Got a call from Mama around 5.20am this morning. Was a bit confused on why the phone was ringing but when I saw Mama's name on the caller ID, I guess a part of me understood what had just happened.
One of our most favourite uncle passed away during the wee hours of the morning..
Pak Yang as we call him, is married to Mama's oldest sister whom we call Mak Yang. All my life, they've lived in Tangkak, thus making it very seldom occasions when we ever get to meet but whenever their family comes back to Kuala Kangsar, it almost like a grand occasion.
Both Mak Yang and Pak Yang are teachers. I guess thats why they just know how to treat us.. make us kids feel like we're adults. Pak Yang was the sort of uncle who would wait for the ice cream man to come at Tok's house and will call all of us for treats (Yes! Its plural ☺) of ice cream. Sometimes the ice cream man had to go back home to pick up his supplies as we'd finish our first round of ice cream already and believe me, there were lots of us then hahah.. Pak Yang's family saje ade 6 orang, then Wan Chik's family also 6 people, mine ade 8, then Wan Diah's 7 and Pak Chu ade 5 orang. And if on occasion Ayah Yeop (3 family members) and Mak Wan (7 people) balik, buleh bayangkan la berape ramai.. tu tak masuk Pah and Tok lagi tu.. and we'd asked for all types.. the single scoop, the double and triple scoop.. the ice cream sandwich. Memang ice cream man leh kaye ngan our extended family je hehe..
Then he's take us to the town every morning. He only had a small car so it was on a rotation basis but he made sure no one was left out. Tu pun, sometimes in the afternoon, he'd take us on walks around the kampung, spotting squirrels and all (mandi sungai pun ade hehe..). I particularly remember an occasion when he caught this bushy tailed squirrel and let us pet it before he let the squirrel go. And after a long day of activities, he's be among the uncles who'd belanja us ais kacang or chendol.
Once, he even took us to the RnR at Sg Perak (just a walking distance from Tok's house) at night just for a treat. We were kids and he made us feel like we were big enough to be trusted. (Actually I was left out that night sbb demam and till today tak puas hati coz they took picture and all at the highway.. Jeles hokey hahah..)
A few years ago, he was diagnosed with diabetes that made him have to go for dialysis. This made it harder for him and his family to balik kampung but he suprised us when he insisted on coming to Adi's kenduri in May. He had just had his dialysis treatment and came straight to FRIM for the occasion.. and they all went home to Tangkak after the reception. Sgt penat kannn
Then a few months ago, he was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors only gave him a few months. That was why my brother, Iskandar, insisted we celebrate the recent Aidiladha in Tangkak and I'm sure glad we did.. He didn't talk much by then but he still recognized us. He wasn't eating much and he was so thin. He still managed to smile though when we salam him before going back.
His passing away didn't shock me as much as I thought it would, being the first death (of an uncle/aunty from both sides) in my family. I couldn't sleep after I finished talking to Mama and could only just get up and recite Yasin for Pak Yang. All the things he'd done to make our childhood memorable came 'tumbling' around in my head.
I'd appreciate of you, my friends, could recite AlFatihah for Pak Yang here. I hope he's one of the blessed ones (I'm sure he is, being the nice person he always was) with Allah's grace and I hope he really knows and realizes that all the people he's left behind here all love him with all our hearts.
We'll miss you, Pak Yang..
Al Fatihah..
No comments:
Post a Comment