Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...

At my age, walking can be hazardous too.

Last Sat, being a public holiday, my wife already had in mind to check out this route from Kg Raja (Camerons) to Gua Musang, then to Kota Baru to stay for a night. The return trip was via East-West highway passing through Gerik, Kuala Kangsar, and Ipoh.

Just before reaching KB, I told her I was thinking of my ex-classmate, Teo Poh Oon. It was a really long shot and the chances very slim indeed. First of all, I lost contact with him for more than 30 years and the only info was that he is practising as a lawyer and has a lady partner. In fact, just a few years ago, another ex-classmate’s brother-in-law based in KB, said disparagingly, “How could Poh Oon allow a lady to take precedence in the firm’s name when he is more senior?”

Therefore, while in Kota Baru, when I spotted a nameplate ‘Teo & Chew”, I was both glad as well as not optimistic simply because I was expecting “Chew & Teo” instead. I just left it at that. However, the next day we went into town again and spotted the same nameplate and it was very near the old market, which my wife had in mind, to visit some old shops and stalls selling silver jewellery, sarong kebayas and crockery. I told her I would check out the lawyers’ office to see if it was his, and even told her off when she discouraged me.

We came to an understanding that we will meet at 12.30pm at a certain place if I happen to meet him. But then it was closed (normally open on Sunday) because of Agong’s birthday. So I joined her going through the stalls selling sarong kebayas. She bought some kebayas, a potted palm and a mat, which I decided to put in the car instead of carrying them all over the place.

After lunch at a Chinese coffee shop (the stalls at the market had a wide variety of Malay food which I did not mind having, but the atmosphere was chaotic), we visited a few old jewellery shops selling kerongsang but could not find any old crockery shops. She bought an old ring and by then, she had already made up her mind to buy 2 more kebayas and I was to get the money hidden in the glove compartment. I had already made a trip to the car just to put earlier purchases but did not bother about the money as she did not insist and I did not want to give whoever is watching nearby that there are things hidden.

We went our separate ways, she to the kebaya stall and me to the car. On the way, I spotted a bakery with nice French loaves. I stopped to buy 2 and even commented to the woman that she liked Pavarotti from the opera tune being played in her shop.

After leaving the shop and still thinking about the Pavarotti comment, I did not notice the raised level of the next shop. I kicked against it, first the right leg, then the left and I lost my balance. I went forward trying hard to stop my fall and I could remember bouncing up from my first fall and head towards the edge of a 2-step raised level and hit directly at the edge. I can still remember the hard knock on my forehead and the immense pain followed by the gush of blood. I am known for having a phobia of blood, which can make me faint and I was about to feel faint. At that moment, I suddenly remember my children and wife and thought to myself I had to control the situation. I quickly pulled out my hanky and placed it against my cut and pressed hard. The shop-owner was very helpful in quickly providing me with cotton wool. The next thing, I tried to contact my wife and took out my handphone and someone had to give her instructions of my location.

I always say the handphone is the best instument in times of emergency, not to mention the countless occasions we could just call someone to say we are going to be late. I could have fainted and even died due to loss of blood and I wonder if my wife would ever know until much later.

The mother of a shop-owner waited with me for a long while for my wife to bring the car over. She gave up when I told her that we are new in town and she probably had problem finding her way. One of the reasons why she took so long was that when I handed to her the car key, the remote sensor detached itself from the key (for the first time) and remained in my pocket! Talking about things going wrong! I did not know until when she asked for it. Good job she knew how to disable the alarm and managed to drive the car over.

Earlier I had noticed a clinic with the unusual surname Lua and those people around me confirmed that it was just at the back of the shops. After getting into the car, as we were moving off, I looked at the front of the shop and noticed “Teo & Chew”! Of all places!

At the clinic, after the initial treatment which included about 12 stitches to close a gaping wound (2-inch long) which he commented, “don’t understand how it could be so serious but luckily did not affect the bone,” I asked the doctor if he knew Teo of Teo & Chew. Before he could give the full name, I asked “Teo Poh Oon?” and he said “ Yes, that’s him” and followed with “ I know him very well. Do you want me to contact him?” He actually asked me a few times and I declined because we were in a hurry to go back and there is a long journey ahead.

How would I know that my wife still had her kebayas in mind and asked if she should get them before we leave for home. Knowing her, I just said, “Please be quick” while I waited in the car. This really reminds me of the mahjong kaki who would rather finish the game first before going home after having heard the news that his father had died!

I believe the concussion had caused a certain whiplash effect on my neck as I could feel pain when I turn my head. So the long journey home was rather painful now and again when the car bounced or jerked.

As usual, I kept thinking of “why it happened?” as being superstitious, I always believe there is a reason. Apart from the worst that could have happened: like myself died while my 3 children are in UK; my injury prevented me from going on the trip in July; I also thought of “what a way to get to know Teo Poh Oon’s office! I did not know if it was him until the accident and the treatment by the doctor who happens to know him!

The other strange thing was that I just got a call, out of the blue (within 24 hours of our return) from an ex-classmate, wanting to include us in his application for agricultural land in Kelantan! It was our first trip to KB! Earlier, when in KB, I was quite surprised there was a write-up on PAS in The Star. In this morning’s paper, again, there are a few write-ups on Kelantan.

Something is brewing there!