I’m writing this in memory of a childhood friend whose distinct habit made a lasting impression on me. Growing up in our village in the 1960s and early 1970s, he had the habit of letting out a slow, tremulous sigh that echoed with the pain of unspoken sorrow, followed by
I remember growing up in our remote farming community in the 1950s and 1960s, there was a peculiar man who stood out from the farmers and part-time hunters in our village. His way of life was unlike anything I had ever seen. My mother said the man was a distant
When I was in primary school in the early 1960s, groups of like-minded boys naturally formed, sorting out social hierarchies within their little cliques. These groups weren’t very noticeable during school hours since we were in different classes, but outside of school, they merged. Of course, there were always a
In the wee hours of the morning, I woke up with a jolt. It was annoying because getting startled out of deep sleep is never pleasant. We didn’t have a clock or wristwatch in the early 1960s so I couldn’t tell the exact time. “Get up!” my mother whispered, careful
In our remote village located along the banks of a stony stream at the base of a forested mountain in Serian District (now Serian Division), about 40 miles from Kuching, there once lived a man who was deeply afraid of cemeteries. His fear coloured everything he did and thought. The
‘Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.’ – Langston Hughes (1902–1967); a prominent American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. As the band packed up and the curtains closed on yet another lacklustre performance, the dimly lit and poorly decorated
I HAVE here not one story, but a few short ones gathered from individuals that I came to know over the years on the sidelines of going about my journalistic jobs. They are like pieces of a quilt, showing us different sides of love, heartbreak, and moving on. Each one
Timo worked as a guide-interpreter for a British army battalion stationed near Serian Town during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation from 1963 to 1966. In 1963, I was in Primary 4 at our village’s mission school, and by 1966, I was a Form 1 student boarding at Serian Government Secondary School. During
“Diligence is the mother of good fortune.“ Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) was a prominent British politician, writer, and statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, first in 1868 and then from 1874 to 1880. WHEN I was a child growing up in our remote rural village from
Father’s words cut through the room like a knife. “No rice? Seriously?” His disbelief mirrored the worry etched on all our faces. “Go check it out for yourself!” Mother’s response was a mix of resignation and determination. Father flung open our rice jar, the last hope in the grim situation,