Golden Jubilee.

 Sat 4.12.2021.

50 years ago, yesterday, I got married. Tomorrow, Sunday, the kids are joining up to throw a party for us in KL, celebrating our Golden Jubilee.

We'd known each other long, my wife and I. Our parents knew each other even longer. When I told them my choice for a future bride, they were more than happy. Our families were in Tanjong Malim. At the Sultan Idris Training College, to be precise. Our dads were teaching the Malay trainee-teachers from the peninsula, Singapore and Brunei. I don't remember Sabah & Sarawak - they were North Borneo then. My family was in Tanjong Malim for 6 years. My dad and those like him were replaced because of the upgrading of SITC to eventually become a university. So the parents knew each other well, coming from Kuala Pilah , living in another state. My future wife and I did not know each other yet.

When I was waiting to enter the university, the headmaster of Tuanku Muhammad School, Kuala Pilah took me as a temporary teacher. This was around 1964-65. Then I met her. She used to walk past our house to go to her school, TKS. I also befriended one Nazri Adam, a fifth-former,  who used to mention her name, because his friend, Husin, was an admirer. We used to walk to the bus stand in town to look out for her, because she would take the bus to go back home. One time we did in fact saw her in the bus at the station. And she saw us, too. I think she knew who I was, because her sister, Ani, was in the same class at Methodist English School Tanjong Malim - Special Malay Class I & II.

I was staying in Ampang Jaya when working with Felda, my second job after graduating from the university. Then I found out that Tajuddin, her elder brother, was staying in the same road, 4C. She was already working, and staying with him. Before that they were in Kg. Pandan. Tajuddin, who was with the Ministry of Agriculture, phoned me at the office one day, to ask help arrange a meeting with Alladin Hashim, one of  Felda's directors. Tajuddin mentioned about her staying with him, assuming we know each other, even inviting me to come over. I knew her existence, sure, but we had never spoken. But it was a new start. And we eventually met and spoke to each other soon after that. I had just came back from Fraser's Hill one weekend. It was maybe 6 p.m. As I was untying my shoes on my front door, she sauntered by the house and greeted me. Immediately I invited her for a spin in the car. That was the start.

We were married in Kg. Tebat, Lonek 2 days before my 27th birthday.  She's 5 years younger. The aqad nikah was in the morning. The reception was in the evening. There was no electricity, and no running water, but I don't remember missing the air-conditioning my wedding night. She was reluctant, but I insisted, that consummation must not be delayed. It wasn't. Our eldest boy was born 9 and a half month later. Since then we had 3 more kids.  I'd managed to take all of them for holidays in Singapore, England, France, Spain, Japan, Hawaii, Australia and Disneyworld in Orlando, USA.

Now our 4 kids have kids of their own. One dozen of them, in fact, from ages 16 years to just 2 months. 10 boys but only 2 girls. We managed to give our kids full schooling, right up to tertiary level, and their spouses are all university graduates, too. All 8 have decent careers. All the kids have their own houses now.

It has not been plain sailing, these five decades, but who has ? I choose to look at the healthy, happy grandchildren. They are my love, and  their future my hope and prayer.

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