We May Never Know If This Is Our Last Goodbye ....

I read this phrase in one of the many articles that I came across during my reading pursuits. Somehow it got stuck in my mind and whenever I read mails from friends or read their postings on their facebook walls, it crossed my mind - what if this is my last goodbye? Especially after hearing that Pak Wan, our old neighbour at our old home in Peringgit had passed away last month. Last Hari Raya outing was our last goodbye to him. I was glad my siblings and I made the effort to make time to visit our old neighbour ....

Last weekend I took leave to go back to Melaka/Kelana Jaya. Not for any particular reason. Yet since I was down in KL, I went to the Treasury Department to settle my house loan so that when I retired I did not owe the government anything. I thought I could meet up with an old friend but he was not available due to prior commitment. Anyway, after the dutiful visits to my siblings and mother in-law, I managed to contact my old classmates from college years.

Ikram and I stopped at Simpang Pulai RTC R&R. I knew Zam and Hasyi lived here. Since I knew they were here via facebook, I always had the intention to drop by for a visit. We were just trying to break the sleepiness from a monotonous highway driving and so, I gave Zam a call on the off-chance they could be home. Being fresh retirees with both children working in KL means that they are always not home. Alhamdulillah, Zam answered in the affirmative. Thus, without any planning, he sent me his address and with the GPS as a guide, we reached their house in Simpang Pulai.

After 31 years .... they were the cutest and sweetest couple in class. Hashiyah or Hasyi as we called her is less than 5 feet tall. Very cute and pretty. She still is. She looks much younger maybe due to her size. Zam is also about 5 feet tall. This made me so gigantic beside them. We caught up and both of them were happy for my decision to opt out next year. Yes, I guess as we grow older, we become more nostalgic of those happy, carefree years. Now, insyaAllah, we can relive them with our partners or children.

Zam told me the last time he met Awi or Moawiyah, another classmate. He was in Ipoh for a course and they decided to meet up. Awi passed away a few months later due to a heart attack. He found out about it via social media. I had not met up with the others since 1985 i.e. our Convocation Day from MPMK. Shamsizar, Laziah, Latifah, Norrizah, Hasnah, Mariam, Rosie Ling, Christine, Norizan, Khairunnisa, Salmiah, Sivakumar, Jegathesan, Kasmani, Lee Tian Aik, Lim Sang Khim, .... maybe we will meet one day ... insyaAllah. Yet, thanks to social media, we always manage to keep tabs of everybody through one of us. Just to know that everybody is alright. My thoughts and prayers go to the class of 3H (81/83), MPMK, JB. Al-fatihah for Awi .... may his soul rest in peace. Aamiin.