A Memoir To Grandfather

After a long battle of staying strong and staying alive, my grandfather's body had finally given up on him. I am thankful most of us got to see him one last time before he had left us and that he went peacefully without struggle. He gave me some fond memories and these are only just a few. In loving memory of my 'Akong'.

There he was standing six feet tall,

Tall and lanky stature,

Rarely would he utter words,

But when he did, people listened and it mattered.

He would have his milky oats in the morning,

Followed by a brisk walk along Gurney Drive,

I would walk along side him,

Watch the sunrise and mudskippers come alive.

Almond milk or Milo was his breakfast drink,

Along with Kuey Teow Th’ng everyday,

Never would he miss the Chinese newspaper,

To get updated with what the government had to say.

Lunch at their regular caterer, Ah Huat’s

Sundays are must have Fish Head Assam Curry,

Secretly, his favourite place was actually Genting,

Where the food was good and the people served you in a hurry.

Evenings before dinner he walks around the block,

Twice a day for his dose of exercise,

Slow and steady he would complete his lap,

Enjoyed the scenery with his cataract eyes.

Some days he worked and would disappear with grandma,

Driving up and down the Penang Bridge,

They would be back in time for dinner,

Always freshly cooked food, never anything from the fridge.

My mother said he was a stern father,

But to us, he was seen as gentle,

He always liked to have us around,

He sat on his rocker very still, quiet and simple.

From the stories they told,

It was hard to believe he was once a teacher,

He taught the Malay language then the wheels turned,

He ended up as a lorry driver.

See, this man was smart,

He learnt how to move up the ladder,

He soon was giving out lorry permits,

To other striving drivers.

No everything was easy or simple,

He diligently did his duty,

Brought money for school fees and the home,

Provided enough so all could study.

He and grandma loved each other,

It was not obvious but you could see,

It was not arranged but by choice,

Till the end of their lives it was a sweet melody.

Diabetes, hypertension, you name it,

Prostate hypertrophy, stroke and a bypass later,

He was still strong and going on,

A little more tired and medicated but he got better.

As age caught on, so did his disease,

Heart broken from the loss of his love,

He still fought on to live,

Yesterday he said goodbye quietly and ascended above.

- SY

14:04H 25^th January 2016

Jalan Pahang

SY is a 'Jacqueline of all trades' who loves wearing plaids.
She doesn't believe in things that fade and fulfills the promises that she made.
She seeks the hearts of the troubled, to be a listener in times when things are doubled.
She's the kind who stands in the gap, who will only call it quits when it's a wrap.