s my first ambulance ride! To make matters worse, there was no air conditioning at the back and the ride was awfully bumpy. Worse, the sun was piercing through the windows and blazing my skin. Gosh, how I wished the ride would end soon but I was out of luck since they didn’t switch the siren on. So I had to endure every stop and every stall, and all the heat radiated on me.

When we finally arrived at Ipoh General Hospital the door opened and I was conscious about my exposure once again. There I was being pushed on a stretcher through a huge crowd, everybody looked at me like I was the only survivor of a plane crash or a mudslide. I mean, can’t they go through a back door or something! I’m completely aware of my appearance here, hello…! Cover me or sedate me now please!

Nobody heard my thoughts.

I was made to linger at a place with many incoming stretchers, a buffering area it seemed, before being transferred to a stationary bed, again with a flick of the sheets.

My aunt was at my side once again. She covered me with a blanket, God bless her. I could also see traces of people walking around me attending to the other patients.
“I need to pee” I told my aunt. “But I can’t get up and walk to the toilet. I’ll get so dizzy I might collapse.”

“Hang on, I’ll get you the peeing jar.” She told me and went to look for the contraption.

“Here, use this” she later handed me a stainless steel jug, handle and all. It felt cold in my hand but I didn’t expect it to freeze my abdomen as I slipped it under the blanket. I experienced another meaning to the expression ‘hips don’t lie’. A nasty shock was regretfully inevitable, and when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Shhhh….


After a while a doctor approached and introduced himself. I can’t remember his name but he was from the ENT, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist department.

“What is your name?” he asked.
“Agustus”
“Do you know where you are?”
“Uhm, Ipoh Hospital” I answered.
“Yes, but why are you here? Are you in the navy?” went another of his question.
“No, I’m a student. I’m studying in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Egineering campus Tronoh, second year” I answered.

“Oh, I thought you were in the navy, you have that navy haircut” he explained.

Huh? I thought his questions were for determining if I still had my memory well intact.

He examined the paperwork on me, nodded and asked “what happened exactly? Did you have a party last night? Too much drinking maybe? Did you have a brawl? Fights?”

“No, no such things. But I really don’t have a clue. I just woke up with blood in my ears and nose.” I firmly answered.

“Come on boy, you can tell me. I’ll understand” he persuaded on.

“Really, there was no party, no fights and no drinking. I simply don’t know what happened.” I assured him.

“Alright then, we’ll take care of you. You won’t be needing your neck brace any longer, your neck’s fine. I need to do some more examinations and diagnosis though. I’ll be back with more news and updates on your condition” he said and left.

I can’t remember the procedures done on me but I guess it was nothing major. A few peeks into the ear and some other inspections got the doctor coming back to me with “The clog in your ear will take time to clear. I’ve prescribed you some pills to stabilize your condition, and ointments to help the unclogging, nose and ear”

Friends came to visit me that afternoon and evening. Seeing them was such a relief. I am totally grateful to all of them. Ipoh is 30 minutes away from Tronoh and it was a weekday.

Day turned into night and I was still lying in bed, unable to move much. Especially delicate was my balancing system, or whatever you call it. I would get very dizzy; walls start spinning like being sucked into a tornado kind of dizzy, whenever I tried to turn my head sideways. So I was forced to keep staring forward. A TV set was fixed on the wall about 30 degrees to the right of my view but all I could do was listen to the show, that way I wouldn’t strain my eye muscles. Plus, I didn’t have my glasses on so there really was no point in watching. I therefore listened to ‘Kopitiam’, a local TV sitcom to ease the boredom until I fell asleep again.

More : Sanctuary

The bloody fall: A wake up call

I don’t know what woke me up very early one morning, about 4am, year 2000. I just did. My head was spinning and it didn’t feel good. I sat up in bed trying to get a balance but it didn’t help much.
“This is not good” I murmured. “Not good at all”.

Suddenly I felt nauseous. I leaned to the edge of my bed and vomit came gushing out, missing my plastic wardrobe by an inch on the bare concrete floor.

“Hargh…. This is not good! This is not good…” I groaned, my hands gripping my bed’s steel frame. My room mate, Michael, woke up upon hearing the commotion. He was sleeping on a pull-out-frame bed beside me. He looked closer now and saw the aftermath. Instantly he switched on the lights. It blinded me for a while as I remained in a trance.

He took a second look at me and said “Gus! You’re bleeding! Your nose! Your ear!”

I frowned, my right hand reached for my right ear and I felt sticky fluid on my finger, it was red as blood. I looked back at my pillow and saw blood stains. Then I looked at him blankly as if asking ‘What happened? What do I do now?’

“Hang on. I’ll get Joon Sai to drive us to the hospital” Michael said as he rushed out to the other rooms to alert my other house mates and asked them to keep an eye on me. Soon they were standing beside me, Eric and Choon Yap, holding me still as we waited for transport. Jackie and Hock were nearby, or so I remember.

I was still in a daze when Michael came back and I was guided out of the house and into the car. I don’t know how inconvenient it must have been for Joon Sai to wake up and drive from a few blocks away, or for Michael to ride his motorbike to his house and knock on the door, in the wee hours of the morning. Tronoh is a sleepy old country town. Houses in some resettlement areas are far apart, as was ours.

The concern for my friends had to wait as I was not in the position to think straight. The least I could do was hold my palm against my ear to prevent blood from ruining Joon Sai’s fabric seat. There it stayed until we reached Batu Gajah Hospital. I remember nothing about the journey.

More : Transferred

Down the river

After a refreshing soak in the water we continued our journey down the river on a beautiful Sunday morning, the sun inched higher up.

Up ahead were a few local folks with fish arrow guns and Francis approached them to check out their catch.

"They're not big, the fish these days, but they'll make a fine dish this afternoon" one explained as he showed the skewered catch.


Looks like a giant crab with interesting pattern.

The view from beneath a rock.

If only you could see my big grin as we slid through this rock formation. Hihi...

'There, those guys are setting up a fish net' Francis said.

'How's the catch?' I hollered.

'They're only small fish unfortunately...' one replied.

Azmi playing with one small fish. He only kept smiling when asked what type it was. Hehe...


Boy, that is one lonely tree. The leaves simply left... they weren't kidding when they said "we're leaving!"

Fallen trees in the water add to the river's enchanting personality.

Trees with red bark is said to be poisonous. Lady in red, dare I start? Red Rum is muRdeR.

We are almost at the take-out, our final destination, Semadang Village.

Village kids watching boats (and kayaks) pass by. Occassionally you'll see them plunge into the water. What a sweet life.
This take-out spot is also a nice picnic ground. There was one family having a cool afternoon dip when we arrived that late afternoon.
The suspension bridge of Semadang Village is a vital connection to the outside world. Only motorbikes are able to pass by though. Those with cars leave them on the other side.

The pictures seem to evoke a tune don't they? Here's what drifted in my mind. Click the play button, turn on your speakers, listen and view the pictures again. Yes, the pictures in the previous post too.

~Down in the river~





Down in the river to pray, Alison Krauss, O Brother Where Art Thou OST