12th August 2009
6:50p.m telephone call:
"Assalamualaikum, Aunty!" she was not sobbing but crying on the other end of the receiver.
"Waalaikummussalam Nah!" I was half astonished... and "frankly" my thoughts went wild... guessing this and that.
"My dad, passed away around 6:00p.m"...
Instantly I found myself crying while saying a prayer for him.
"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihirojiuun" I replied.
"We are going home afterwards. Would you like to come along?" she shot this question which was left unanswered for a few seconds.
How? Where's everyone? Still at work, are they? Then shortly after,
"Could I give you a call as soon as they come home form work?" I asked.
After we both ended our short teary conversation, I took Zaza's red and black (r&b: used to be my company logo before it became active) travelling bag and put a few pairs of clothes in it. I carefully chose the head gears as not to get them clashed (I am very clever at this clashing) with the colors and patterns of the garments I was taking along. Not forgetting the "little ones" and toiletries... the normal item that was fast forgotten is tooth brush. It was okay if I travel during day time but tonight, not only it sent a torrential fall since the late afternoon but shops would surely be closed by the time we arrived. Oh! But but not to worry... there are gas stations to drop by and pick little items like that. But this time I made no mistakes as it was still early.
Preparation to travel over 300 kms. away was simple. Nothing much to do unless I was driving on my own. Tonight there is no need to obey these list of:-) toll tickets and its balance, checking the petrol, tyre pressure, water level and of course food and drinks to take along.
When my children arrived, I was "allowed" to go that night as Zaza was planning a leave the next day for her dental appointment. Harith would surely has someone to look after him. The other half day, he would be sent to his other grandmother, Papa's mom whom he called Uci.
8:05p.m: I confirmed my trip with my niece and her hubby.
Meanwhile I had dinner as usual with all my children and Harith. Don't ever forget him aka my pic. Then I planned to take along hot coffee for the driver ( my nephew-in-law, Syamsul). Zaza was constantly checking if Nah and Syamsul have left home. They were about 45minutes drive from us. I went up and get dressed.
The last conversation sent me and Zaza hurrying with our head gears. I grabbed the luggage and down the stairs I got.
"They are leaving now from Kak Nah's (sister Nah) mother-in-law's and we are suppose to be there within 10 to 15 minutes".
"Oh? Are we going to drive that fast in this rain tonight?".
After we bade goodbyes to my sweet hearts we left with prayers for a safe journey from them.
9:45p.m. we left for Sg.Besi PETRONAS station. They told us to be there in 15 minutes... was it? When we arrived we could not trace them anywhere. They were still 20 minutes drive away from us. So we went into the shop and bought some snacks to bring along.
10:p.m: they arrived and we left soon after.
Along the journey, in the darkness of the night, the torrential fall never stopped. I started to offer my nephew-in-law some tit bits. As I was scrambling through the plastic bag, he passed a remark which left me in stitches.
"A sundry shop!" he said... I have never heard of this remark before although it was more than a sundry shop all those time when we travelled with the children when they were still little. Hahaha, he cheered me a bit despite the "sad, sad, deep feeling and thoughts" that surrounded me.
I spotted him driving Nah's brand new Honda City at 170km limit. It was a smooth ride. Rarely I drove my last Citreon MPV at such a speed. I did that when I drove alone early mornings or when there were no highway cameras.
Our first stop was at the R&R... for a break...
"Syamsul,I forgot to bring coffee for you. I had planned and already put the water to boil. But when you said you were leaving in ten to fifteen minutes, I forgot all about it and just left home".
He was laughing away.
" I told Zaza I was going to leave my mom's house in ten to fifteen minutes time and not reaching the gas station. I tried to explain to her but she was so excited about the place to meet with Mc Donald's and all sorts came into the conversation that she missed listening to me"....
"Hahahahaha, and that sent me hurriedly leaving the house!".
2:00a.m: Four hours later, we reached Kemaman in Terengganu... my Alma Mater aka my birth place. It was quiet and there was no rain. Throughout the journey in Terengganu, it was dry. The place we called ""Malaysian Texas" was just as beautifully lit as ever. The lights on heavy industrial sites gave us such a wonderful feeling after going through rains in Pahang. The gas emitted through the huge pipes (?) added such beauty to the silent night sky. Paka, another small town before, was also beautiful with wider roads and new buildings.
Passing through Dungun, was all quiet and fully lighted too. It was the place I once further my studies and we had such a beautiful campus by the seaside. It was once an administration office buildings which were left intact by the British Mining Company. After the Bukit Besi mines in Dungun were closed, it ceased operations and became our campus. Malaya was once, one of the largest exporter of tins. It was in the history of Malaya and the world. Bukit Besi is now a ghost town... I believed so... unless there is development I might have missed and went unnoticed.
4:00a.m.: Alhamdulillah, alas we were in Kuala Terengganu and safely reached my sister's home. It was all very quiet and after waking them all up, we went in and shared our grieves.
13th August 2009, right at 9:30a.m after the last prayer for my brother-in-law was offered, the entourage left for the Muslim grave yard called "Kubur Tok Pelam" in Kuala Terengganu. He was laid to rest at about 10:20a.m.
May Allah showers him with His Blessings and may he Rest in Peace. Amin ya robbil'alamin.
6:50p.m telephone call:
"Assalamualaikum, Aunty!" she was not sobbing but crying on the other end of the receiver.
"Waalaikummussalam Nah!" I was half astonished... and "frankly" my thoughts went wild... guessing this and that.
"My dad, passed away around 6:00p.m"...
Instantly I found myself crying while saying a prayer for him.
"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihirojiuun" I replied.
"We are going home afterwards. Would you like to come along?" she shot this question which was left unanswered for a few seconds.
How? Where's everyone? Still at work, are they? Then shortly after,
"Could I give you a call as soon as they come home form work?" I asked.
After we both ended our short teary conversation, I took Zaza's red and black (r&b: used to be my company logo before it became active) travelling bag and put a few pairs of clothes in it. I carefully chose the head gears as not to get them clashed (I am very clever at this clashing) with the colors and patterns of the garments I was taking along. Not forgetting the "little ones" and toiletries... the normal item that was fast forgotten is tooth brush. It was okay if I travel during day time but tonight, not only it sent a torrential fall since the late afternoon but shops would surely be closed by the time we arrived. Oh! But but not to worry... there are gas stations to drop by and pick little items like that. But this time I made no mistakes as it was still early.
Preparation to travel over 300 kms. away was simple. Nothing much to do unless I was driving on my own. Tonight there is no need to obey these list of:-) toll tickets and its balance, checking the petrol, tyre pressure, water level and of course food and drinks to take along.
When my children arrived, I was "allowed" to go that night as Zaza was planning a leave the next day for her dental appointment. Harith would surely has someone to look after him. The other half day, he would be sent to his other grandmother, Papa's mom whom he called Uci.
8:05p.m: I confirmed my trip with my niece and her hubby.
Meanwhile I had dinner as usual with all my children and Harith. Don't ever forget him aka my pic. Then I planned to take along hot coffee for the driver ( my nephew-in-law, Syamsul). Zaza was constantly checking if Nah and Syamsul have left home. They were about 45minutes drive from us. I went up and get dressed.
The last conversation sent me and Zaza hurrying with our head gears. I grabbed the luggage and down the stairs I got.
"They are leaving now from Kak Nah's (sister Nah) mother-in-law's and we are suppose to be there within 10 to 15 minutes".
"Oh? Are we going to drive that fast in this rain tonight?".
After we bade goodbyes to my sweet hearts we left with prayers for a safe journey from them.
9:45p.m. we left for Sg.Besi PETRONAS station. They told us to be there in 15 minutes... was it? When we arrived we could not trace them anywhere. They were still 20 minutes drive away from us. So we went into the shop and bought some snacks to bring along.
10:p.m: they arrived and we left soon after.
Along the journey, in the darkness of the night, the torrential fall never stopped. I started to offer my nephew-in-law some tit bits. As I was scrambling through the plastic bag, he passed a remark which left me in stitches.
"A sundry shop!" he said... I have never heard of this remark before although it was more than a sundry shop all those time when we travelled with the children when they were still little. Hahaha, he cheered me a bit despite the "sad, sad, deep feeling and thoughts" that surrounded me.
I spotted him driving Nah's brand new Honda City at 170km limit. It was a smooth ride. Rarely I drove my last Citreon MPV at such a speed. I did that when I drove alone early mornings or when there were no highway cameras.
Our first stop was at the R&R... for a break...
"Syamsul,I forgot to bring coffee for you. I had planned and already put the water to boil. But when you said you were leaving in ten to fifteen minutes, I forgot all about it and just left home".
He was laughing away.
" I told Zaza I was going to leave my mom's house in ten to fifteen minutes time and not reaching the gas station. I tried to explain to her but she was so excited about the place to meet with Mc Donald's and all sorts came into the conversation that she missed listening to me"....
"Hahahahaha, and that sent me hurriedly leaving the house!".
2:00a.m: Four hours later, we reached Kemaman in Terengganu... my Alma Mater aka my birth place. It was quiet and there was no rain. Throughout the journey in Terengganu, it was dry. The place we called ""Malaysian Texas" was just as beautifully lit as ever. The lights on heavy industrial sites gave us such a wonderful feeling after going through rains in Pahang. The gas emitted through the huge pipes (?) added such beauty to the silent night sky. Paka, another small town before, was also beautiful with wider roads and new buildings.
Passing through Dungun, was all quiet and fully lighted too. It was the place I once further my studies and we had such a beautiful campus by the seaside. It was once an administration office buildings which were left intact by the British Mining Company. After the Bukit Besi mines in Dungun were closed, it ceased operations and became our campus. Malaya was once, one of the largest exporter of tins. It was in the history of Malaya and the world. Bukit Besi is now a ghost town... I believed so... unless there is development I might have missed and went unnoticed.
4:00a.m.: Alhamdulillah, alas we were in Kuala Terengganu and safely reached my sister's home. It was all very quiet and after waking them all up, we went in and shared our grieves.
13th August 2009, right at 9:30a.m after the last prayer for my brother-in-law was offered, the entourage left for the Muslim grave yard called "Kubur Tok Pelam" in Kuala Terengganu. He was laid to rest at about 10:20a.m.
May Allah showers him with His Blessings and may he Rest in Peace. Amin ya robbil'alamin.
3 comments:
May your arwah brother-in law be blessed by Allah and placed among His beloveds.
What a drive it was for you all. I knew the feeling from my personal experience.
The first was when we drove home from HKL to Kemaman, bringing the body of our arwah son...He passed away well past 12.00 midnight...after all the necessary paperworks, I asked my wife's nephew once-removed (anak sepupu) Razak to drive us home.
We left HKL at may be around two in the morning. My wife was in the front seat and I at the back holding the body of my son on my lap.
Could you imagine how it had been...so sad...once in a while I peeked at his face..he looked alive..
Then it rained, really raining heavily...
We arrived in Kemaman just before dawn prayer...
The second was when my mother-in-law passed away...We were in Penang then...It was in Ramadhan...that night we all packed the necessary items in the car...I just knew that...
Just before sahur, we received a call saying that my mother-in-law is in nazak..
So we drove home straight away...did our dawn prayers at Bukit Merah..
I thought the drive was my fastest so far...it took us just six-hours from Penang to Kemaman..
Relatives kept on reminding us not to drive too fast...you know my record of invoving in road accidents was pretty bad...
She passed away and was ready for burial when we arrived..
At our age, which is fast approaching dusk, our more senior relatives and friends are passing away one by one...
On the 24th August, my dear classmate from SDAR passed away...it makes me wonder when is our turn?
Amin ya robbil'alamiiin.
Your personal experience was just as touching if not the most touching of all.. imagine holding his body on your lap....
I cannot imagine doing that!!!!!!!
We all have been through tremendous sad episodes in lives. Soon our children would go through all these when we "go".ie if we go first.
Indeed parting was such a sweet sorrow as they say but NOT parting at death. We never see the person again on this earth.
"(Could you imagine how it had been...so sad...once in a while I peeked at his face..he looked alive..)"... you managed some tears from me... imagine me holding my child like you did... I hope I don't have to...
May Allah shower your late son with Blessings and place him amongst the Tobi'in and Solihin. Amin.
Quoting from one very wise and beloved pathology Professor Crowell of UGA when he read the story of my child: "I know Azahar, it's always sad when one of our children go earlier than us....
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