OLD TIES, NEW PLACE

It has been a while since the last get-together of SSSS61 classmates. Thus I did not want to miss last Saturday's High Tea Shamsudin Zahid spread for us at his new bungalow in Bayu Lakehomes, Mantin.

Since Bayu Lakehomes is much younger than some of my cucus (grandchildren), I had to google for its location. Later, Shamsudin sent a map (via Hajjah Sapinah) recommending us to take the Cheras-Kajang-Semenyih-Beranang way. I took his recommendation but forgot to take the map with me. Naguib, my backseat passenger and occasional backseat driver wanted me to take the PLUS highway and had the nagging feeling that I might lose my way. I told him that I have committed the map to memory. I told him about the Scout's Kims Game. My fellow Scout, Pok Daud who was riding shotgun did his best to convince Naguib to have confidence in my navigation.

The road was a bit clogged at Taman Connaught and also in Semenyih. I attributed it to the rain and to the Chinese New Year shoppers. We passed a couple of villages with names that sounded strange to Naguib. He thought we were in Indonesia already.

I got Naguib and Pok Daud safely to Shamsudin's house. In my excitement, I used the French window as my entrance instead of the front door. Som, Shafiq, Dato' Aziz Abdullah and Hajjah Sapinah were amused. One of our juniors and widow of our late teacher was also there. It was nice to see Nik Nga again. Later, Shamsudin Jaafar, who was also our Head Boy came with his wife and his sister, Atan. Atan or Shamsiah was our junior in SSSS. Then the hilaritywas enhanced by the presence of Dato' Dr. Khalid Mohd Noor. The last to arrive was Hassan Hussin. He went to house 192 instead of house 129.
After thanking the gracious host and hostess for the lovely High Tea and congratulating them on the new lovely bungalow, we reluctantly left at around 6 pm. Shamsudin Zahid told us that going back to KL would be easier via the PLUS highway. Using it on the way in is tricky. There is a lack of signboards to get to his place. I felt vindicated.

Cruising on the highway, the conversation turned a bit academic. We were debating whether we are a democracy, an oligarchy or what. We cannot really say that ours is "a government of the people, by the people, for the people". Being on the highway that is old enough for the toll to be reduced and thinking of the daylight robberies that were committed by various people and various quarters, I told them of a kind of government that they might not have heard of before. You go and read on kleptocracy and see if we are heading that way.

Labels: Bayu Lakehomes, kleptocracy, reunion