KERI

Of the many friends that I had during my childhood days, the only one that is still in touch with me is Shukri. Really, I do not know what happen to others. In fact I have not seen them for many long years. I too do not know where they are now or what they are doing. Are they still around? Whoever and where ever they are my doa to Allah SWT may Allah bless them and their families.Amin

The only one, left is Shukri. Yes, we parted ways after school, lost contact for a certain period of time, get in touch, lost again and finally now back in contact. Shukri, or Keri as he is fondly known was my immidiate neighbour then. However he was not that lucky when his parent divorced and as a result of a broken family, he and his other siblings took different hard routes to survive.

During those childhood days Keri and me were very close. More often than not, our play time ended up with him having lunch at my place. Like any other kids we played together, quarelled, fight but in the end we remain friend. Keri did not fare well in his studies and hence survive doing odd jobs like selling ice cream, helping farmers in the kampong etc. What ever he did, he earned sympathy from the villagers, may be coz of his family back ground. However, the hard earned money, to Keri was hard to come but easy go. Never ever know how to save. Many a time the proceeding from his ice cream bussiness was given to me to be safe kept, only to be requested back the next day.That was KERI my child hood friend

When I entered university , Keri joined the army. That was the first depart point for us. I remembered him writing to me how he missed me and he just had no one else in the kampong. I did reply his letter at the beginning but some how we started to forget each other. When I returned for the term break, my arwah bonda told me that Keri was in the army. I got a mix feeling, shocked, proud and sad. Shocked coz Keri whom I know, so disorganized, so disoriented was now an army personnel. Couldnt believe it at first. Proud, coz Keri my friend at last was able to find a stable income to make ends meet. Sad, coz I did not know what will happen to him, whether we could meet again in the future.

Years passed without us in contact.

As has been fated by Allah SWT when I was first posted in Penang, Keri was based there too. I could not recall who initiated but it was a tearful reunion when we first met. We were both married when we met. I visited him at the army quarters with my other half at Air Hitam and he too visited me in Butterworth. I had just started a family and I remembered how Keri used to buy the PURNAMA products for me at the subsidized rate!

Again, as fated, when I got transfered to KL in 1986 we lost touch again, only to re established many years later during the eid gathering in the kampong. By then he already resigned from the army, ventured into the kedai makan bussiness and was not doing that well though. However, the greatest surprise was...despite all those, Keri is now on DOUBLE BARREL, the second one from South Thailand.

It had been twice I took my family to visit his. I just want to make sure that the bond between us is not loosen and we would be in close contact forever. Over and above that I just want my other half, my lovely girls to know how much I treasured the friendship that I endured with this real unique creature since when we were still running naked in the bendang and around the kampong. To you Keri, till death we are friends!