This morning, I woke up (or rather have yet to sleep) and went into my new room.
Although it was filled with hardware and tools the workers left, I can’t help but to imagine furniture arrangements. With my measuring tape, I took everything into account and sat in one corner picturing how it should be.
My mind drifted to somewhat 8 years ago, when we were moving to Ampang 971. Dad appointed me to oversee the renovation progress. Driving from Sri Ayu (Setiawangsa) would take about 10 minutes. However, dad was a little uptight about giving me a car. So I commuted on the bus daily and it took 1 hour to get there.
Fast forward, it reminded of me cycling to school (university) everyday.
This may sound whiny, but 4.6km cycle (one way) is tad too far for a spoiled brat (who’s tuition fees amounts to RM64k per year). I rode along Jalan Ampang at peak hours, everyday. Though it may not be a hilly stretch, it’s dangerous, hazardous, hot and most importantly polluted with carbon monoxide busting from automobiles.
Of course there’s the side walk to cycle on. But it’s too bumpy and it did puncture my tire once in a while. I do have a spare tube in my bag along with a spanner to fix everything by the roadside (can you imagine that sight?). But I’d rather cycle on the streets, although it means being an ant on the road.
Accidents Shit happens. I gushed my elbow and knees almost weekly (I have scars to prove). Thanks to the buses whom decided to brake conveniently or a slight graze, enough to turn me and my bike upside down or me splatted behind the bus. It also broke my bike lights and damaged the frame. Motorcyclist would also yell at me because I’m hogging the route between cars, “Naik tembok la bro!”.
That’s not all. Once in a while, some bugger decides to slash my tyre (at school). I couldn’t take my bicycle on the bus, so I had a long walk home. I’m not sure whether I was being inappropriate or too arrogant, but I’m sure I had enemies on Campus. Till date, that remains a mystery.
Once in a while, I’d walk up to dad and ask for car or motorcycle. His reply,”When I was in UTM(KL), I cycled everyday.”. If you didn’t get the message, that means NO.
Cycling 9.2km everyday, showing up sweaty at school, learning something I don’t even want to do (engineering) and busting my balls to gain an extra inch on the road. That’s what I had to endure daily.
Thank God it wasn’t a long wait. A year later, dad lent me his company car but I had to repay by working for him during my spare time with an additional allowance of RM250 per month (the only source of money). If I was planning to take my deary girlfriend out on a movie, I had to skip lunch. Usually, I had to work on weekends or after school.
The bike which was once leaning against the wall of my house and growing rust all over, was stolen in 2007. Nobody was riding it anymore, plus it wasn’t even my bike to begin with (it’s my bro’s). I don’t think it’s even fit to be ridden anymore. If it did, I’m glad it served me well.
Despite all that I had endured, I felt lucky and thankful, I turned out just fine.
ps: I still have the fiery flame stripes bicycle helmet.
pss: If you think that I am being a whiny rich-son-spoiled-brat, yes I am.
psss: To my deary ex-girlfriend. I’m sorry the things between us never worked out.
25 replies on “Cycling to School”
that surely touches mine.
p/s: frankly, i used to think you are a spoiled person.
not anymore i guess.
=D
You know it is cool (literally and figuratively) to ride a bicycle for a couple of miles down the road if you are in Amherst. But if in Malaysia, I am imagining the dripping sweat under your armpits now, ooohh please forgive me.
The humidity is killing, but looking at the bright side, you learned to gain thing the hard way, and for me, that was truly a precious lesson your father gave.
Now I wonder no more how your dadsy can excel in business…
Hrmmmmm. Oh by the way, thank you for your kind words. I blushed. Haha
Funnily Zubaidah, non of my other brother endured the same thing. They either being fetched or have their own car. Even if they did have car, they did not have to work for dad. Which sometimes tinkers me, am I adopted? But knowing that I have a slight resemblance of my mom, I dont think so 😛
Sweat. A classmate commented, Eddie, your sweat turns me on (sarcastic) 😀
Dad successful? Hmm.. If he’d followed my lengthy remarks in my resignation letter, I bet he’d shine brighter.
ps: It’s those anger and witty remark of yours that makes you, You. Get a domain and you’ll burst your readership (if you want to lah)
Even if you don’t think so, deep down, I know I am! 😉
aku tau. ko memang spoil.
Hahaha 😛
(main-main je. jgn hack saya)
nampak kampung kak nana. dalam peta. hihi.
Baguslah eddie, bersenam… Basikal tu memang berjasa.
🙂
atas sebab itulah kau menjadi seorang yang seperti sekarang ni kan? ha3. tahan lasak!
perkara yang similar pernah berlaku ke atas aku tapi tak secun ko. hu3
Bersenam? Berat lagi bahu memikul dari memandang.
Jalan hidup yg mengagumkan.
Naseb baik ada beskal, kalo kena
jalan kaki lagik laa haru.
Thanks for the advise, I will certainly have a thorough look on that idea.
But don’t you think – once you have thousands of readers, and these people flock inside your blog to check out for any new entries, and being turned down for having none – blogging has become responsibility?
And I know for a fact that once you write because you have to please other people, you are not writing from your heart, instead having to look for a plethora of small events just to fill up the blog content.
Many turn to be like that. But I haven’t seen that from you. Good job over there. And I loveeeeeee your Koleq Mr Banker’s and ThisFish’s blog. Short and simple and yet so attractive. Ooh not to forget Shaliza’s. 🙂
p/s: Do not envy your siblings, they might have a good ride back then, but they did not taste how good to be ordinary, normal people. 🙂
nice story and touching 🙂
masa kejadian tu mungkin la rasa x best. tapi selalunya bila dah lama-lamaaaaa nanti, rasa macam sweet je ingat-ingat balik…
Yes, I did fill up small gaps with ‘unrelated stories’. I did that many times. I’m not sure what the term is, but I call it faking sincerity.
I did felt as if being pressured to write something brilliant, but in the long run, it doesn’t matter. You are writing for yourself, not others. If others don’t like it, don’t like it la. I do not have the luxury of time to entertain everyone on earth.
dah lama aku tak berbasikal, time sekolah rendah dlu berbasikal. then pindah kl, sek dah dekat ng rumah, jln kaki jerk. pastu pindah teknik, duk hostel. masuk poli, jalan kaki balik. even, pernah satu ketika dlu, pegi sekolah naik basikal jatuh dalam parit. haha…lawak pun ada. 🙂
gila gengster ko ni,sampai tayar basikal pun orang potong. hahaha
basikal bro hilang dalam rumah la kiranya?
Nasib baik hilang,
kalau tak leh upload gambar kat sini 😛
Basikal aku banyak betol hilang,bukan kata tak kunci,rantai besi semua siap. Ponn hilang jugak,adehh.
teringat aku zaman sekolah kadang2 jalan..kadang2 nek beskal..paling bengang pg2 bangun lambat..tgk2 tyr pancit..jenuh nolak petang tu ke kualer nak baik tube tayar..pas 2 bikin beskal jadi chooper tercantik kat kualer..kah3..
Jatuh dalam parit! Haha. KL tade parit, semua longkang je. Sekali masuk mmg bau sampah.
Ade je makhluk perosak. Curi beskal pastu jual spare part. Tak pon buat besi buruk. Ni mesti keje mat fit.
Deme sekoloh mane dulu?
Sweet eh? Marah ade kot. Lepas tu rase mcm taknak sekse anak mcm tu.
haha, tu la pasal. tp time aku duk kl, ada satu longkang cam gelonsor. bila hujan lebat. aku g main kat longkang tu. mmg extrems abis. haha
Dulu aku tangkap berudu, bawak balik rumah, mak maki hamun. Budak kecik, mane la reti beze berudu ke anak ikan. Haha
berudu tu biasala, siap bela tu yg tak tahan. telur katak yg dalam lendir tu siap main masak2. haha, mmg lawak la kalau pk blk. miss that moment so much. hehe
Perhaps all kids should only walk or cycle to school. No motorbike license should be given until the age of 18.
tiba-tiba aku rasa jalan kaki naik bukit turun bukit sejauh 5km adalah sangat kecil berbanding naik basikal di tengah Kuala Lumpur.hahaha
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