Pakcik, my uncle

TripleNoise says "fooooh... what a day.. Got news yesterday Pakcik (mak's brother), passed away at the General Hospital. Doctor gave him 2 weeks, and that was 3 months ago. Didn't get to menziarah yesterday, because was way too tired. Didn't plan to go this morning for pengkembumian too, had to go to work.

On the way to work while driving, suddenly snapshots of him came to mind. I didn't remember him much while I was a toddler, but the most memorable was when I was in STI (singapore technical institute) and pakcik was selling in the canteen. Everyday I would eat at his stall, nasi lemak or mee siam, and for that 2 years I'm studying there, I would see him everyday. He didn't allow me to pay him, so for that 2 years my lunch was free.

What was memorable, was not the free food, but the sight of him seating there everyday alone while waiting for the students to buy his food. He have this same look like mak, solemn yet sereene look, sort of a look that is analysing people but silently.I was and still am, a complete dumbass when it comes to family hierachy or relations, so that time I was not aware he was mak's brother, all along I thought he was just our neighbour in the kampong.

Well remembering all this, I suddenly felt the urge to see him one last time. Called office say that I'm taking urgent leave, and change route from CTE to PIE Jurong heading towards Pusara Aman. Arrived there 9:30am and waited for the convoy to arrive. About an hour later they arrived, and immediately recognise some familiar faces, mostly from kampong days. Stayed throughout the ceremony and managed to see his face when the cloth was uncovered in the grave. Sebak dada for a while, but have to suppress sadness, cannot shed a tear in front of people.

After the ceremony, brought Kak Long, Kak Idah, Kak Minah and Faiz, whom I met earlier, to mak's kubur, and we stayed there for a while under the scorching afternoon sun. Later drove all of them to Jurong Point."