My past

This is Pak Karim of Kg Bkt Tembok, Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson.

The year was 1983. I was an Airforce cadet officer in the nearby Kem Sebatang Karah.
And I was wondering why I was there.
After some soul searching, I packed my bags & left the camp on CNY eve with another cadet, Hamid Karim.

We went AWOL
Hamid also an exUTM. The obvious destination for us was his father house in Pasir Panjang. So I followed him bcos I had nowhere to go. We get to the house just b4 subuh after walking for about 10km.
Pak Karim didn't ask much why we're there early in that morning. Hardly a rest after some food. the MPs arrived with the CO. He told us he's willing to forget the incident if we get back into the truck & follow him back to camp. We declined his offer. He said he was coming back with proper warrant. That would be fine with us.

Pak Karim never asked me why I left the military life.
He didn't lecture me on what a complete ass I had made of myself.
He still didn't until the day I bid him goodbye to get on with my life.
I stayed in his house, eat his food & helped him in his paddy field for three month.
He never asked me why.

I did visit him sometime in 2006 with my family.
He was as happy as I ever saw him & he didn't ask me why I left.

Last week I visited him again on the way back from Melaka.
His eyesight is failing. He didn't recognize me.
Yet he still entertained me & borak with me & told me ada kawan Hamid, nama dia Azman, pernah datang bawa family, jumpa dia.
I was touched.

Thanks God. I met so many great people during my travel.