Habib, my jewel

 Tues 20.10.2026

I moved here 30 years ago because of a major career-change. This is probably the oldest housing estate within the town council boundry, and has about 200 of the original houses built around a hill.  I've learned that the drivers here are not very careful with both their driving and parking, but I have learned to accept that. It's the Malaysian standard, sad to say. Today I'm grateful to Almighty God that my jewel, Habib, 5, my "special" 12th grandchild, had been spared the worst possible outcome of all this.

I left at 8 to meet the association's clerk at the old, damaged office in Jalan Za'aba, in preparation for our committee meeting next week. At about 9.25 a.m. Dekna called, but cut out when I told her where I was. But minutes later she called again, this time struggling with her words in between sobs. I couldn't make out the message, but asked if she wanted me to come home straight away. She said no. I decided to cut short my work and come home to see this "two grandsons in somebody's house" - that was what I thought Dekna said, from the confused  call.

What happened was, for the 4th time, Habib, my ASD grandson, had somehow gotten out of the house gate, and probably ran all the way to the "Mindaku Kindergarten" which is about 200 meters from the house !

This has happened 3 times before, but this was the furthest that he had gone. And all because whoever was outside on the patio did not realise that Habib had slipped out, unnoticed.

The Minangkabau fruitseller saw Habib and knew he was lost and loose. The lady neighbour took Habib in her car and drove all the way back to Aida Kudus' house, asking for the parents. Hanif had by that time gone down to the fruitseller's house, who told him what happened. Idah took out the car, too, to look for Habib, and all joined up at Aida's house, for a happy ending to what could have become a tragic story.

Today it was Idah, the  grandmother, watering her precious plants, careless and unaware that the priceless grandson had escaped, again.

I immediately shut the house gate and slotted the lock in, and told Hanif to make shutting the gate compulsory from now.

I'd said to Dekna, praise God that everything ended ok. But we have to be even more careful than before, now.

Atok love you Habib, and always pray for you.

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