Kingdom of Sulupi

Daniel has decided to take the risk; he has decided to go for Ringano’s Coronation Ceremony. The Coronation Ceremony is to be held in Ringano’s tiny kingdom of Sulupi which is tucked in a mountainous valley surrounded by thick jungle somewhere in central South America. He is now on the plane to Brazil. There is no direct flight to the Sulupi. He needs to fly to Rio de Janeiro and from there to take a helicopter to the Sulupi Kingdom. The plane finally touched down at the Rio de Janeiro International Airport after eleven and half hours flight from Heathrow. Daniel was holding onto his passport for dear life, conscious of the fact that his passport is a fake one. Fortunately, the immigration officer at the Rio airport did not ask too many questions, he just stamped on his passport and let him through. Daniel quickly followed the line of his fellow passengers and proceeded to the luggage reclaim hall. He identified his luggage and pulled it off from the circling conveyor belt. Just as he was about to lift his luggage to put onto his trolley, a burly man with dark brown complexion and a scraggy face on his neck appears in front of him. He looks respectable in a three-piece suit. “Mr. Daniel Kong?” “Yes. Do I know you?” “ I am Tinto, sent by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Sulupi Kingdom to accompany and escort you to our Kingdom. Please put your luggage on my trolley and follow me.”, he introduced himself with a commanding voice. The face jolts his memory and Daniel realized that this is the man who was sitting behind him in the same plane. He has been keeping a watch over him all this time. “Ringano is so caring and thorough!”, Daniel thought to himself. Daniel and the man then proceeded to walk out of the airport foyer. A limousine is waiting for them. The man sitting beside the driver quickly stepped out of the limousine and walked behind to open the backseat door for them. They hopped in and the car drove away until it came to a halt facing an airfield. A helicopter with its engine still running, is waiting for them in the middle of the airfield. They boarded the helicopter quickly which promptly took off, flying higher and higher into the horizon towards the endless sky. White clouds breezing pass the plane, which wobbles and sways whenever it is hit by large pockets of clouds. Daniel looks down from the helicopter, trying to get a first time impression of the view below. There is only vast jungle stretching for miles and miles, with long winding swampy rivers flowing along the edges of the jungle. The jungle landscape seems to stretch off to infinity in every direction. The pilot told him it would take three hours to reach the Sulupi. This is the first time he is flying in a helicopter. The experience is unnerving, worsen by the sudden swaying of the helicopter every now and then. He begins to wonder and doubts played in his mind. “Is the helicopter worthy? Does it have enough fuel? What would happen if the plane went down? Will I survive? Would I ever be found? Or will I have to wander through miles upon miles of hostile jungle, lost forever? ”

After three hours flight, the helicopter finally touched down at the short runway of the Sulupi Airport. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. Yet another limousine is waiting for him. As the car is cruising unhurriedly towards the Sulupi town, Daniel observes that the luminous lampposts lining the highway leading to town, are excessively adorned with the Sulupian flags, with sporadic display of enlarged pictures of King Ringana and Prince Ringano in heavy regalia, pasted on colourful billboards as well as from hanging overhead bridges. Soon, the car enters the Sulupi town. The breathtaking and complex skyline of the Sulupi Kingdom is in full view. In an instant, Daniel’s earlier unnerving feeling of doubts and anxieties are quickly given way to a feeling of appreciation and awe. The town atmosphere is quite unique, like a carnival is about to take place. The natives of Sulupi Kingdom are in exuberant merry mood. They dressed in colourful costumes, wearing cloth headgear and are mingling, singing, dancing, and waving their national flags in the streets; cheering loudly as they see each vehicle passing by. They are peddlers selling souvenirs, stalls selling chili peppered drumsticks, children sipping juices directly from uncut coconuts and samba hits blaring from the speakers. In the middle of the town square is a group of natives playing and singing music with their local musical instruments made from bamboo , tree trunks and animal skins. “What music are they playing?” Daniel looks to enquire from the man who was travelling with him on the plane. “They are playing the Ryhoma. It is a style of music only played by our people. And they are singing our Sulupi ancient songs to achieve ‘riggino’. “What is ‘ringino’?” “The ‘ringino’ is an inner state of one’s being. Once you have achieved the ‘ringino’, it can help you to lose a sense of yourself and you will be completely immersed in your inner state of mind, oblivious to your outer self, allows you to be in a state of your enjoyment. It will take you out of yourself and to a different place of wonderful sights and sounds. The ‘ringino’ can release you!”, the man explains. There is so much outpouring of joy and happiness. The people in the vehicles are coming here with only one objective. They are all coming here to attend the Coronation Ceremony of Prince Ringano. Hundreds of policemen and troops are deployed in the streets for this enormous security operation. They are understandably heavily armed but otherwise in equally good humour. No one would think that this immaculate backwater hamlet is capable of staging a big event like this. But they are doing it in their own unique way, worthy of splendor and rivaling with any royal event. The Sulupi people must love their royal family very much.

Soon the palace comes into sight. It is a magnificent sight. There is a huge entrance made of marble. The keystone above the front entrance is marked with the coat-of-arms of King Ringana. The palace was built in an ultra extravagant style, with huge pillars and large windows, influenced by Baroque style architecture which was a legacy of Spanish conquest. The palace guards gave Daniel a gun salute as he is walking into the palace compound. Inside the palace compound is a grand courtyard adorned with beautiful landscaping. In the middle of the courtyard is a huge fountain with sculptures of tribal warriors riding horses, shooting arrows through splashing water out of the fountain. Ringano appears with a little girl trotting behind him. “Hello my dearest friend. It’s good of you to come Daniel. I am so happy.” “Hello Ring. Good to see you too!”, Daniel runs over to hug his friend. “How was the journey? I hope all went well.” “Yes. Everything is fine. I see you have ensured that everything runs smoothly Ring…Eh your royal highness!” , he bows, suddenly realized that he is now talking to a prince, in his kingdom. . “Who is this pretty little girl?”, Daniel asks. “She is my little sister, Risuana.” “You must be tired. Let me show you to your room. You must get a good rest. I will see you at the dinner table tonight, alright?’

That night, Ringano took Daniel to his private chamber in the palace for dinner. The chamber is specially renovated, decorated and facilitated for Ringano’s private use. He often entertains his friends in the privacy of this little palace chamber. “Tomorrow is a big day in our kingdom and you can savior all the pomp and spendour in the palace’s banquet hall tomorrow night. But tonight, let’s have dinner among friends in my private. You will see some old friends. ” Ringano tells his friend. Ringano has invited some close friends to join him in celebrating his ascension to the Sunni crown. Tonight, he has invited five other close friends from his university days for dinner in his private chamber. Among them is Xiao Ching. Xiao Ching is a Chinese national. She has been specially chosen by the central committee of the Chinese Communist Party to pursue anthropology in the LSE. Before she came over to London, she had studied English and Political Science in the prestigious Beijing University. She is a smart girl and is always courteous and cheery to everyone she meets. China has significant archeological sites embedded in its vast land, yet to be found. Hidden beneath these sites is the ancient Chinese history stretching over five thousand years. Xiao Ching was chosen so that after her studies she could return to China to assist in the government’s various archeological efforts. She is still studying in London, pursuing her Phd in Archeology. She is permitted to leave London to come here because the Sulupi Kingdom has an established diplomatic relations with the People Republic of China. There are altogether eight of them at the dinner table tonight, including the little princess, Risuana. But a host of servants in immaculate uniform are readily in attendance; enough to serve a busload of guests! Dinner is served with grilled meat, spiced with chili pepper. Sides of beef, hogs, lamb and goats are grilled for hours before they are laid on the table. They are served with olive oil, cheese, parsley, cilantro, garlic, and onions. Cornmeal bread is cooked on a griddle and is stuffed with cheese before it is fried. Vegetables, fruits and nuts are spread across the big long table, with Ringano sitting on the head table and Daniel sitting next to him and Risuana is seated directly opposite Daniel. There is a golden trolley stationed behind the table with a silvery tray on top. Bottles of whiskeys, wines, rums and pots of coffee are placed on the tray. “There is so much food on the table. It can serve a busload! It’s only eight of us here your royal highness.”, Daniel remarks “Yeah, I know.” “This is my father’s idea. He knows all of you are here. He wants to make you feel welcome. My father is a generous man. He believes food must be served in abundance for our guests!” Halfway through their dinner, Ringano offers Daniel a glass of rum. “I don’t drink rum at night, Ring. I can’t sleep after drinking it!”. “Oh. In that case, you could taste some of our herbal tea. Here…”, Ringano offers Daniel a cup of the herbal tea. “What’s it called? I Have not seen such tea before.”, Daniel looks at the caffeinated, tea-like beverage, wondering if he should drink it. “Its called Bertbao tea. These herbal teas are good for you. They are consumed as remedies for some illnesses.” “Don’t worry. The people in this land have been consuming them for over hundreds of years for its medicinal properties.” “What sorts of medicinal properties, your royal highness?”, asks Xiao Ching. “Well, this beverage could energize you, simulate your mental alertness and strengthen your immune system. We eat and drink whatever the land here produced for us”, Ringano explains. “Do you know we eat ants? Yes. We eat toasted fire ants especially during insect season in June.” They had a merry camaraderie, topped with a sumptuous dinner and wished each other good night. As they are walking out of the chamber, Ringaon pulls at Daniel’s sleeve and whispers, “Follow me my friend. I want to show you something. Risuana, please go back to your room now. You must not follow us”

Ringno proceeds to walk towards the far end of the palace, with Daniel in tow. He opens the huge wooden palace door and the pair of them quietly slipped through the open door. They stepped into the backyard of the palace compound. “Take a look up the there. Tell me what you see?”, Ringano asks of him. “Oh my world!”, Daniel gasps. He sees a huge magnificent tree house perched on top of the tallest tree in the compound. “Let’s go up there!”, Ringano tugs at his friend. Daniel follows his instruction and climbs clumsily up the swinging bamboo stairs behind Ringano. Ringano switched on the lights soon as he stepped inside the tree house. The interiors of the tree house are displayed in their full splendour. The tree house has two floors, built with woods fell from the jungle and marble imported from Europe. The two floors are connected by a spiral staircase. There are two bedrooms on the lower floor and the master bedroom occupies the top floor. The tree house is extravagantly equipped, fitting for a prince. The first floor has a massive kitchen, elaborately equipped with modern cooking utensils, a large queen size bed in each bedroom, with separate bathrooms as well as glass showers. The lounge is decorated with exquisite antics hanging from the wooden walls of the lounge and exotic sculptures of animals and figurines are meticulously nailed sporadically onto the lounge floor. There is even a surround sound system for listening to music. The master bedroom upstairs has a king size bed with a private bathroom. The bedroom is furnished with beautiful accessories in natural and earth tones, while the bathroom is plated in gold colour. There is also a unique shower built around the big tree. The whole tree house is also wired with air-conditioning, useful to cool down in the hot season. “Your tree house is a work of art, Ring! It is an incredible design and has everything you could possibly want!”, Daniel is deeply touched by the unique structure and beauty of the tree house. “Yes. I asked my father to build this tree house for me when I was fifteen years old. I used to come here to hide and to escape whenever I was unhappy, especially during the times when there were talks of neighbouring villages tried to mount attacks against our kingdom. But, that was many years ago. Our kingdom is peaceful now. Now I come here to relax and to enjoy the beautiful view out there in the jungle. You know the view up here is especially beautiful at sunset. You see magnificent big trees springing up from the jungle, views of lush green valleys, cooling rivers, thundering waterfalls, monkeys, toucans, parrots, elephants and other animals doing their own activities in the jungle below.” “What a perfect getaway!” Daniel exclaims. He is overcome by a wonderful feeling of solitude, being surrounded by raw nature. There is a full moon tonight. Ringano turned off the lights and led Daniel to the balcony. They lied on the balcony floor, next to each other, looking at the distant stars overhead, enjoying the beautiful and powerful display of the night sky in absolute awe. The jungle is bathed in the light of the large blue moon in the sky. The stars are shining bright, complemented with songs from the night birds. “Looks like the stars are shinning for you tonight, Ring.” “Yes. It is. I hope it will never end.” “You know, we have a story here?”, Ringano continues. “What story?” “Well, we believe that if you can catch a falling star, then you can catch and marry the girl of your dream.” “Well. I have a fiancée back home my friend and I intent to marry no one else but her!” “In that case, you must catch two falling stars!”, Ringano replies. “What happens if I catch two falling stars?” “Well, we believe that if you catch two falling stars, one in each palm, then you can marry the girl of your dream and live happily ever after in eternal love, and blessed with many male off springs!” “Do you have a girlfriend, Ring?” “Yes. She is the daughter of a Chieftain from a friendly tribe in a neighbouring village.” “Is it an arranged marriage? Do you love her?”, Daniel assumed that the king must have chosen the wife for his prince since she would one day become the queen of his kingdom. “Yes, I do, very, very much. We love each other very much. I have brought her up here before. Both the king and queen approved of my relationship with her. It’s not what think, my friend. My father did choose her for me. She is knowledgeable, educated and speaking perfect English. Her father sent her to study in a boarding school in Surrey, London when she was 15 years old. After she finished her studies in the boarding school, she went to the US to study biology.”

The moon is gradually sinking behind the hills and soon they fell to sleep.

Letter From Ringano

Daniel is walking along the pavement of the busy Regent Street, doing some last minute shopping before heading back to KL. It’s the beginning of summertime; it’s a time to soak up the sun rays. Time to put away heavy sweaters, overcoats and woolies into the closets and take out the t-shirts and bathing suits. People, especially tourists are coming in droves to enjoy the sights and sounds that summertime has to offer, and to snatch up some nice bargains from the famous department stores and shops in the high streets of London. Big red double-decker buses, some with open air compartments, occupied by locals and tourists alike, are making their daily rounds on the busy streets. Visibly present are more tourists coming from the Continents, singing and waving their national flags on top of the open air double-decker buses. After years of self imposed isolation, the majority of British citizens have finally made up their minds to become willing Europeans. They have backed the UK’s continued membership of the European Economic Community by a large majority in a nationwide referendum in June. Women are coming out in one-piece cotton dresses, with lightweight scarves made from breezy cotton, rayon or silk fabrics, tank tops and loose skirts. Men are coming out wearing rolled-up oxfords, chino pants and adorned with cheap sunglasses. Youngsters with t-shirts and denim jeans wrap their sweaters round their waists in case the weather turns cold. The English weather is quite unpredictable, especially during summertime. Everyone walks with a smile and a bounce; an attitude of having fun. News vendors along the street are carrying posters of Margaret Thatcher everywhere. “Tories New Leader Bangs Hard!”, the headline painted on these posters. In February, Thatcher had challenged Edward Heath for the top post and succeeded in defeating him by 130 votes to 119, after a bruising and bad-tempered contest. The result paved the way for her to become not only the new Tory leader but also by virtue of this feat, she became the first woman leader of a major political party of Great Britain. Daniel continues walking up the Regent Street. Often he has to squeeze through throngs of tourists, shoppers and commuters. Many of them do not move; they just stand along the pavement in groups, reading their maps. All want to head to the same destination; The Oxford Street tube station. Eventually Daniel finds himself at the junction of Oxford Street, facing Selfridges. The department store brings to mind the bomb blast incident a couple of years ago. He had a lucky escape. Thanks to the mysterious Irishman. He decides to bypass Selfridges, mindful of the continuing unresolved political conflicts in Northern Ireland. He chose to go into a selling store jewelry. He wants to check out what ring to buy for his wedding day.

“Hey, Daniel! What are you doing here? Thought you have gone back to Malaysia for good!”,
suddenly, a man emerging from the backroom of the store shouts loudly across the jewelry counters. A curious Daniel turns round to look and is pleasantly surprised to see that the man shouting at him is his former university classmate Dinesh. He was also a member in the party going to Egypt for the anthropological exploration to the Valley of the Kings. “Hello, Dinesh. Good to see you. Well, I came back to pack some of my belongings to be shipped back to Malaysia and also to come and pay my last respects to my late god mother who had passed away recently.” “Oh. I am sorry to hear that. Was she the couple who lived in the Richmond area that you once brought me there for Christmas?” “Yes.”, Daniels replies. “Give my condolences and regards to her folks will you?.” “Sure.”, Daniel did not continue, he does not see the need to tell him the cause of Kathy Brown’s death. “Do you work here, Dinesh?” “No. I am just helping out my father. He owns this store.”, Dinesh reveals. “Hey. Let’s go over to the pub for a little chat and a pinter, shall we?” And off they went to the pub next door. They exchanged some peasantries and reminisced their old days and friends in the university. “Are you going to work for your father business, Dinesh?”, Daniel asks. “No. Not really. Not my cup of tea. I am just helping out. My brother is learning the trade. He will take over when he is ready.” “So, what are you going to do with your anthropology degree then?” “Nothing. I am not going to apply for a lecturing job like some of our friends. I am going into politics, man..” “Oh really? That’s interesting. But, you have never spoken about your political ambitions when you were in the university, Dinesh.” “No. I haven’t. I had thought of becoming a politician in England but never told anyone about it. They won’t believe me if I did. Who would believe an Indian could be a member of parliament in British politics! ” “Why politics and why now, then?”, Daniel asks. “Well, time is right. The world is spinning. This is the time of the underdogs!”, Dinesh replies confidently. “For the wheel is still in spin. And there is no telling who that’s naming. For the loser now, will be later to win. For the times they are a-changing. The slow one now, will later be fast. As the present now, will later be past. The order is rapidly fading. And the first one now, will later be last. For the times they are a-changing. Still remember this Bob Dylan song, Daniel?”, Dinesh quotes the lines perfectly. “The whole world is changing. The whole white world is changing my friend. Centuries of white supremacy is now at its crossroad, it’s excesses are eating into their conscience. The Americans were defeated in Vietnam, they have lost their cause. The mighty British have already lost their empire and their control of the Far East decades ago; defeated by the tiny Japanese. There is talk of an Asian renaissance. Power is no longer the absolute domain of the white people. People are looking at the human race in a different dimension now. This is the time of the underdogs. This is the time for people like me. History is for the taking. This is my time, mate.”, Dinesh expressed his thoughts with a speech like that of a polished politician. “Which political party do you belong to, Dinesh? “I am going to run as an Independent in the next general election, mate”, he stressed. “How do you assess your chances of winning?” “Well, there is a sizable community of foreigners in my constituency. We have blacks from the African continent, and the Caribbean’s, Indians, Pakistanis and Asians. They have made their homes here and they are given British passports. They can vote now. I have registered myself as an Independent candidate and I have worked hard to fight for their rights. I am giving them hope for a brighter future. They like what I am doing. They say they are going to vote for me!”

Dinesh and his family came to London in the late sixties to escape the oppressing regime in Kenya where they had made their homes since the days of his grandfather. Many of his cousins and friends from neighbouring Uganda also landed in England. Most of them arrived in the early 70s. They were fleeing from the dictatorship of the tyrannical Idi Amin. Dinesh’s father was already a successful jeweler in Kenya. He has business connections in London and other European cities. Being a shrewd businessman with politically awareness, he maintained banking accounts in these countries and placed large sums of money in deposit accounts. Thus, when the family uprooted themselves to London, they could afford a comfortable living here. Initially, his father conducted his jewelry business in a rented shop in Oxford Street, working practically seven days a week. Within 3 years, he bought over the shop and another next door. He imported his stones from India, Pakistan and Eastern Europe. Dinesh could trace his ancestry from the Indian state of Gujarat. Beside Gujarat, many Indians in London can trace their ancestry to the Indian states of Punjab, Rajastan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra and Bihar. “What is your election manifesto?”, Daniel asks. “It wouldn’t be right to fight for hunting rights is there? I will champion the causes of the minorities, especially the immigrants in this country. I will fight for their rights for equal opportunities in housing, welfare, education and jobs. There are still treating us like second-class citizens, you know. I will also fight for our the right to bring over our future wives and husbands into this country. They can become citizens of this country too.” “Are you going to choose your wife from India? I remember you had a Swedish girlfriend.” “Yes, of course. My father has found me a bride from the same ancestral village in Gujarat. She belongs to the same caste as my family and is from a well to do respectable family. Actually, her father is my father’s business partner in India.” “But, don’t you want to know who your future wife and having a bit of romance before marrying her?” “Sure I will. It’s not just an arranged marriage without love you know. Arranged marriages is our tradition. But my arranged marriage is with right of refusal on either party. I will go to India to meet her. If the chemistry is right, we could be married within a few months. I don’t see anything wrong with it. Blue-blooded English men and women have been doing the same thing over generations!” “Well, I wish you all the best Dinesh. You are a smart guy. Keep in touch. Here is my address in Malaysia. If you happened to come to Malaysia, give me a tinkle. I shall show you around our beautiful country, ok?”

Walking along the Oxford Street reminds him of Ringano. They came to the LSE in the same year and immediately hit it off and became good friends. Together, they learnt and experienced life in the big capital city of a foreign country. Their experiences were often adventurous and hilarious and naughty at times. Daniel likes Ringano for his friendly and easy going personality, and was impressed by his genuine interest in his studies. He came from a tiny kingdom in central South America, called the Sulupi Kingdom. The Sulupi Kingdom is a small hamlet nestled below a mountainous valley, surrounded by thick jungle in the interior part of central South America. He is of native Indian origin belonging to the Suluni tribe. Most tribes in this part of the country speak Spanish but the Suluni tribe has their own language called the Sungalog. They are fiercely protective of their cultures and their tiny Kingdom. Ringano’s father is the current King of the Sulupi Kingdom. Although he is a prince no less, Ringano did not behave like a spoilt rich brat in the university. He was well-mannered, courteous and did not carry an air with him. With his big brown eyes, toothy grin and infatuating smile, he was easily the most popular boy with the girls. They wished he would party more often instead of spending much of his time studying. Ringano had told Daniel that his tiny Kindgom was frequently attacked by other tribes of the surrounding villages. They attacked the Sulupi Kingdom for their rich natural sources such as copper, tin and gold. But, his father is a powerful man with deep knowledge in warfare strategies and he is able to defeat his enemies and succeeded in driving them deeper into the interior part of the jungle. Suddenly, Daniel remembers the letter given to him by Freddy Brown. He slips his hand into the pocket of his jacket and is relieved to find the unopened letter from Ringano. He continues to walk towards the Hyde Park. Finally he reached the Hyde Park and he selected a park bench in the quiet corner at the far end of the Park. He slumps his lean body onto the bench, tired from all the walking and shopping. He slips his hand inside his pocket once again, taking out the letter from Ringno and starts reading it.

“Hello My Dearest Friend,

How have you been? I hope you are doing great in Malaysia. I didn’t have your address in your country and so I am sending this to Mr. Freddy Brown’s address and asking him to redirect it to you.

Time passed by so quickly, Daniel. It’s been more than two years since I left England. Despite the passing years and the distance, you still remained my best friend. I still remember the silly outrageous things we did together. Remember the times we went sightseeing in London on our first Spring there, the snatch thief who almost killed me with his knife but luckily you saved my life and our Soho adventure whereby we got ripped off by those Greek bouncers? These events give me so much memories of my life in London and I hope the same goes for you too.

I have a happy news for you Daniel. I am going to be King! Yes. My father has decided to abdicate. He says he is getting old and having health problems and so he wants me to succeed him. I don’t have a choice my friend. I am born into his. From young, I have been trained to take up this duty. It is my destiny. Our Kingdom has progressed well and prospered under my father’s rule and I intend to continue his legacy to develop my Kingdom further. More of our kids can go to schools now. My stepmother, the Queen has opened up many nurseries and schools to get our children educated. She has written to some non-governmental humanitarian organizations in France for help. One particular organization has accepted her invitation and they have been sending their volunteers to our Kingdom to teach our children. We only pay for their air tickets, food and lodging. They teach our children for free. Bless their souls. The future is bright for our Kingdom. Only the stupid half brother of my father, General Kinkino is still giving us problems now and then. But, their numbers are too small and their attacks are insignificant. We could repel them easily. They can only make some noise and cannot mount any serious threat to our Kingdom.

My Coronation Ceremony shall take place on 1st July 1975, Daniel. I would dearly want you to come over to my Kingdom to celebrate this auspicious day with me. I know that your country does not have any diploma relations with the Sulupi Kingdom. But, not to worry. There is a way and I can arrange it. You can travel to our Kingdom on another passport; our passport. We have done it before. We do have excellent diploma relations with Britain and we have an established foreign office situated in Mayfair, London. My Minister of Foreign Affairs would get in touch with you and he will issue you with a new passport to come to my Kingdom. It’s only a few days and you would be back in London. But you are welcome to stay longer if you want. I can assure you your stay here will be interesting and enjoyable. Don’t worry, Daniel. It will be safe. As I said we have done this before. In fact my stepmother has invited a few of her good friends to come to our Kingdom using the same method.

Please come Daniel. I would be so happy to meet up with you again.

Sincerely,
Ringano

Daniel’s mind is momentarily blank after reading Ringano’s letter. Of course he would love to attend his good friend’s Coronation Ceremony. But, Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with the Sulupi Kingdom. To travel there by using a fake passport as proposed by Rigano is illegal. It is a dangerous proposal. He could land up in jail if found out. But, on the other hand, Ringano said this method has been used before and it worked. Ringano has assured him that the method is safe. It’s only a few days and he will be back. Janet does not even have to know about this. She will be worried if she knew. But, she is waiting for him to be back in Malaysia to plan their wedding ceremony together. He is unsure. But he one way or another, he needs to make up his mind. He needs to reply Ringano quick as 1st of July is only few days away! Decision, decision.

Farewell Mrs. Katherine Brown

The MAS plane touched down at Heathrow and Daniel immediately embarked on the British Rail heading up north to Coventry, lugging his luggage along. When the train stopped at the Coventry Station, he quickly hailed a cabbie and rushed to the country chapel where the memorial service is being conducted for Mrs. Katherine Brown. He found that the memorial service was in progress. Kathy Brown’s body is rested in a glass-covered coffin, visibly placed in the middle front part of the little chapel. Her body has been transported from London to Coventry. She and Freddy Brown expressed their wish to be buried together in their hometown of Coventry where both of them grew up, fell in love and married. The coffin is made of mahogany, lined with plated fittings and brass ornaments, topped with a decorated velvet drape, with the words, ‘One must see God in everyone… St. Catherine Laboure’ written on top of it. Freddy Brown chose the quote, which he thought it most fitting to sum up his wife’s qualities that made her what she was when she was alive. The coffin was ordered by her son, Charles Brown, who flew back from Hong Kong with his family. Freddy Brown, Charles Brown, his wife Mei Ling and their children, Elizabeth Brown, her husband Peter and their children are all gathered together in the little chapel, sitting at the front row to mourn the loss of the matriarch of the family. The rows behind them are occupied by friends and relatives, coming to pay their last respects. They are singing the hymn ‘Here I Am Lord.’ Daniel hastened his footsteps and found a seat next to Peter. He gave him a nod and sat down quietly, joining them in singing the hymn:



Here I Am, Lord.
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars and night,
I will make the darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them,
Whom shall I send?
Here I am Lord,
Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go Lord,
If you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain.
I have wept for love of them,
They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,
Fill their hearts with love alone.
I will speak my word to them
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord
Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go Lord
If you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
'Til their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them,
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I will hold your people in my heart……..


“I am so sorry to hear of Mum’s passing away. I wasn’t at home when you phoned. My father told me you called. I flew back to be with you as soon as I heard the news.”, Daniel rushed to embrace a sobbing Freddy Brown sitting amongst his children and grandchildren in the family lounge, after Kathy Brown was finally laid to rest. “What happened? She was in good health and spirit before I left for home ”. Freddy Brown was fighting hard for words, he still feels the pain. Then Charles steps forward and explains. “Mum was murdered Dan!”, he said it with extreme hate and anger in his eyes and on his face. “Oh my God! I can’t believe it. How did it happen? Tell me please!”, Daniel is in a state of real shock on hearing Charles’s revelation. “She was mugged and stabbed by a bloody scumbag hooligan!” “Wait a minute! But how did it happen?” “Mum was going to the grocery shop down the high street to buy some vegies and confectionaries. On her way back, she was waylaid by this bloody hooligan in the secluded part of the pathway. He was hiding in some bushes and suddenly sprung out and demanded money from Mum. Mum said she didn’t carry much money with her and there was little left after she had spent the money in the grocery shop. The bastard then grabbed her purse and took whatever money was in the purse. He was not satisfied with small amount. He became abusive. Mum dropped her shopping bags and started walking briskly for home. That scumbag went after Mum and when he caught up with her, he took out his dagger and started stabbing Mum!” “Wasn’t anybody there at the time?”, Daniel enquires. “No. Not a soul! The thug ran away leaving Mum fighting for her life lying on the lonely village road. Someone eventually walked by and saw her. He took her to the hospital. But it was too late. Mum was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, due to massive loss of blood from her chest wounds .” “What about the hooligan? Was he caught?” Daniel was feeling the hatred himself. “How could such heinous crime be committed on an old lady such as Mrs. Kathy Brown?” he tries to make sense of it all. “Well, his so called friend who is probably also his enemy informed the police. The bastard bragged about his dark deed to his friend. They later felt out of each other’s favour because of a girl and that’s why his friend came forward to report him to the police. They found the dagger on him and the test showed that it was the dagger that stabbed Mum.” “So, what did the police do to him?”, Daniel wanted justice for his adopted mother. “The thug was brought to court. They heard that he was a school dropout, coming from a broken home and mixing with the bad company. He was neglected by her biological mother who had eight children and he was given up for adoption. His adopted parents later divorced and he was hanging out with the homeless in the streets. He peddled drugs and became an addict himself. To feed his drug addiction, he often stole and extorted from the neighbourhood. The police found out that he was drunk and high on drugs on the day he mugged Mum.” “Ok. But what did the police do to him?” “The police charged him for murder. But the judge sentenced him to only three years jail!” “What? Only three years for taking an innocent life? I can’t understand the British judicial system! ”, Daniel wanted revenge on the killer. “Yes. That bastard deserves life! But, the judge said they took into account his age and his background!”, Charles punches his fists into the air, shaking his head, feeling the injustice. “I hope he rots in hell!”, he screams. Daniel is overcome by emotion himself. He sees fleeting images of the Browns in his mind’s eyes when he first met them in the Westminster Park. He sees a pair of loving elderly couple with slivery hair taking sandwiches lunch on the park bench. Kathy Brown is feeding her husband Freddy with sandwiches from her lunch box. Freddy takes his time to eat but could hold the large chunk of bread in his mouth and coughs out a slice of tomato in the sandwich. Kathy Brown takes out some tissues from her handbag and starts to gently wipe away the loose breads hanging from Freedy’s mouth. Kathy notices Daniel is sitting on the bench opposite them and she is aware of Daniel observing them. She walks across and offers Daniel her sandwich stuffed with homemade roast beef with lettuce and tomatoes. That’s how he met the Browns. Daniel and his university mates often visited the Browns in their country home during semester breaks. They had forged a trusting, happy and lasting relationship in the ensuing years. The Browns adored Daniel and adopted him as their own son. They were kind, loving and generous toward him and made him feel welcome in London. Daniel is immensely grateful to Kathy and Freddy Brown. “Yes, three years sentence for taking an innocent life is far too lenient.”, Daniel is still feeling the anger in him. “We should appeal for a harsher sentence!”, he pleads. “Don’t bother Dan. Once the judge has decided, there is no way we can change his mind!.”, replies Charles with a stern voice. “Don’t worry. I can wait. Three years is a short time. I will know where to get the bastard when he gets out of jail!”, Charles threatens revenge on the youth. “You two, please stop it!”, Elizabeth who has been listening quietly to the conversations between Charles and Daniel, decides to speak up. “ Surely revenge is not what Mummy would want. The murderer has been caught and punished. Justice has been done, although it’s not to the scale of what we expected. Mummy taught us that there are so many things in this life that we don’t have the answer to. Everything happens for a reason and God does not have to give us His reason. She taught us to embrace forgiveness and move forward. If we hang on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge, our sufferings will be amplified and we will be entrapped in our own sufferings. Haven’t you learnt anything from her? I couldn’t understand then but I do understand now. “, Elizabeth does not share the hard line views of Charles and Daniel. Her mother has taught her well. “I am worried for Dad now that Mum has gone. He has aged a lot recently. We wanted him to come and stay with us but he says Hong Kong he does not want to burden us. He wants to go back to Coventry. ” Charles changed the subject; he thinks Elizabeth is being naive. “Well, Dad could come to stay with us. I have already discussed this with Peter and the children. They don’t mind. The children love to have him around.”, Elizabeth quips. “He is going to miss Mum.”, Charles replies. “You know my Mum and Dad have known each other practically all their lives.”, Elizabeth turns to talk to her husband Peter. “Yes. You told me that your parents already knew each other when they were babies.” “That’s right. Their parents were best of friends and they used to visit each other’s homes. They threw birthday parties in each other’s home and the families went for holidays together. Mum and Dad went to the same nursery school and later to the same college during their teens in Coventry. They were childhood sweethearts. Later, they got married and moved down to London. I don’t think they ever had any other relationships. They went through much hardships during the two world worlds, but their love for each other kept them together and strong.”, Elizabeth repeats her parent’s story to Peter. “If it’s not because of Mummy, Charles and myself would have been burnt alive in that rundown flat from the German bombings in September 1940. My biological parents died from the bombings. Mum was the head nurse attached to the Hackney Hospital at the time where an injured man told her that we were trapped inside the flat. She went home and told Dad about it. Both of them came to take us away. They saved us.”, Elizabeth is overcome by emotions and starts to cry uncontrollably.

Few days passed. “You still want to consider Hong Kong, Dan?”, Charles repeats his offer. “No. Not now Charles. Maybe in the future. Who knows? I am going to get married and settle down in KL. Make sure you and Mei Ling come for my wedding. Janet and myself would be so happy to have both of you attending our wedding ceremony.” “And of course you too Dad. You can join Charles in Hong Kong first. Enjoy your holidays there and then fly down to KL with them. Ok?”, Daniel turns to speak to Freddy Brown. “Ok. Sounds great. By the way, there is a letter for you from Ringano. I think he sent the letter to my address because he doesn’t know your Malaysia address.” Freddy Brown then stood up and went to the fireplace in the family lounge. There is a letter on top of the fireplace. “Here it is. Let me know how is the chap doing in his country Son.”, Freddy Brown hands over the letter to Daniel.

Daniel Proposed

After months of soul searching, preparation and anticipation, Daniel has finally made up his mind. He is going home to make a marriage proposal to Janet. They have been together for so long now. They have pledged their unbroken love to each other throughout these years. It’s about time they should tie the knot, settle down and start a family. He is happy that at last they have done with their studies and could be together for the rest of their lives. But, at the same time, Daniel also feels the churning sensation in his stomach, the unsettling thoughts in his mind and the undulating beat in his heart. It is an extremely important decision as he is asking Janet to spend the rest of her life with him. How to make his proposal in the right way? What would be the outcome after that? “Will I be nervous? Should we talk about it and agree on major issues such as children, where to live and what career path to choose, first? Will she like the engagement ring I bought? Should I ask her parents’ permission first?”, he is asking many questions in his head. He wants to stop asking these questions, for the more he thinks, the more questions emerge and the more he prolongs his agony. He decided to sleep in the plane. So, he asked the air stewardess for some whiskey and he drank it hard and neat to help him sleep, to help him not to think. Whiskey can be a friend if you wish to lose your consciousness. The whiskey made him think of his Uncle Meng. For Uncle Meng would sometimes take young Daniel with him when he went out to have suppers with his fellow colleagues who were salesmen. These outings often ended up in drinking sessions with telling of jokes and careless gossiping and rumour mongering. Daniel was a young teenager at the time. They spent many happy moments together and he taught Daniel many things during his formative years. Uncle Meng was his favourite uncle but sadly he passed away at the age of 48 in May 1968. The thought of Uncle Meng brings back memory of the broken hearted song ‘Don’t cry Joni’ which now plays silently and eerily in his mind. Would Janet save all her kisses just for him, with love forever true? Alcohol can both relax and unsettle.

It’s been more than five years since Daniel left KL. The rapid development in KL during these few years was abundantly clear. The capital has transformed since the May 13 incident of 1969. Independence coupled with the New Economic Policy has ensured continuous economic growth, resulting in a broad based economy. New buildings have a more local and Islamic flavour around the city, such as Menara Telekom, Menara Maybank and the Dayabumi Complex. Kuala Lumpur has achieved city status in 1972, becoming the first settlement in Malaysia to be granted the status after independence. On February 1, 1974, Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory. “I see many tall new buildings springing up around the city and living standard has improved. So how’s life in the capital these days?” , Daniel asks while they are walking around the heart of KL. “Beside improved economy and new buildings, not much has changed really. All our friends are busy chasing their own dreams. We have all grown up and sadly also went our separate ways.” “Hey, look. The Cathay cinema is showing ‘Jaws”. Have you seen it? It is a big movie in London”, Daniel points to the giant poster pasted on the Cathay cinema’s signboard, as they are walking along Jalan Bukit Bintang. “No, not yet.”, Janet replies. “You should see it. Shall we?” ‘Jaws’ was the biggest movie at the time. The story is about a 25-foot giant great white shark which arrived on the shores of a New England beach resort and wreaked havoc among the holiday makers and inflicted fear amongst its residents. The town’s chief of police named Martin Brody, played by Roy Schneider then enlisted the help of a marine biologist, played by Richard Dreyfuss and a shark hunter, played by Robert Shaw and the three of them got onto a rickety, leaky boat to seek and kill the monster shark. The film so effectively tapped into our fear of the unknown and gripped the audience so strongly with heart stopping suspense. Janet always has a fear of the deep. She was holding on to Daniel’s arm tightly throughout the movie, afraid that she might fall off her seat! After the show, they walked down to the Sultan Street.

“Remember we used to hang out here with our friends during our school days, darling?”, Janet whispers to Daniel, reminiscing the past while still holding onto Daniel’s arm tightly. It’s been awhile since they held hands so lovingly together. “Yes, of course dear. How can I forget? We have so much fun in the Malaya Snack Bar opposite the Rex Theatre. It was our favourite meeting place after school. They served the best vanilla milk shakes and hotdogs in town. And they have all the latest hit selections from the jukebox. We were young and not so innocent, trying everything new.”, Daniel reminisces, surveying the street nostalgically. They are walking along the Sultan Street and winding their way towards the adjoining Petaling Street (China Town). Janet wanted to go to China Town to buy some of Daniel’s favourite dried beef meat and to savour the delicious curry laksa sold in the Madras Lane. She used to come here to buy the dried beef meat for Daniel’s friends to take back to him when they were flying back to London after their home vacations. Although Sultan Street is not as famous and illustrious as the Petaling Street, it has its historical value as it co-existed with China Town since the early stage of development of Kuala Lumpur in the middle 19th century. Most of its buildings are original pre-war shop houses which look rather rundown now, in need of major renovations. The shop houses are usually two stories with the ground floor used for business operations and residential spaces upstairs. The shop owners have an innovative way of camouflaging the shabby exteriors by hanging beautiful and large catchy billboards at their shop fronts. At the start of the Street is the famous Cheong Kee coffee shop which attracts a large morning crowd. They would go to the coffee shop to have their breakfasts after seeing off their children at the nearby schools such as the Methodist Boys School (MBS), Confucian School and Victoria Institution. The household Nam Fong Chicken Rice started from here. At the other end of the Sultan Street is a mortuary and shops selling coffins. Behind them is a hill leading up to the top is where the Chin Woo Stadium is situated. The Chin Woo Stadium was constructed during the years 1950 to 1953. Later an Olympic sized swimming pool was completed. The facility of the swimming pool was considered as the best in the region at that time. “You know I learned how to swim in the Chin Woo swimming pool. My father used to take me and my brother and sister here for swimming lessons during our primary school days. He never swam with us. He would just sit in the cafeteria at the top of the swimming pool, eating his favorite wan tan mee and sipping Chinese tea, at the same time watching us learning how to swim. My father is afraid of the water!”, Daniel confides. “What happened to the Rex Theatre?”, Daniel asks with a perturbed expression on his face, looking at the dilapidated state of the cinema. “It was burnt down, dear. I don’t really know what happened. I hope they would rebuild and restore it to its grand old days!” “Yes, it has such memorable history. Remember the good old days when Rex Theatre was THE place to watch movies and to hang out with friends? “, Daniel remembers his teenager’s days. Rex Theatre and the Malaya Snack Bar opposite it, were indeed the happening scenes in KL during the 60s and early 70s. But, the street also attracted Chinese secret societies. They split into two main rival groups; the Loong Foo Tong (The Tiger Generals) and 08 gangs. “Wonder what happened to Teck Seng?”, Janet remembers her class mate as they passed through the row of shop houses along the street. “Is he the fellow who used to live in the middle of the street and whose father used to run a Chinese medicine business?”, Daniel enquires. “Yes, that’s him.” They then proceeded to walk down the street to find Teck Seng. His father’s shop is still there and they saw his mother at the cash counter. “Hello auntie, remember me? “ “Oh hello, Ling Ling. Of course I still remember you. You have not changed much, only taller and still as pretty as before. And you must be Daniel. Teck Seng mentioned to us about you. Come on in, sit down and have some Chinese tea.”, Teck Seng’s mother replies, inviting them into her shop. “Is Teck Seng at home, auntie?” “He does not live here anymore Ling Ling. He has moved out after he got a job with the bank.” “Is he working far away from you?”, Janet enquires. “Oh, no. He works just down the road in Jalan Tun HS Lee. But, he wants to live outside with his friends. He says he wants his freedom. Many youth here are like him; moving out the moment they found a job! You know young people these days. They cannot communicate with us, they think we are old fashioned and we are not educated. They think this street is not respectable enough for them!” “Oh dear. Is that man the uncle who used to be the tailor here, auntie?”, Janet saw a familiar face walking by and seized the opportunity to change the subject. “Yes, that’s him!”, the old lady replies. “He looks so different now auntie”, Janet is surprised at the man’s transformation. Janet and her school mates used to call him tailor Ah Pek . He did not receive much education but made up by learning useful tailoring skills from his father. Initially, they operated and sharing the same shop lot as Teck Seng’s father. On the left of the shop lot is Ah Pek’s tailoring business and on the right is Teck Seng family’s medicine business. Janet still has the image of him wearing the Pagoda singlet sitting in front of his sewing machine, sewing men trousers and tapping his foot on the machine paddle wearing wooden cloak. But the Ah Pek she saw today is a far cry from yesteryears. His wild crop of unkempt hair is now neatly combed backwards and gleaming with shining hair cream. He is spotted with long side burns on both sides of his forehead, and adorned with a big pair of round sunglasses. He is wearing a polka dotted silky shirt, trousers with flares, shining leather shoes and walking with an attitude. Janet thought that at his age, he looks rather odd in those fashionable clothes and hair cut which are normally associated with young people. “Uncle Ah Pek looks so different now, auntie”, Janet voiced out her thoughts. “Yes, I know, you are not the only who says so. He has found success in his business and success has changed him”. “Changed him? What do you mean, auntie?”, Janet enquires further. “Well. You see, he is married with kids but he goes around with a girlfriend. He has a Taiwanese girlfriend and he is so proud of showing her off to his friends. He told us he met the girl in a hair salon when he went there for a haircut. We see so many Taiwanese girls here these days, don’t we? He says he has bought a house in Taiwan and he often goes there for holidays. But he never brings his family with him. He is also into music and dancing you know? He says music is the soul to one’s heart and dancing the heart to one’s soul! He buys imported mandarin records from Taiwan and Cantonese records from Hong Kong. You know what?”, she looks at Janet. “What, auntie?” “He even owns a pop band!” “Oh really!” “Yes. He owns a pop band! You see, he says he likes to nurture young talents and so he got hold of a few musically inclined school boys from the St. John Institution and bought them guitars, a drum set and other musical instruments for them to form a band. These boys became quite good at it, having a polished act involving young ago-go dancers and he is now officially their manager. He follows them everywhere, in the discos and night clubs where the band plays. He goes dancing and drinking in the night clubs around town too. His favourite is the one up the road called the Shangri-la night club at the Pudu Station. “Well. I hope he doesn’t neglect his business”. “Oh, he doesn’t. He is a smart operator. He says life has no meaning if you work and work till you drop! So, he employed a couple of young men who used to work for his competitors down the road, to work for him now. He plays Teresa Teng’s songs in his tailoring shop non-stop. He says it’s good for his business!” “We have to be going now, auntie. Thank you so much for your kind hospitality.”, Daniel has heard enough. “Please give my regards to Teck Seng, auntie. Hope to see you again. Take care of yourself, auntie”, Janet adds before hurried out of the medicine shop.

Soon the lovers reached the Petaling Street. “ I see more foreigners and tourists visiting Petaling Street now. This street is now more colourful and vibrant, lined by make shift stalls selling pirated clothes, watches, accessories and cassette tapes and there is so much haggling around. The shops selling textile, branded goods and Chinese medicines in the interior are visibly overshadowed by these street stalls, hawkers and peddlers.”, Daniel observes the changes in China Town. Ladies used to come here to buy a varieties of fabrics from the interior shops and would take them to their personal tailors to stitch and sew into their favourite skirts, blouses and cheongsams. Food is also plentiful here, with sumptuous varieties to choose from restaurants as well as hawkers. Some of the shops and restaurants here have been doing business for generations. Petaling Street is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and is known as Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. It has a distinctive character of its own and its sights and sounds capture the visitor’s imagination. Its true allure is in wandering about and savoring its sights, sounds and energy. The Chinese called the street ‘Chee Cheong Kai’ in Cantonese. In the old days, this place was actually tin mining land. The mines were abandoned during the Selangor Civil War between the years 1867 to 1873. The Selangor Civil War was a series of conflicts between the Malay chiefs fighting for the right to collect lucrative duties on tin exports which later also involved Chinese secret societies, largely members of the Ghee Hin and Hai San. The miners predominantly belonged to these secret societies who had joined opposing sides of the civil war. The tin mines were abandoned during this civil war and when the miners and their coolies returned after the war, they found that they could not work on these mines because they were flooded. Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, Kuala Lumpur’s headsman at the time, then persuaded them to remain in Kuala Lumpur. He also convinced the Malays in surrounding districts to grow rice and other garden products, including tapioca. He then opened a tapioca mill in Petaling Street where the tubers from his farms were brought here to be grounded into flour. That’s how the name Chee Cheong Kai came about which in Cantonese means starch factory street. Janet bought a few packets of Daniel’s favourite dried beef meat from one of the sundry shops in Petaling Street.

Daniel and Janet then weaved their way through the crowd and found themselves in the Madras Lane. Despite its Indian sounding name, the Madras Lane is occupied predominantly by Chinese, doing petty trades and businesses. At the back end of the lane, there is a wet market selling a varieties of fish, meat, vegetables and fruits. Many Chinese restaurants order their fish from the fishmongers here, because the fish here is always super fresh. From the middle part of the lane to its far end, there are hawker stalls selling a varieties of specialties such as curry laksa, assam laksa, chee cheong fun, nasi lemak, chicken rice, roast ducks, hokkien mee, chendol, ais kacang, juices and ice creams etc. Daniel and Janet especially love the curry laksa and chee cheong fun here. The curry laksa here is the thick type and topped with ingredients such as bean curd cubes, brinjals, bean stalks, and slices of pork skin. The trick to bringing out its mouth-watering flavor is to add half a spoonful of sambal paste on top of the noodle. With a multitude of stalls and limited seating spaces, there is intense rivalry for customers. A customer may unwittingly sit at the wrong table, and invite the wrath of nasty looks and grunts from the stall owner. It’s always advisable to ask the stall owner first before you sit down at the Madras Lane eatery! There's always so much activity in the Madras Lane, especially during weekends when many loyal customers would make special trips to the fish and meat market there and to savour the varieties of good old hawker’s food. With a multitude of stalls here and limited seating spaces, there's heated rivalry for customers. There is also the famous Madras Theatre which is located at the side of the middle part of the Madras Lane. It was one of the earliest movie house in Kuala Lumpur with huge screen and wooden seats. And despite its name, the cinema ran mainly Chinese movies, mostly Cantonese movies from Hong Kong. The cinema was said to be haunted. There was a rumour going round town that one of the seats was occupied by a ghost and no ticket would be sold for this particular seat, no matter how full the cinemas was! Most cinemas in the capital in the early days were run by Shaw Brothers which was the foremost and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies. Shaw Brothers also had a tradition of handling out goodies to senior citizens during Chinese New Year at the Madras Theatre. The Madras Theatre suffered the same fate as the Rex Theatre which was only a few blocks away. It was burnt down in 1978. However, unlike the Rex cinema, Shaw Brothers never rebuilt it and from 1979 till now, the spot where Madras cinema once stood is a parking lot.

Two weeks passed. Daniel finally has it all worked out and decided to phone Janet. “I feel like going up to the Yellow Mountain today, darling!”. “Ok.”, that’s all he needed to hear. “Do you remember the first time we went up the Yellow Mountain?”, Janet asks Daniel as they are on their journey driving to the mountain. “Of course, darling. How can I forget! It was the first time you asked me to kiss you remember? Hahaha…”, Daniel replies teasingly with a cheeky look on his face. “How can you say such thing to a girl? Yes, I did. But I did it to put you out of your misery Hehehe….” , Janet gives him a little pinch on his thigh. “Wonder the tualang tree is still there? It must have grown much taller by now”, Janet remembers the tree on the top of the mountain. “I am sure of that. It bears witness to our love, darling.” Soon they arrived at the foothill of the big mountain. “So much has changed here! I see they have erected shop houses on the foothill. The owners have turned these shop houses into seafood restaurants and cafes. There are also hawkers selling a varieties of fruits and drinks, and stalls selling postcards and souvenirs. And there are more foreigners and tourists coming here. The Yellow Mountain now teeming with activities.”, Daniel observes. “Yes. This place is getting more popular because the government has built cable cars connecting the foothill right up to the top of the mountain. Young and old can now come here to enjoy the amazing panoramic views and spectacular beauty of the mountain valley.”, Janet answers. Daniel drove his car to an open space and packed his car under the shade of a young tree. He has to pay for the parking now. The last time they came up here, he parked his car for free. They then began their accent to the Yellow Mountain. Daniel has a good familiar feeling, trekking along the old brown gravel valley road, with scrubs, plants and towering wild trees swaying to greet them. Fresh rafflesias, the world’s largest flower, growing on the lower slopes of the mountain ranges are in full bloom, caressed by flies and insects which are attracted to the flowers by their odour. The mountain valley is decorated with a varieties of colourful orchids and carnivorous plants, displaying their natural beauty and diversity. Crickets are chirping from the undergrowth, making their presence felt but not seen. Cool misty mountain air sweeps through the entire area, giving the atmosphere a sensational experience. The rainforest is teeming with life and sound. They walk hand in hand, feeling the surrounding beauty, its sensual wilderness and the natural activities. Ahead, a young backpacking couple are also making their way up the mountain. Half way up the hill, they met some Aborigines squatting on the edge of a flowing mountain stream, trying to catch fish with their fishing lines. They are not alone. There is an eager-eyed colourful kingfisher sitting on low perches over water, watching for prey in the stream below. The water is so clear that one can see the fish as they lie resting in the shade of the stream. “It’s amazing how they have adapted perfectly to a life in the forest”, Daniel enthuses. As they continue their walks towards he mountain top, they begin to wear a thundering sound from the distance. Soon a giant waterfall comes insight. As they approach nearer, the grand waterfall’s thundering beauty of plunging waters presents a mesmerizing effect, which is in contrasts to the gentle orderly flow of the valley stream they had just experienced. Janet gives in to her feelings and runs towards the waterfall, pulling Daniel along. She took the opportunity to cool her tired feet in the icy mineral water, which offers the most invigorating and refreshing natural bath. The landscapes, flora and fauna and the scenery make their journey to the top extra special.

After a couple of hours, they finally reached the top of the Yellow Mountain, tired but happy. Janet steps on some prickly touch-me-nots which immediately fold together and droop. They flung their tired bodies and rested on a big rock near the edge of the mountain. “Can you hear nature’s orchestra, darling? Birds are singing for courtship, bees are humming to attract mates, flowers are blooming for pollination and even plants are swaying to and fro for warm embrace.”, Daniel talks in between breaths. “I once read a book that says trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, how to listen to them, how to meditate with them, can learn the truth. And if we keep our hearts in the quietest silence, we could hear music amongst the trees! ”, Janet expresses her own feelings, staring at the towering wild trees above. Just as when she finished speaking, they saw a magnificent magpie perched on a branch of a big tree, singing a melodious tune. Daniel instantly lifted up his head to take a long hard look at the bird. “No. It can’t be. Sunny is dead many years ago!” A row of bees fly past them; they are rushing toward the sun loving red Ixoras, longing to suck its nectar. They feast their eyes on the spectacular mountain range engulfed with stunning scenery in an unspoiled environment. They feel the tranquility and pristine mountain top and its lush greenery. Suddenly, Daniel reached down and took hold of Janet’s hands and led her to the middle of the mountain garden. He shouts, “You can all come out now!” A group of young children stepped out from the behind the trees. They are all dressed in white with straw hats, looking like adorable little angels and each holding a piece of cardboard. They are from the Bukit Nanas School orphanage where Janet still volunteers to teach. They begin to encircle Daniel and Janet. There are altogether eight kids. Then, each of them takes turn to lift up the cardboards above their heads, displaying the following loving poems on each card:

“In silence I sit quietly cherishing the memories;
You are the reason for my life and dreams.”

“Even amidst the dark winter snows, each morn I welcome a new day.
Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, I look for you in each new day .”

“ I treasure each day with hope and greet it with a smile;
My world is a treasure because of you.”

“Whenever I feel sad and low;
I replace it with the thought with you.”

“My life has so much meaning;
All because of the beauty I see in you.”

“You're my first in the morning;
And my last when I close my eyes each night.”

“You are my one and only love;
My one true love.”

“So, I am giving you all I have to give;
My gentle heart I give thee.”

After the last kid has displayed her cardboard in front of Janet, Daniel promptly fell onto the grassy ground, with one knee knelling in front of Janet. He took out a bouquet of beautiful red roses from behind his back and presented them to Janet. Then, his other hand proceeds to take out a big cardboard from behind and lifts it up to Janet:

“JANET DARLING, WILL YOU MARRY ME?”

Janet opens her mouth but is unable to speak and instantly, she lifts up both her palms to clasp her mouth. She doesn’t know what to say; she realizes that whatever speech she is going to make at that moment would be unclear and incoherent! She is momentarily in a daze and when she comes to her senses, she quickly rushes towards Daniel and falls on her bended knees. She looks at him with tears in her eyes and then she pushes her body forward towards him, caressing him and pinning him down with the her own weight, kissing him passionately. “Oh, you silly. Of course, I will marry you daring,”, Janet whispers the sweetest music that Daniel ever wants to hear. After the children have gone, Daniel took hold of Janet’s hands and led her towards the tualang tree. “This tree must have grown another 100 feet since the last time we came up here!”, Daniel exclaims. Janet then runs round the tree, murmuring “I wonder if it’s still there?” “Yes, it is still written here!.”, she answers her own question. At the bottom of the tree is scraped with the words, ‘Janet and Daniel forever,December 1969’. Daniel promptly took out his penknife and scraped ‘Janet says yes! June 1975’. They spent the night together under the big tree, looking at the shining moon and glistering stars above the night sky. In the distance are fireworks blasting into the still night, brightening the night sky in quick intervals. It is a night carved out intimately for young lovers. Daniel and Janet are locked in deep embrace and their lips interlocked in warm exchange. They surrender themselves under the moonlight’s grace. Passion dictates their raw movements. They experienced the sweetest taste of love that only lovers can comprehend. Sadly, it has to end. They pulled away from each other with a loving gaze that could last a lifetime. “It was the most beautiful moment. I just wish it could last forever," Daniel happily sighed, swooning into Janet's arms.

A week has passed. “I have to go back to London, dear”, Daniel tells Janet. “What? Are you serious? I plan to discuss with you about our wedding plans!” “Yes, that’s in my mind too, honey. But, my adopted mother, Mrs. Kathy Brown has just passed away. She was such a kind hearted lady and was very good to me. I want to pay her my last respects. Moreover, I still have things and stuff over there. I would take this opportunity to pack all my belongings and have them shipped back to KL, Ok?” “Ok, dear. I understand. Please don’t be too long. Come back soon, Ok. I love you.”

Dr. Christopher Gan

Dr. Christopher Gan Teck Sim is a neurosurgeon. He pursued his medical qualification in the prestigious Edinburg University, Scotland where he studied and trained to become a specialist surgeon in the surgery on spine and brain. He is 35 years old and a bachelor. Dr. Gan comes from a privileged background. He was pampered to bits by his parents because he is the youngest and happened to be the smartest among their five children. They employed a nanny to care for him when he was young and he was driven to kindergarten by his father’s chauffer when he first started schooling. In addition, they hired specialists in the mathematics, science and English subjects to tutor him at home. Young Teck Sim did well in school; was always in the ‘A’ class and never came below third place in any final year exams. He was good in sports too. He loved to swim when he was in primary school but his hobby changed to Rugby in the secondary school. As expected he did very well in his exams and his parents promptly sent him to a boarding school in England after his Form V ‘O’ level exam. He did well in his ‘A’ level exam too and was accepted into the Edinburg University in medicine. People who don’t know Dr. Gan think that he is a proud spoilt brat raised from such privileged background. Some of his colleagues misunderstood him because he has the habit of not giving direct answers to their questions and he doesn’t get involved in small talks with them. During his off days, he does not head to the Royal Selangor Golf Club to play the elite golf game like some of his successful colleagues. He prefers painting and fishing. However, for people who knew him long enough, agreed that Dr. Gan is superficial outwardly. He is actually a responsible, kind hearted, helpful, sensitive man and has a wry sense of humour. He is tall with fair complexions from years of living in cold climate environment and boyish looking with a dimple on his left cheek when he smiles. He combs his hair with weaves like Robert Redford in the Gatsby movie. To him, marriage is the ultimate. His future wife must be intelligent, educated, tolerant, sensible and share his passion. Furthermore, she must also love his two pet poodles. No wonder he is taking his time to find his soul mate. Men like him are few and there is no shortage of female admirers but somehow none of them has really caught his imagination. Until he met Janet. He knew Janet from her university days as he used to give lectures to the medical students of Universiti Malaya. Janet has high regard for him. He is smart, knowledgeable, and has an air of authority about him, yet is humble and approachable. Dr. Gan is now the head neurosurgeon at the Universiti Malaya Hospital and Janet is the intern under his study. At 35, this achievement made him the youngest chief of neurosurgery in the hospital’s history.

One fateful night, Dr. Gan received an emergency call from the Hospital. A youth had met with an accident on his motorbike. He was speeding along the Federal Highway in the wee hours after watching a midnight movie with his girlfriend, who was the pillion rider. He rode into a slippery path in the darkness of the night, the effect of some crude oil spilled by a leaking oil tanker driving through the Highway. The boy tried to swerve away from the oily patch but in the process, lost control of the machine and hit the middle divider of the road, flinging him and his motorbike to the other side of the Highway. There was an oncoming lorry. The lorry tried to avoid him. But it was too late. The lorry slammed into the machine and threw him up into the night sky before he landed head first on the tar road. He fractured his skull. There was a lot of bleeding. He suffered brain hemorrhage from his injuries. Miraculously, his girlfriend got away with only bruises on her hands and limbs. She too was flung across the road but luckily landed into some bushes beside the road. There was a passing car. The driver of the vehicle stopped to check and the good Samaritan wasted no time in taking the youth and his girlfriend to the Universiti Malaya Hospital which was only a couple of miles away. The doctors examined the boy and found that he needed brain surgery straight away, lest he would not survive the night. Dr Gan called Janet and both of them rushed to the hospital from their homes immediately, although it was Dr. Gan’s off day. There is a hive of activities going on in the Hospital. It has a life of its own; it does not pay heed to night or day, nor any day of the year. There are eager young nurses caring for the sick, tired looking doctors battling to save lives and drama of relatives unfolding with their emotional outbursts. The youth’s family members have arrived too and were told about the boy’s grave conditions. The Hospital’s authorities needed his father to sign a declaration form agreeing to his son’s operation which they said is standard procedure but in actual fact is to cover the Hospital should there be any legal actions taken against the Hospital. The boy’s father signed without reading. All he is concerned at the moment is for Dr. Gan to save his son. The boy is wheeled on a stretcher into the operating room to a swirl of activity. There are nurses, anesthesiologist, doctors, Janet and Dr. Gan. Dr. Gan and his team did the preoperative blood work, heart function evaluation, medical clearance by internist, chest X-Ray, and scan etc. There are the overhead lights, and the blue hue that seems to permeate the whole room. The boy is then moved from the stretcher to the operating table. The operating room is clean but rather cold. The hair on part of the boy’s scalp is shaved. His scalp is then cleansed and prepared for surgery. To everyone’s surprise, Dr. Gan asked the boy whether he would like to listen to some music. The youth rolled his eyes, trying to figure out if it’s a joke. But when he gazed into Dr. Gan’s eyes and realized that Dr. Gan meant what he said, he nodded his head and answered in a low voice, “I don’t mind Doctor.” “Do you have the song ‘My Favourite Things’ in the ‘Sound of Music’ movie?”. “Sure.”, the nurse standing nearby took the cue and went over to the corner of the room where is a row of cabinets nailed to the wall. She opened one of the wall cabinets and started to search for the ‘Sound of Music’ cassette. The boy was lucky, she found the song he wanted to hear. She slides the cassette into the player’s compartment and then walks to the operating table and pulls the blanket from the youth. She comforted him and told him not to worry and that everything would be alright. Then the anesthesiologist applied anesthetics on the youth and the anesthesiologist then leans over and whispers to him, "You are going to sleep now, ok?. Don’t worry. When you wake up everything will be fine." Dr. Gan then begins to operate on the boy’s brain. He uses a special microscope to perform the surgery. He makes an incision through the scalp, pulls up the scalp and then creates a hole in the skull. He removes a piece of the bone flap. This flap will be placed back after the surgery is over. While he is performing his skills on the youth’s brain, Janet who is standing beside him, observes intensively and learning from him. Dr. Gan is ever so skillful and gentle. He knew exactly what to look for, where to make an incision and how to cut, operate and stitch. He constantly gives instructions to the nurses and other doctors around him. He never has eye contact with anyone in the operating room, his eyes are fixated on the boy’s brain. He has Janet’s undivided attention and admiration for the way he so expertly performed the operation. Of all the medical skills, brain surgery is perhaps the most demanding, requiring a unique combination of training, dexterity and stamina. The surgery took five hours. It was a success. The youth is saved.

Everyone involved in saving the boy’s life is extremely tired by now but gratefully relieved because it was a long and difficult operation. Right at this moment, they wished for nothing except some much needed sleep. Dr. Gan offered to send Janet home and she gladly accepted his offer. Both were spotting puffy eyes from lack of sleep, but they could still manage some conversation on the way home. “Why do you want to become a doctor, Janet?”, Dr. Gan asks Janet who is sitting next to him in the front passenger’s seat. “It is the various life experiences that I have gone through. Like when my grandfather passed away from lung cancer and a beloved aunt of mine who suffered a host of old people diseases before she succumbed to an illness. More recently, the passing of my granny after she had a fall. I think there are lots we can learn and discover in medicine to save lives. We come from a third world country and I have seen people die due to lack of doctors and medical care. Medical profession is a very respectable and honored field of expertise. My interest in the field of chemistry and biology has also added to my decision in proceeding into the medical field.”, Janet answers. “What about you? Why did you become a neurosurgeon, Dr. Gan?”, Janet asks him the same question. “Call me Chris. You need not be so formal with me, Janet. Why did I become a neurosurgeon? Well, I think I am destined to enter this medical business. My father is a surgeon, as was my grandfather. I knew the ups and downs that came with it. My father was always on call, working late and our family missed him dearly, especially during our growing up years. But, I knew he was helping people. He has a purposeful look in him. You know when I was young, I was so proud of my father on seeing people whom he had helped coming up to him to thank him for what he has done for them or for their loved ones. For instance, there was this middle aged lady who once came up to my father and told him that he had saved her from a life in the wheelchair. She shook my father’s hands and thanked him profusely. My father could not remember this lady nor the surgery he had performed on her. She then related her story to my father. She was suffering from bone pain from arthritis in her hip and was only weeks away from being in wheelchair. The pain kept her awake at night even though she was taking a lot of prescribed pain medication, sleeping pills and antidepressants. Her husband was only a lorry driver and the sole bread winner of the family. They have five kids to feed. She could not afford the medical expenses and cost of the hip operation. It was the darkest moment of her life and with no end in sight. My father heard of her plight and decided to operate on her for free. Without my father’s quick diagnosis, skilled hands and generosity, this lady would be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life. She told my father that she was truly blessed and will be forever grateful. She said many people have made a significant impact on her life but nothing could compare with the dramatic event with my father. She told my father that she thanked God every night before going to bed, knowing that she could get out of bed and walk again. I admired what my father did and I saw the respect people had for him. You know once you are in this business, it is easy to let medicine consume your whole life. I feel the moral satisfaction that I have done something good for another human being. Helping people can be intoxicating!", Dr. Gan finally reveals his passion and the influence of his father. “But, that’s not to say I do not have doubts in our profession. Sometimes, you wanted so desperately to save someone’s life but couldn’t. Sometimes, a life cannot be saved at all no matter how knowledgeable, skilful you are and with all the right high tech equipment at your disposal. I can’t understand why some lives are taken and why some are spared. I still struggle to understand why bad things happen to good people or why it takes a tragedy to appreciate life”, Dr Gan continues his thoughts philosophically. “But what I do know, is that there is far more good in this world than evil”, replies Janet reassuringly. “Take you for example. You answered the Hospital’s call to come and save the boy’s life in the middle of the night, despite that fact that it’s your off day. You have the gift. I think you can have a huge influence on your children too.”, Janet praises him out of immense respect but suddenly she stops, realizing that Dr. Gan is still unmarried. “In case you don’t remember, I am not married, Janet!”, he seems to have read Janet’s mind. “Oh…sorry Dr. Gan. Slip of the tongue is no fault of the mind.”, she still calls him Dr. Gan. There was a long pause and neither of them spoke. Janet closed her eyes and soon fell to sleep from fatigue. Half way into her sleep she felt Dr.Gan’s left palm rested on the back of her right palm, stroking and softly squeezing it ever so gently. Janet feels the warm sensation and continues to enjoy his caressing hand in her half slumber. Suddenly she realizes that it’s not Daniel’s hand as he is still abroad. She opens her eyes. Instinctively she withdraws her hand from his grip. She turns to look at him and is instantly greeted with Dr. Gan’s smile. ‘Sorry Janet. You look so serene and beautiful, like the first day I met you in the university campus. I just wanted to hold your hand”, Dr. Gan speaks with a quivering voice. Janet thought this is rather uncharacteristic of him. For Dr. Gan has a reputation of possessing a gentlemanly behavior and is held in high esteem in his moral beliefs. “You remember what you asked me earlier? Why am I still not married? Well, I am already 35 years old and still a bachelor. It’s not that I don’t want to get married. You know it’s not easy to find someone to share your entire life with. I have seen so many broken marriages which ended up in divorces. I want my marriage to last; I want it to be for keeps. To tell you the truth, I had a crush on you at the campus. You are a smart girl, I am quite sure you knew of my feelings for you, but you have an uncanny way of avoiding me. Several times I had asked you for dates and each time you turned me down, giving some subtle excuses. You would only go out with me when there were other doctors or students in our company.”, Dr. Gan reveals his feelings for Janet. “There are many smart and beautiful girls out there who would die to be with Dr. Gan. In fact, I know least two of my class mates are your secret admirers. Perhaps I can be your match maker.” “No. That’s not necessary, Janet. Thanks anyway.” “I hope I can find a girl like you some day, Janet” “Well, I am flattered Dr. Gan. But….” “No. No need for you to explain any further, Janet”, Dr. Gan interrupts before she could finish her sentence. “I have been observing you. We knew that you have a boyfriend and he is studying in England. But for as long as you are not married, I think it’s fair game for a man to still go after you. After all, the best man wins right? But, I knew that I won’t be the one.” “What do you mean you knew you won’t be the one?”, Janet is not really surprised by his affection towards her but is confused by his revelation. “Let me tell you of an incident which led me to believe what I had just said. You know a couple of years ago the university campus was barricaded as a result of some demonstrations by UMSU (Universiti Malaya Students’ Union) students. They had used the Speaker’s Corner to protest against the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia and to fan student’s support for their left wing political ideologies. The student union leaders had succeeded in radicalizing some of the students of the time. Tear gas was fired by the FRU on some 200 demonstrating students. The next day more than one thousand students staged a march to pretest police brutality. In their march to the police station, one female student came running after her radical boyfriend to try to persuade him not to take part in the demonstration. She told him not to get involved with the marchers. She told him in no uncertain terms that these marchers were trouble makers. Some of the marchers around her boyfriend heard what she said and did not take her remarks very kindly. They exchanged heated arguments and hurling insults against each other. This antagonized state of affair soon escalated into physical encounter. Someone in the crowd threw a stone at the girl. It hit the poor girl’s head and broke her skull. She was lying on the road side with blood oozing from her head injuries. Her boyfriend then pulled out of the march and carried her to the university’s dormitory. You saw the young couple arriving at the dormitory and you immediately went to her aid. I was observing you nearby. I saw how you bandaged the girl’s head with such intense care and tenderness. I witnessed how you gamely organized an ambulance to take the girl to the hospital. You did all this single-handedly and with such efficient manner only you knew how. At that moment I thought to myself, “What a brave and kind hearted this girl is. How wonderful if this girl could be my girlfriend!” Few days later, I saw you going to the library. I followed you into the library, hoping that I could catch a quiet opportunity to chat you up. But you buried yourself in a book and was oblivious to the surrounding. I tiptoed to the your seat from behind, trying to find out what medical book you were reading. However, to my surprise, I found out that you were reading a diary. You realized that someone was standing behind you and then closed the diary. But not before I read a bold sentence written across the diary. It was written with these words “Forever our love will be true. Always there will be you and me. Daniel and Janet forever”. I walked away feeling disappointed and silly. I realized you were truly in love with someone else and that it was futile for me to continuing wooing you. In fact, it’s almost sinful for me to think of snatching someone from her true love. You have two nice hands, a pair of lovely legs, two beautiful eyes and two keen listening ears. But you can only have one heart. Because the other was given to someone else”, Dr. Gan has a poetic way of putting his message across. “You must have loved your boyfriend very much. He is a very lucky fella.”. “You are a good man Dr. Gan. You are smart, intelligent, successful and have a great future. One day you would find the girl of your dream. Have faith, Chris”, Janet tries to console him, calling his first name for the first time. “Well, many people come and go in our lives. I am fated to be like what I am. Fate has brought many people in my life. But, it is my heart that determines who shall stay. And yes I hope one day someone like you shall come along and stay in my heart”. “This will soon go to past dear Dr. Gan. But I shall hold dear to our friendship”, Janet replies. Suddenly, Dr. Gan breaks this news to her. “I have decided to migrate to Australia, Janet. I have been offered a top medical position in an Australian government hospital. I sincerely wish you and your boyfriend a happy ending. Your book of life is only half written. I hope the your remaining pages be written with joy, love and happiness. And if ever there is a chance that I could fill in your pages in the future, please do not be afraid to call me. Good bye Janet”.