My First Trip To Kuala Lumpur

As we grow into adulthood, at about age 8 I realised that I do not belong to the family where I was living. Whenever we quarrelled, Ina (Abah Rahman eldest daughter) would chased me out of the house, telling me, 'go back to your father's house ... this is not your house'. With that remarks getting more frequent, I realised that I have to look for my 'roots'; moreover, Atuk Usop who adopted me in the first place is getting much much older. The family have a cousin living in Kampong Datok Keramat; and one day during school holidays, with the white Volkswagen BH120, the trip to Kuala Lumpur became a reality!

The family lived in Lorong Kiri 15, Kampong Datok Keramat. We normally spent a few days there and after visiting the sights of Kuala Lumpur, we would come home back to Kampong Senaling. During that first visit, they are going to bring me to my parents home. That would also be the first time I will be going to my parents house to see my own family. As the 'feeling' of the family in Kampong Senaling; did not want me around them anymore; I would soon be moving back to my own family. One afternoon, we drove to Kampong Cendana (near Kampong Baru) where my parents lived.

We parked at the edge of the Ampang cemetery; walked besides 2 houses and through a sugar cane plantation. Approximately 500 metres, the first house that we met was my parents' house. It is 2 houses built under one roof; our neighbour was my youngest uncle, Pak Su Hashim - who at that time drove the Sri Jaya Taxi. The house is made of planks with zinc roof, one of the modern squatters. At that time, we called them 'rumah kilat' due to the fastness of putting it up. Today it is not there; the next day it is already occupied. I didn't stay the night as we have to go back to Kampong Senaling that day.

Since then, whenever they make a trip to Kuala Lumpur, I will be left there over the school holidays, picked up again before the school starts. I am getting used to living in the city. Welcome to Kuala Lumpur!