Some notes from Saabana............

Salam everybody,

Firstly, I have to tip my hat to Tok Mat for the good reunion job. I
humbly apologize for not being there. I had explained my reasons to
Zai.

Secondly, Zai with the photos you posted at the blog, it did flooded
my old memories. I would like to jot some of the memories concerning
three of our friends that have left us..Rashid(5M1), Sulaiman (5M2)
and Ahmad Aban(5E2) and our form teacher- Mrs Tan to lighten out
everybody….especially the recent topics at our emails on Religious
Sifu.

The late Rashid was a reserved and handsome guy that usually hang out
with Paimin, Daud and Azmi group. He did dropped by at my dorm once a
while to chat with Roslan Adam and Ahmad Othman(Damtho). As you all
know I was a mischievous guy back then, and the late Rashid used to
join me for the smoking session or jumped the school
fence..aka..”cabut malam” to go outing to Kluang town.

In fact, during our days at SMSJ I was caned three times by Cik Gu Rahman Karim, and
twice was with Rashid. Once was for smoking..we were caught red handed
at the famous Ice Cream Parlour in Kluang town(cannot recalled the
name), and once for having our defiance to cut our hairs ..for the
defiance, we were caned at the library in front of our juniors (1977
batch). The juniors were at the library since they have done their
LCE/SRP exam. Punishment for the smoking was done at the vice
principal office, Cik Gu Ibrahim and after that we went berserk at the
toilet (ground floor toilet opposite the science lab). We broke one
wash basin and messed up the toilet doors, and the next day Mrs Tan
called me up and had a motherly/big sisterly words with me.(the story
is below).

One of memorable things that I did with Rashid was to hitch-hike from
Kluang to Melaka. We get a ride from two Chinese guys who look like
gangster that when we reached my house at Muar I decided not to
alight , and accompanied Rashid all the way to Melaka town worrying
for his safety. If I am not mistaken Rashid was from Masjid Tanah.
The late Sulaiman started messing-up with me only during the last few
months of our Form Five year and after I decided not to hang out with
the late Ahmad Aban. Sulaiman did not smoke cigarettes, and the
mischievous deed I usually done with him especially during the third
school term was to skip the late noon class, went over the fence and
have our lunch at Mamak stall near the biscuit factory at the main
road to Air hitam or just shooting the breeze. Then at about 3 pm
when everybody were having their prep time, we jumped back into the
school compound.

The late Ahmad Aban was a close buddy of mine since form four. We were
like Lone Ranger and Tonto or Batman and Robin..cannot be separated. I
did a lot of mischievous deeds with him. Usually when we “cabut malam”
we ended having our sleep at his house at Revertex Estate which is
nearby our school. Only his father was at home since his mother has
passed away and his younger brother was at boarding school in
Seremban(SDAR). Normally, his friend give us a ride on a motorbike
back to SMSJ in the early morning. The late Ahmad Aban and I decided
not to hang out together during the second term of our Form Five year
after I had Mrs Tan’s motherly words. We decided to split because
whenever we are together we ended doing some stupid things instead of
studying. I did regret of that decision b’cos he was lost without me
and did not get a good result for MCE. After coming back from USA, I
tried to meet him few times but he kept avoiding me. He was at that
time working at Port Klang as Insurance Cargo surveyor. Then few years
later due to works and family commitments I lost contact with him.
Mrs Tan, our biology and form teacher is a dedicated and soft spoken
teacher. After my canning and the toilet fiasco, Mrs Tan pulled me to
her office at the Biology lab. I was expecting a solid scolding from
her instead we have a quite a long and productive talk. She did psyche
me out. The conversation is somewhat like this.

Mrs Tan: Saabana, Why are you here?
Me: Maybe, to get a scolding.
Mrs Tan: No, what I mean was why are you at this school, SMSJ?
Me: The Education Department sent me here.(a dump answer actually)
Mrs Tan:Does the Education Department just pick anybody or every body?
Me: I guess not, we are chosen.

From that on, Mrs Tan explained to me the responsibility to be a
chosen student. She told me, we have an obligation to our self, the
family and the country to do the best. She did asked me what is my
target for the MCE. I just replied that I am just aiming to get
through. She scolded me for not aiming higher because she saw me that
I could do better than what everybody expected about me. I did
promised her to concentrate on my study and cut my recalcitrant
activities. After the meeting, I had a friendly talk with Ahmad Aban
and we decided not to hang out together anymore to lessen our urge and
motivation to do some stupid things.

However, during the last night/day of our form five year at SMSJ, me
with Ahmad Aban, Sulaiman and two other guys(both 5 M2) did a
mischievous or maybe devilish/ hideous job. I guess it was an almost
an unthinkable sort of things done by school boys.

You guys still remembered after our last MCE papers-Add Maths 2, we
were all ready to pack and headed home but we were delayed as Cik Gu
Rahman instructed us to be in our dorm for an inspection. The delay
and inspection were because of me and the four guys acting without our
sane brains. At that time, five of us have no opportunity to say how
deeply sorry we are. So after 35 years, on behalf of the
guys…especially for the two that have left us ….Please forgive us.
So..actually what we have done? I could not write it here…