Some time around 1964, when I was about the age of six, my father had the fortune to own about sixty acres of land , which were to be cultivated with rubber trees. My father had wanted to plant rubber trees of a better breed, so he decided to collect seeds from nearby estates which had trees that produced good amount of latex. Doing this would save him a lot of money because the cost of purchasing the seedlings from the nurseries would have made a big hole in his pocket. However, he would have to take the risk of being prosecuted for trespassing. There was one estate of which the manager was kind and he trusted my father. My father had taken the liberty of going there to pick up the fallen rubber seeds.
One early morning I could sense a lot of hustle and bustle in the house. My eldest sister and mother were wearing 'work clothes', hats, shoes and socks, and gloves too. My grandma was taking a big straw hat. In a basket were bottles of drinking water and Chinese tea. It appeared to me in an instant that they were going to work somewhere. Mummy, I want to go. I pleaded, not knowing they were going to bring me after all. There was no one to babysit me.
Of course you are going. My brother retorted. Sleeping like a pig. Do you know how many times I called out to you!
Don't bluff. I did not hear anything. And stop calling me a pig!
Alright,alright, stop the squabbling. Go and wash your face. Drink up that cup of Milo and eat that piece of bread. You are going with us. My mother gave me my toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed on it , and a warm towel , as she told me gently.
Quickly, I got myself ready and as I was about to ask what clothes I should put on, I could hear that my father had already started the engine. Everybody had got into the car and my brother was threatening to lock up the door if I did not come out quick. I put on my slippers in a hurry and ran towards my father's car which was already on the road waiting for me. When I got into the car, I grumbled about not having time to change my clothes. I was angry that I had to wear my pyjamas. My brother chided that it was all my own fault. It would not have been like that had I woken up earlier.
After travelling in the car for some time, my father decided to stop at a spot. They hesitated and did not want to get down at that spot. I heard my mother saying that they had been there before and that there were not many seeds to pick up. I was all excited to start and was rather disappointed when they said that they were not going to get down there. I was already feeling very bored by all the travelling in the cramped car. Not long after that, they really stopped and they got down and separated into different directions so fast that it amazed me. Finally, I had to tag along with my granny and she gave me a tiny gunny bag to put in my seeds. I was very proud to be given a new task. I started to pick up the queer looking rubber seeds. As I picked up one, I would stare at it and then compare its design with another. I noticed that the design was always the same and the only difference was some seeds were shinier than the others. My granny told me to throw away those that had no shine because they were seeds that had been on the ground for a long time but could not grow into new plants.
I walked and walked , hopping from one spot to another to pick up the shiny rubber seeds. I was so engrossed in my work that I did not realised I had wandered away from everybody. Suddenly I realised that the rubber plantation was too quiet for my liking and I straightened my back to look around. Where is everybody? Where is granny? I thought she was right behind me but how could she just leave me without telling me? I called out to her. No answer. I called out to my mother. No answer. I would not call out to my sister or brother because I knew that they would surely scold me. They always thought I was a nuisance. Suddenly the sounds in the rubber plantations seemed very loud and I thought I heard baboons crying. I hated those baboons and I had heard stories about how fierce they were. A squawking sound from above the rubber trees made me jump up. I looked up at the trees and they all looked like giants looking down on me. They never looked that evil before. I was overwhelmed with all kinds of fears: fear for snakes that could come slithering down the trees, fear for poisonous spiders that could spin webs across my face, fear of slimming, squirming earthworms in the soil underneath my feet, fear of iguanas with long lashing tongues. I was almost crying when I managed to call again in a quivering voice. Mummy, mummy, where are you?
No answer. All I could hear was the rustling of the leaves. Why had everything turned so frightening all of a sudden? Even the wind seemed very evil and why was it that I had not felt it a moment ago? Granny? Is that you? I walked with hastened footsteps towards the direction where I thought the sound of twigs snapping came from. Much to my relief, I saw my mother. However, she was on the other side of a small stream. Can I go with you? I pleaded.
No, just stay there. I am almost finishing. Wait there.
No, don't leave me. I want to go over. I was terrified of being left alone.
Alright, come over. Cross that fallen tree trunk there.
I looked at the tree trunk and I walked towards it. I could not make myself cross it. I was scared of falling into the water down there. I had imagined all kind of water creatures that could live there, all of which I was extremely frightened of. Gliding water snakes, darting water insects, sticky leeches, and even the clinging water weeds would become alive too. I cried when I could not cross the 'bridge'. My mother lost her patience. It was almost lunch time and every one was hungry. She told me to wait for my sister who would be on her way. My sister came and she ran across the 'bridge' surefootedly. I just could not understand at that moment why it was an impossible 'feat' for me when Ah Peng and my sister would not have any problem at all.
One early morning I could sense a lot of hustle and bustle in the house. My eldest sister and mother were wearing 'work clothes', hats, shoes and socks, and gloves too. My grandma was taking a big straw hat. In a basket were bottles of drinking water and Chinese tea. It appeared to me in an instant that they were going to work somewhere. Mummy, I want to go. I pleaded, not knowing they were going to bring me after all. There was no one to babysit me.
Of course you are going. My brother retorted. Sleeping like a pig. Do you know how many times I called out to you!
Don't bluff. I did not hear anything. And stop calling me a pig!
Alright,alright, stop the squabbling. Go and wash your face. Drink up that cup of Milo and eat that piece of bread. You are going with us. My mother gave me my toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed on it , and a warm towel , as she told me gently.
Quickly, I got myself ready and as I was about to ask what clothes I should put on, I could hear that my father had already started the engine. Everybody had got into the car and my brother was threatening to lock up the door if I did not come out quick. I put on my slippers in a hurry and ran towards my father's car which was already on the road waiting for me. When I got into the car, I grumbled about not having time to change my clothes. I was angry that I had to wear my pyjamas. My brother chided that it was all my own fault. It would not have been like that had I woken up earlier.
After travelling in the car for some time, my father decided to stop at a spot. They hesitated and did not want to get down at that spot. I heard my mother saying that they had been there before and that there were not many seeds to pick up. I was all excited to start and was rather disappointed when they said that they were not going to get down there. I was already feeling very bored by all the travelling in the cramped car. Not long after that, they really stopped and they got down and separated into different directions so fast that it amazed me. Finally, I had to tag along with my granny and she gave me a tiny gunny bag to put in my seeds. I was very proud to be given a new task. I started to pick up the queer looking rubber seeds. As I picked up one, I would stare at it and then compare its design with another. I noticed that the design was always the same and the only difference was some seeds were shinier than the others. My granny told me to throw away those that had no shine because they were seeds that had been on the ground for a long time but could not grow into new plants.
I walked and walked , hopping from one spot to another to pick up the shiny rubber seeds. I was so engrossed in my work that I did not realised I had wandered away from everybody. Suddenly I realised that the rubber plantation was too quiet for my liking and I straightened my back to look around. Where is everybody? Where is granny? I thought she was right behind me but how could she just leave me without telling me? I called out to her. No answer. I called out to my mother. No answer. I would not call out to my sister or brother because I knew that they would surely scold me. They always thought I was a nuisance. Suddenly the sounds in the rubber plantations seemed very loud and I thought I heard baboons crying. I hated those baboons and I had heard stories about how fierce they were. A squawking sound from above the rubber trees made me jump up. I looked up at the trees and they all looked like giants looking down on me. They never looked that evil before. I was overwhelmed with all kinds of fears: fear for snakes that could come slithering down the trees, fear for poisonous spiders that could spin webs across my face, fear of slimming, squirming earthworms in the soil underneath my feet, fear of iguanas with long lashing tongues. I was almost crying when I managed to call again in a quivering voice. Mummy, mummy, where are you?
No answer. All I could hear was the rustling of the leaves. Why had everything turned so frightening all of a sudden? Even the wind seemed very evil and why was it that I had not felt it a moment ago? Granny? Is that you? I walked with hastened footsteps towards the direction where I thought the sound of twigs snapping came from. Much to my relief, I saw my mother. However, she was on the other side of a small stream. Can I go with you? I pleaded.
No, just stay there. I am almost finishing. Wait there.
No, don't leave me. I want to go over. I was terrified of being left alone.
Alright, come over. Cross that fallen tree trunk there.
I looked at the tree trunk and I walked towards it. I could not make myself cross it. I was scared of falling into the water down there. I had imagined all kind of water creatures that could live there, all of which I was extremely frightened of. Gliding water snakes, darting water insects, sticky leeches, and even the clinging water weeds would become alive too. I cried when I could not cross the 'bridge'. My mother lost her patience. It was almost lunch time and every one was hungry. She told me to wait for my sister who would be on her way. My sister came and she ran across the 'bridge' surefootedly. I just could not understand at that moment why it was an impossible 'feat' for me when Ah Peng and my sister would not have any problem at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment