A long, long time ago…I can still remember…those days when I was staying at the end of Race Course Road (since renamed) here in a house built on stilts and every time there was a flood, at least once a year and usually in December, it was like a carnival – swimming and playing in the water, walking some 2 miles to town to roam around in the flood waters and taking photographs…
I cannot remember when this photograph was taken – probably in the late 60’s or early 70’s. It was an annual affair and it did not bother us one bit. I wonder if that’s the case with those people in the east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia.
On the other hand, my missus was staying in the extremely flood-prone Tong San Road until she got married. Her family was renting the ground floor of a terrace house at the time and she would relate stories of how her father would block the doors with planks and seal the edges with damar gum and the whole day, they would have to scoop buckets of water from inside the house and pouring it outside…and most of the time, they would to stay on their beds – with water all around and centipedes and snakes swimming by. Imagine having to go through this kind of situation at least once a year and still they refused to move as “it was very convenient – being so near the town centre”.
Well, the present flood situation has improved, it seems, even though it rained heavily the whole night through and has been raining on and off the whole day. I guess despite all the sound and fury at this point in time, eventually people will stop talking about it and get on with their everyday business until the next flood comes around…and looking at the way things are these days, that will probably be around the next king tide – Chap Goh Meh! I’ve moved the things up the split level in my house, so I think I’ll just leave them there till drier days come around.
To deviate from the topic of floods a bit, I wonder if any of you have been receiving all kinds of irritating messages on your handphones. I got this one last night:
Eh Ayu, sy dpti lucu dirakam hotel yg terPANAS! Ada juga pelbagai clip download. u taip ON JOC hantar SMS ke 36660, daftar free! lepas download jgn send orang lain!
I read about this in somebody’s blog not too long ago, so I guess I am not the only one being made the target of spam by certain quarters. I do wish there is a way to block such messages. Does anybody know of any?
Well, in the meantime, here’s wishing you all a pleasant Sunday! Everybody’s going back to work tomorrow, so make the most of it, rain or shine!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 