The year was 1987, I just turned 9 a month ago on 1st December 1986. I was now in Standard Four at SRK Methodist ACS Melaka, the same school since Standard One. I was growing up fast; more in weight than height. My eldest brother had gone to another school, SMK Gajah Berang for his secondary school. My second brother was now in Standard Six; his last year in primary school. I was still enjoying my school life. In fact, I had started a streak of being the top student in my Standard since last year. I was able to maintain this streak until the end of my primary school. That meant I was the top student for every term from at least the last term of Standard Three till the end of Standard Six. Nevertheless, this streak would continue through out my secondary school.
At home, my siblings and I were having decent lives. We had food to eat. We had new clothes every Chinese New Year. Mom was taking care of us, being the best mom any child could ask for. However, my dad was still lost in his other relationship with another woman. By now, my dad's company had transfered him to KL as a Product Manager. So, every week, my dad would travel from KL to Melaka and drop of his dirty laundry for my mom to wash; and straight away travelled to JB to his second family. This went on for many years. At that time, I hated my dad. I saw him as a person who only provided the minimum for his children and his legal wife. No extra money could come out from him if ever we have any need for emergency use.
He even threatened to cut off the phone line because he was not willing to pay and blamed my mom for over using the phone. So from the ages of 7 to 12; I really didn't have a father. He might be physically there, but his heart was somewhere else. Until the relationship between him and the other woman ended, we had lost precious years with our dad. He was an absent father. He only came back to us when he saw the woman with another guy when my dad was not with her. Therefore, we only got our father back in 1990. The year that I entered Form 1; the start of my secondary school.
I was automatically enrolled in SMK Methodist ACS Melaka. By the time I was in Form 1, my second brother was already in Form 3. He would have the SRP examination later that year. I myself graduated from primary school with flying colours; 5As in UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah). There was about twelve of us scoring straight As. I was very proud of my achievement.
Besides being on top of the game in my academic life, I was also a school prefect. It started as Young Prefect (Pengawas Muda) till I became the Head Prefect in Standard Six. One of the reasons I think I got selected was because I was the only prefect that wore a tie during the first day of Standard Six. Even though I was small in size compared to other candidates, they selected me because they can see my dedication to the job. Another proud moment in my primary school life.
However, life was not always smooth sailing. In fact, I injured my head when I was in Standard Four while going to the toilet. Somehow, I lost my balance and ended up hitting my head on a corner of a metal pipe. My forehead had a bump after that. I cried when that happened. I was brought to the room beside the School Office. I was worried if I would become stupid after the injury. Fortunately, there was no side-effects. However, I still can feel on my skull the injury site even up to now. It would be a reminder to be more careful next time.
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