The Watch

Father's Day came and went.

It was like any other day. I seldom celebrate one. Since it became popular with the advent of internet and the social media, I never got to celebrate one as Bapak died nearly 30 years ago. Once I received a card done by Akmal,  for which I am thankful. 

But it was never a big day for me.

And perhaps never will.

But this year, while I was conveniently out of the country that Sunday and subsequently only returned two days later, I was presently surprised with a present from my boys.

It was a watch. An expensive one at that, if at least for my standard.

It is a beautiful watch. That's for sure.Picture taken by the Boys.

I have not had one since my last watch went kaput many years ago. It was then a present from my brother Kamal Ismadi. 

As I have said it in the social media FB, you know that you relationship with your children has reached an inflection (Google it; if you have to study math in school, you would know it!) point if you receive gift from your children that you know you would not have to eventually pay for it.

For that reason alone, I am not big on getting present from them earlier in their lives since I have no wish to have to pay for my own present that I did not select but have to pay! Huh. ;)

Arif obviously has a career of his own now and for the past one year has been paying for his own meal, even though he still live at home with us. For that I am pleased, but still, no way I could not take pizza on a daily basis, like him.

Historically, the most expensive watch I had would cost at most say a hundred ringgit. I got a watch as a present when I did well in the SRP exams in 1978. Bapak bought me a watch which I had worn until my working days in Kerteh in the late 80s when I decided one day to take a dip with it in the South China Sea during a picnic (at the beautiful Teluk Bidara).

After all it says, Water Resistant.

But apparently not Sea Resistant.

And soon after, it stopped working for me. Aah, well. I guess I don't understand English that well.

I am not sure when I stopped wearing Bapak's Omega watch. He had that for life - bought it when he started working and never had to buy another one till his last breath, I guess. But trust me to break it after a few years.

Wish I still have that Omega.

However, my first ever watch was when I was in Std 4. I had wanted a watch so much that one day Mak bought me one. It was a simple one with a leather strap, but loved it to death that watch. She gave it to me in the presence of Mak Cak (my auntie) in the 1071-house in Aulong Taiping, so I thought that it was Mak Cak who gave it to me.

I had never asked her, but I believe she was the one who bought it as immediately after I thanking Mak Cak, and as I moved away from them, she turned to Mak and smiled, "Orang lain yang beli, orang lain yang dapat nama."

Mak did not say anything, except she smiled back. I guess seeing her son happy with the watch was good enough for her.

There was another watch that I bought in 1990 in Jalan TAR, Kuala Lumpur when I went there for training. I had just received a cheque for RM75.00 from the New Straits Times for an article that I wrote for them. I am not sure now whether it was for the Sport Section where I could be berating FAM or BAM, or whether it was for a milder column called First Person.

It is not important now since now my writing had deteriorated and I had to write for free in my own blog as no one else would want to pay for me to write or pay to read my nonsensical writing.

Like this one.

I guess that RM75 watch with an engraving denoting the article's title was the most expensive watch I had had for a long, long time.

Until this Tissot came  along.

In a couple more years and a few more Father's Days, I could expect a four wheel on my porch, courtesy of the two boys may be.

Can I start thinking about one of the German marquees? ;)

EPILOGUE

And here is what I got from Akmal in 2007. Thanks Mai, much appreciated. I guess he should stick to his day job as the family's default pianist. Hahaha..

Hope to get one song as a dedication soon! ;)

Alfatihah for my Bapak and tok Bab and tok Adam.

Bapak and I in our home in Assam Kumbang in 1964

Dimana kan kita cari ganti

I am hoping the kids had been practicing their repertoire for the occasion. It would be ideal to upload Dimanakan ku cari ganti, if they could do the duet quickly to commemorate this day in 1973.

I am waiting guys.

And I have been waiting since 1990 - when he was posthumously awarded a Tan Sri-ship, when the power that be would award him a Tun-ship, when we had awarded such title to the ex sleeping-PM and to much lesser mortals when this person had done more to the country than all of them put together.

Sad, isn't it? Make that pathetic to be honest. Just imagine, what had she contributed to the country to deserve a Tun-ship? Other being his sleeping partner that is!

And I can barely remember that day in May in 1973. I was in Standard 4 in Taiping; may be too young to appreciate his contribution then eventhough we had been cycling from one end of Aulong to the other end of Aulong every Friday night to watchi his movie on telly at nenek's house. I remember reading somewhere though it was gerimis when his jasad was taken to the liang lahad, seolah-olah meratapi pemergiannya. I don't know how true that was - may be it was made up to give him the legendary status. It does not matter anyhow.

His movies are being played to death 36 years on. While it shows how truly great this guy was, it also an indication of how pathetic we had become.

A society without renewal; a society living off its past.

Nothing new for me personally, I supposed, for I am just that.

Here is one song that he had foretold of himself!

EPILOGUE

I am also of the opinion that all our Sasterawan Negaras should be awarded the highest award this country can give. It should be Tun-ship and no less. A Samad Said should be Tun Samad Said, no less. These are people who have the interest of the people and wear their hearts on their sleeves and should be rewarded accordingly and not politicians.

While they are alive please!

As for the rests, just give them a Tin-ship or Tong-ship, if you know what I mean.