This Used To Be My Playground Part 1

I used to love the sound of the raindrops on our zinc roof at Papar. I still do, maybe a reminisce of my childhood. I was probably 3 years old that time. Life was very hard. My dad worked hard to support his mestiza wife and two kids, my elder sister and me. Mom was pregnant carrying my sister Maria. Living in an old delipidated house, I remembered playing with our neighbours kids at the back of our wooden house. Mom was busy selling peanuts and watermelon to school children passing by our house. We were very poor. My four year old sister tried her best sealing the peanut filled plastic bag by burning the edges with a candle. My tiny hands couldn't coordinate well as I got burnt few times. Mom, wouldn't let me do it, so I resorted on playing football or throwing stuffs with my neighbours. We didn't have enough sometimes, that my dad would take me fishing by the river, Buang Sayang, I think. Yeah, we have dinner! That was all that could remember other than fall on my mouth once playing at the back of the kitchen where it had an open space. I would spread talcum powder all over and start sliding or 'skating' on the wooden floor with the neighbours kids. I had fun till i fell and broke my front tooth. Mom was not happy. She was the disciplinarian.

I remembered my dad driving a Fiat, EJB368. I loved that car coz I get to sit in front with that bench type seat. Dad used to put me on his lap when he drives and me pretending to drive that old Fiat. The steering wheel was thinner than those we have today. Then one day we moved to Kampung Dabak Penampang, my dad's kampong. We stayed in this way cooler wooden house, with large wooden windows. It was really exciting when we moved in. Mom started planting plants in Milo tins where she would put along the 4-5 steps staircase. I remembered food was enough, just enough. I remembered having fish 'basung' for lunch, some vegetables because that was all we could afford. Nevertheless mom always gets us really nice clothes. My sister Grace was always in this bareback dress. I seemed to recall, that's all she ever wore most of the time. I was always in little cute white singlets and shorts. Mom always insisted me wearing pyjamas at night with my little white shirt. One day though, my mom saw my 'talent' in sliding, so she made use of that so called skill to polish the floor using coconut husk. Initally I was so excited, I was sliding the husk , polishing the wooden floor enthusiastically. Then one day, I started to dread that task. But I had a wonderful childhood then. Then came my sister Maria, we call her Lulu. My sister & I took turns on the bouncy net to put her to slip. I sometimes fell asleep on the floor before she did.

As life was tough then, mom taught my sister and myself to cook, boil water using charcoal & firewood. I'm telling you it's exciting stuff! Then one fine day, I remembered mom got my sister dressed up and me too, as we were celebrating her birthday. The kampong kids started coming, I was busy playing with my aeroplane. I remembered her calling me, to sing happy birthday to my sister. I think she was four, in her brown floral bareback again. Having a cake was like winning the lottery then. Mom was more excited than us. She boiled some red coloured eggs. We hardly have them anymore I guess. The little party burst into full gear when us kids start screaming and playing. Mom told me not to start fighting with my sister, as we fight all the time.

We were poor then, but mom taught us about being happy to what we have. Was it a hard life? It was but we were happy until...