BaBaH

My superhero is getting older year by year but his spirit and hard works never fade. 5^th May 2008, my old man turned 52 but physically like 35-year-old bachelor. Thank to GOD, he is still healthy.

If I have to write about my father, 100 000words is not enough to describe him. His personality, his dedications, his charms and his stories can never be summarized in one sentence as there are lots of things about him that I want to tell. I am so bless to have him as my father.

So last Monday was his birthday. I was a bit disappointed for not being there on his birthday as I was in Malacca with my friends and the plan to celebrate his birthday was postponed when Aizat is back. Plus, he was always so busy sometimes I was not aware whether he was home or not. Even now, he was not at home, he is at Sabah for work.

Hmm..let reminisce some of the memories I have about Babah.

Last week, for the first time in my entire life, I went to listen to Babah’s talk. FYI, he is a lecturer in a local university and as well a speaker for BTN. So he had to give a talk to these teachers-to-be at Morib Selangor. He needed someone to accompany him back as it was late at night.

I won’t touch much on the content. He mostly talked about nationality and integrity stuffs which somehow I only knew them all just recently for my SPA interview. If it was not because of the interview, I would care less about them, which may be a disappointment to him. But I do gained a lot of new information from the talk. But honestly, I don’t really listen to speeches like that. Last time, at school, I did attend a lot of these kinds of motivational programs or courses. Truthfully, I was only motivated for a while. After the programs end, so did my motivations. It just ended like that. But one thing that stays is the memory and fun with friends. Even that was merely vanished from my memories. I guess I’m demented.

He was standing there with a mic in his hand starting to give an opening speech. I was waiting half anxiously and truly excited as it was my first time hearing my own father’s speech. When he started to speak, I was amazed as I never heard him speak like that. Usually, if we talk, he has this soft and loving kind of voice but can be firm when he emphasizes on serious thing. But that day, his voice was so loud and clear. That was the first time I saw Babah let it all out.

As far as I remember, I only concentrated the longest of half an hour for speeches like that. But maybe because it was my father that gave the talk and it was my first time hearing it, I stayed focus for 1 and half hour. Some of the stories and example that he gave were based on the real life experience. Yes, confirmed as I was familiar with all the stories he told. There was a point that really captured my interest. He told a story how he was very strict when he was a teacher last time. He was a disciplinary teacher. I heard about his strictness before; from himself and from those who knows him, because he is well-known as “Cikgu Zedz”. Even when I was at SMKUR last time, I myself was called as “Zedz”, taken from his name, even though my father no longer a teacher there and I was not fond at all by calling with that name. That was one of the reasons why I always wanted to continue my study somewhere else. He admitted to the fellow teachers-to-be at the talk that he was really strict person. He rarely smiles in front of the student, or maybe never. “But I believe I made the greatest mistake that time. Being strict and serious is no longer an effective way to teach. When you in this profession long enough then you realize how a smile can change a person’s life. That’s why I decided turn to smile a lot and to be nice with my fellow students and I’m glad I chose it that way”. It was a very sincere confession that I ever see him made. I was moved by his saying. One more thing I know about my father that night. (I always feel touch when someone especially man admitted his mistakes because we rarely seen one nowadays)

Talking about his seriousness in teaching, there was one story I heard from him. Long time ago, he had these few students who had been caught by smoking in the toilet. As usual they were sent to him for punishment and the common type of punishment for this kind of cases that day would be cane. But, as I told you that my father is not an ordinary being, hence he did not stop there. He took the cigarettes that the students had and soaked them into a cup of water. He stirred them well and…….he asked them to drink it. Maybe we now find it as a torture and if Babah continue to carry this kind of punishment now, I believe he will be in court in no time. But at that time, teachers had the right to do so. But few years ago, my father bumped into one of them. He of course could not recognize him but the student did. He told my father that if it was not because of him, he would not be a man he is now, an engineer. And better, he was not a smoker.

He is the coolest dad in the world. I still remember when I flung my sem 5 exam. I was one of the few people who failed at that time. Ibu was so devastated. I could still remember her face at that time. I wished very hard that I will never see that face again. But on the contrary, Babah looked so relax and calm like always. He just said these words with a smile, “it is not the end of the world yet, you still have chance to redeem yourself. Do better for the resit paper ok.” and then he treated me with Kenny Rogers. Who in the world will do that? After you make a mistake and disappoint someone and that someone buy you a dinner. Then during our meal, he tried to alleviate my sadness but telling stories that were totally irrelevant and stupid but somehow those stories managed to make me smile. He criticized the waiters and the foods and making jokes about my mother etc. He did work hard for that.

He is the person I comfortable talking with regarding my schools and studies. He has good advices and helps me a lot in making decision. He never makes decision for me and all the decisions are mine to blame. He just helps me with the points to consider in making the decision.

He always there whenever I need him.

He is a good cook. “WOK WEE CHEN” is his specialty.

He is a good singer. He sings about a soldier song which I don’t know the title is.

He is my father.

Lately, since the general elections till now, he was always busy. Since my holidays last 2months, I can count how many hours I can see him at home. He is really working hard. I wish I can see him more often at home and maybe we can hang out together. Probably play golf together. I mean come on; I wish at his age, he can settle down with his work and relaxing more. But no matter what you do Babah, I always love you.

You are a superhero!!!