4 January 2008 5.45 pm, On the Bed – Kuantan
It was a very tiring day for me. After the funeral, we got back home; I took a quick shower and off to bed. I only slept for 3 hours the night before.
A felt someone next to me, shook my shoulder lightly, called my name, whispering to my ears.
“Yang, mum’s house is on fire”
I was half awake, I wanted to sleep, please go away, do not disturb me. I need my sleep. I opened my eyes; saw my husband sitting next to me. Repeating the same word, mum’s house is on fire.
Then it come to my senses, WHAT? Mum’s house is on fire? Why he looked so relaxed and calm. Which house? Who’s mum? His face changed. Oh my god, oh no! It’s my mother in law’s house in Butterworth. Oh God! What happen to her, to them? I said a silent prayers hoping that they are safe. My mother in law is old, she couldn’t walk fast, did she managed to run for safety, how about the kids?
I jumped out of bed, hold my husband hands and told him to calm down. He looked like he was about to cry. I asked him whether his mum managed to run for safety, he nod, I asked him whether the kids are at home during the incident he shook his head. Ok fine, meaning that everyone’s safe. And when I asked him about the house, he turn his face away and said everything’s gone. They didn’t manage to take anything out from the house. They only managed to take his mum to safety.
The house was built years before my husband was born. But they moved to the house 32 years ago, after my mother in law gave birth to my husband. It is where all their 10 children grew up and a place they called HOME. And now all was left was just ashes, dust, debris, and old memories.
My husband called his brother and managed to speak to his mum. She was crying when she speak to my husband. It was devastated for both of them, for all of us. She said she lost everything, she couldn’t take anything out, and she only managed to safe few hundreds and her tasbih. She was in her telekung when they took her out of the house. She was about to perform her Asar prayer when the incident happen.
We decided to go back to Butterworth that instant. Since my mum will be left all alone we decided to send her to Ampang. She herself is not well and I don’t want to leave her alone.
It was another tiring journey. With both of us didn’t get enough rest, my husband drove all the way up north. We stopped by at R&R Tapah because he was so tired of driving and I was too sleepy to drive. Both of us fall asleep and he woke up at 6.30 to perform Subuh prayer. From there we continue our journey. I was wide awake when we reached Taiping and decided to take over the wheel.
We reached his house at 10 am. Everyone was there, all except for his estranged brother (another long story). We parked our car outside and walk to the house. It was a heartbreaking scene. The whole house was destroyed during the fire. The fire started from a neighbor’s house which later spread to my mother in law’s house. The cause of the fire was due to an old electrical wiring.
It was a double story old traditional kampung house. They used timber on the top and they extended the lower floor with bricks. With wide carving windows, the old green plastic panel that was so famous in the early 60’s, the carving wood panel which resemble the old Malay Palace. The house was so beautifully done. Not a single nail was used when they build the house. Even though the house was not big, but it was special in its very own way.
His mum cried when she saw me. I hug her and try to calm her. We are thankful to God that everyone is safe. The next 4 days was very tiring day for all of us. The boys work non stop to clear all the flotsam and jetsam from the remaining of the house. The Municipal council came to clear all the debris.
Help came in all sorts of forms and from all political parties (eh pilihanraya kan dah dekat). We received dozens of rice, sugar, milk. Bundles of brand new and recycle clothes and of course some cash to get them started back on their two feet again.
I managed to save some really, really old photos of his late father, his late brother and some of their family members. To me personally, photos are really precious because it is a reminder of the old generations and as a memento of the deceased. I managed to save photos of my husband during his growing up years. There’s one photo that I really like, with him and his brothers. I could see his blonde hair and big wide smile. He was about 5 when they took the picture.
After 4 tiring days, it is time for us to go back to Kuantan. We don’t want to get caught in the traffic.
It was a teary goodbye. There’s no more HOME and only God knows how long will it take for them to rebuild the new home. Within seconds they are homeless.
It was a very tiring day for me. After the funeral, we got back home; I took a quick shower and off to bed. I only slept for 3 hours the night before.
A felt someone next to me, shook my shoulder lightly, called my name, whispering to my ears.
“Yang, mum’s house is on fire”
I was half awake, I wanted to sleep, please go away, do not disturb me. I need my sleep. I opened my eyes; saw my husband sitting next to me. Repeating the same word, mum’s house is on fire.
Then it come to my senses, WHAT? Mum’s house is on fire? Why he looked so relaxed and calm. Which house? Who’s mum? His face changed. Oh my god, oh no! It’s my mother in law’s house in Butterworth. Oh God! What happen to her, to them? I said a silent prayers hoping that they are safe. My mother in law is old, she couldn’t walk fast, did she managed to run for safety, how about the kids?
I jumped out of bed, hold my husband hands and told him to calm down. He looked like he was about to cry. I asked him whether his mum managed to run for safety, he nod, I asked him whether the kids are at home during the incident he shook his head. Ok fine, meaning that everyone’s safe. And when I asked him about the house, he turn his face away and said everything’s gone. They didn’t manage to take anything out from the house. They only managed to take his mum to safety.
The house was built years before my husband was born. But they moved to the house 32 years ago, after my mother in law gave birth to my husband. It is where all their 10 children grew up and a place they called HOME. And now all was left was just ashes, dust, debris, and old memories.
My husband called his brother and managed to speak to his mum. She was crying when she speak to my husband. It was devastated for both of them, for all of us. She said she lost everything, she couldn’t take anything out, and she only managed to safe few hundreds and her tasbih. She was in her telekung when they took her out of the house. She was about to perform her Asar prayer when the incident happen.
We decided to go back to Butterworth that instant. Since my mum will be left all alone we decided to send her to Ampang. She herself is not well and I don’t want to leave her alone.
It was another tiring journey. With both of us didn’t get enough rest, my husband drove all the way up north. We stopped by at R&R Tapah because he was so tired of driving and I was too sleepy to drive. Both of us fall asleep and he woke up at 6.30 to perform Subuh prayer. From there we continue our journey. I was wide awake when we reached Taiping and decided to take over the wheel.
We reached his house at 10 am. Everyone was there, all except for his estranged brother (another long story). We parked our car outside and walk to the house. It was a heartbreaking scene. The whole house was destroyed during the fire. The fire started from a neighbor’s house which later spread to my mother in law’s house. The cause of the fire was due to an old electrical wiring.
It was a double story old traditional kampung house. They used timber on the top and they extended the lower floor with bricks. With wide carving windows, the old green plastic panel that was so famous in the early 60’s, the carving wood panel which resemble the old Malay Palace. The house was so beautifully done. Not a single nail was used when they build the house. Even though the house was not big, but it was special in its very own way.
His mum cried when she saw me. I hug her and try to calm her. We are thankful to God that everyone is safe. The next 4 days was very tiring day for all of us. The boys work non stop to clear all the flotsam and jetsam from the remaining of the house. The Municipal council came to clear all the debris.
Help came in all sorts of forms and from all political parties (eh pilihanraya kan dah dekat). We received dozens of rice, sugar, milk. Bundles of brand new and recycle clothes and of course some cash to get them started back on their two feet again.
I managed to save some really, really old photos of his late father, his late brother and some of their family members. To me personally, photos are really precious because it is a reminder of the old generations and as a memento of the deceased. I managed to save photos of my husband during his growing up years. There’s one photo that I really like, with him and his brothers. I could see his blonde hair and big wide smile. He was about 5 when they took the picture.
After 4 tiring days, it is time for us to go back to Kuantan. We don’t want to get caught in the traffic.
It was a teary goodbye. There’s no more HOME and only God knows how long will it take for them to rebuild the new home. Within seconds they are homeless.
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