"Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening. Death can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either.." ~ source unknown~
S Augustine Paul is dead. I heard the news whilst having an after dinner chat at my parents-in-law's house on Saturday, 2nd January 2010. He was 65. I first got to know him (not pally pally know, more like a boss and a subordinate kind of know..) when I was 18+, quitting upper sixth form to work as an interpreter at the Magistrate/Sessions Courts, Melaka. That was in March 1979. I had the opportunity to work with him on many occasions and I thought him a nice person. Then he was transferred elsewhere whilst I stayed on in Melaka until I submitted my resignation in 1984.
I guess this post is dedicated to the people who mattered to me once upon a time.. the late registrar, Mahmud Hj Ahmad whom I commuted with daily from Muar for a short period. He used to say to me, "Rovitah, you'd look nicer with a little bit more weight on you". He drove a Volvo. Then I traveled with a lady who drove a green Fiat, I forgot her name but she would drop me at a roundabout (no longer in existence) and I had to walk to the courts at Bandar Hilir. There was also this engineer that became my next 'driver' who drove a Mercedes. I also forgot his name! Anyway this guy was a nice person, he even paid me a visit at the court one day..
I first worked in the courts of Puan Zaharah bt Ibrahim and Puan Zainon bt Ali. These were petite ladies (I believe they still are). There was Ahmadi, over whom I broke my heart later (bad timing for a break off - it was near my STP) and Yusoff Zainal Abiden who was very kind to me afterwards - both him and wife Laily took me to visit his mother at Kuala Kubu Baru. I also remember sleeping over at their house in Melaka. May Allah bless him.
I also remember my friends, Sam Lai Leng (she attended my wedding, yea!), Goh Chai Teng (she came to visit me after I got married) and oh my god, I forgot her name... but this was the girl that attended the night classes with me and later became a lawyer (I would have gone that way had I not quit and joined the broadcasting station, hmm...) I am embarrassed! We studied, ate, shopped and virtually did many things together.. I hope to remember her name soon.
I wonder how and where Yazid is now. He was my "Jid". A good friend and was also my table tennis opponent!
There was kak Aishah who took us to RTM Melaka and gave us a chance to do a radio drama, Kak Halimah, Aziz Hassan who was the CC then, Chua, Celine, Taib, Cheah, Thamby and of course Esman! Remember Esman, remember the mi rebus!.. Kak Jamilah and Samy from Jasin. Thayva, Jessie Juanita Adam, Saraswathy Alagan, Cheng, Gan, Rohana, Jesvinder, Joginder Singh and many many more.. Wherever you are guys, you enriched my life and for which I am eternally grateful. If dead, may your souls rest in peace and if still up and about, I hope to meet you again sometime in the future...
Oh, and I was at Metrojaya, Megamall on Sunday buying sandals when I noticed a lady hesitating nearby before asking me if I was Rozitah. I turned to look at her and said no but said my name instead, then jumped in straight to say her name. She was my school mate at Sek Men Sultan Abu Bakar Muar and later, my 6th Form classmate at High School, in 1978/79. She is Dr Suria Baba.
Suri, looking at your name card, I had mixed feelings... Had I stayed in school till the end, I wonder what field I would have pursued and be today. Likewise if I didn't fall in love, hook, line and sinker when I met Ahmadi, then broke my heart, I probably would have done better in my STP, stayed on in the Judiciary and ended up being a lawyer... like my good friend (ah.. I still can't remember her name!)
Allah, the Almighty has other plans for me.. I am blessed with Ja, a wonderful man as a husband and two children, EA who turned 21 last August and Lisa will be 19 come 26th Feb this year, great parents-in-law, sisters and brothers-in-law.. And for these wonderful people in my life, I say syukran and Alhamdulillah...
