Posts tagged zedeck

Squirrel: My my, Mr Monkey. Is that a banana, or are you just happy to see me?

Squirrel: My my, Mr Monkey. Is that a banana, or are you just happy to see me?

Pelita yang paling besar di Port Dickson (thanks to Shell refinery) mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya! (Sorry so late; time passes slower here.)

Pelita yang paling besar di Port Dickson (thanks to Shell refinery) mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya!

(Sorry so late; time passes slower here.)

Look: it’s Eraserhead’s softer, fluffier cousin!

Look: it’s Eraserhead’s softer, fluffier cousin!

Monyet di atas wayar.

Another morning, another trek up and down Tanjung Tuan. We walked all the way to the beach today, and found this strange fruit washed up under a mangrove tree.

I thought it was someone’s ball, at first — there was a lot of trash around, even in such a secluded spot, because litterbugs are quite diligent that way — but there was another, smaller specimen next to this one.

What the hell is it??? Is it a dragon’s egg?

Toilet reading: Patrick O’Brian’s HMS Surprise: ‘Millers,’ said Jack, his mind roaming far back to his famished youth. ‘In the aftermost carline-culver of the larboard berth there is a hole where we used to put a piece of cheese and catch them in a noose as they poked their heads out … ‘

Toilet reading: Patrick O’Brian’s HMS Surprise:

‘Millers,’ said Jack, his mind roaming far back to his famished youth. ‘In the aftermost carline-culver of the larboard berth there is a hole where we used to put a piece of cheese and catch them in a noose as they poked their heads out … ‘

Idle Hands

Yesterday afternoon I was on my porch, dreaming, waiting for Pingu to come home. Beyond the fence, a trio of schoolboys appeared. They sucked through their teeth and asked me: “Bang, rokok satu?”

“You kat sekolah, mana boleh bagi?” I said.

“Kita tak bagitau siapa la,” one of the boys said. “Lu jangan takut.”

So I said: “No, no, no,” and made to go inside.

“Cibai pundek,” the boy said. I had been sitting in my underwear. He said: “Lu suka hisap konek ka?”

I gave him a finger and shut the door. Moments later there were thuds and the sound of wood, clattering. They were throwing pieces of broken writing desks into my garden. A T-shaped piece — from that part of a desk that you put your feet on — landed close to where I had been sitting.

I opened the door and pointed my camera over the fence. They crouched behind a cement flower-box. I didn’t get more than a few shots of huddled, white-shirted backs and blurred, running figures.

Except for these boys the school was unusually quiet. If they didn’t have anything better to do, well — neither did I.

Taking the T-shaped piece I put it into my bike’s basket and rode to the school gate. I got a visitor pass from the guardhouse. I went to the office and put the T-shaped piece into the Head of Co-curriculum’s hands. I showed him the photos I’d taken.

“I will look into this matter,” the Head of Co-curriculum assured me. “Actually they are having exams now.”

Last Friday Pingu was not around for breakfast. He’s been missing ever since. I’ve searched for him in the school and among our neighbours; to be honest I’ve given up. This was the last photo I took with him. I took it the night before he disappeared. Pingu was the most photographable of our litter. He had the roughest meow — whenever he meowed it sounded like he was yodelling in pain: “Oww, Oww!” The house is quieter without him.

Last Friday Pingu was not around for breakfast. He’s been missing ever since. I’ve searched for him in the school and among our neighbours; to be honest I’ve given up.

This was the last photo I took with him. I took it the night before he disappeared. Pingu was the most photographable of our litter. He had the roughest meow — whenever he meowed it sounded like he was yodelling in pain: “Oww, Oww!” The house is quieter without him.

Lord Nelson passed away on 9 July 2012. He was a clever and careful adventurer, but he fell victim anyway to the wild dogs that sleep in the school behind us. The school caretakers found him the next morning, and when I went searching for him they were already burning him with the day’s trash. It was a large pyre, eating up plastic cups, pieces of broken furniture, and a two-football-fields’ worth of mown grass. Perhaps it was karma. Lord Nelson was a efficient hunter of bugs. He wasn’t much of a lap-cat. His preferred method of affection was to sit in a discreet corner of the room you were in, or just outside the doorway, resting his front paws politely one over the other. From that spot he’d keep an eye on your activities. Sometimes he’d fall asleep. Of the three of them Lord Nelson was my favourite.

Lord Nelson passed away on 9 July 2012.

He was a clever and careful adventurer, but he fell victim anyway to the wild dogs that sleep in the school behind us. The school caretakers found him the next morning, and when I went searching for him they were already burning him with the day’s trash. It was a large pyre, eating up plastic cups, pieces of broken furniture, and a two-football-fields’ worth of mown grass.

Perhaps it was karma. Lord Nelson was a efficient hunter of bugs.

He wasn’t much of a lap-cat. His preferred method of affection was to sit in a discreet corner of the room you were in, or just outside the doorway, resting his front paws politely one over the other. From that spot he’d keep an eye on your activities. Sometimes he’d fall asleep.

Of the three of them Lord Nelson was my favourite.

So that’s that for Prospero, Pingu, and Lord Nelson. Our beloved catly trinity. We had them for a year and three-quarters, nearly. We’ll remember each of them for their nicknames, games, and habits. Their water bowl is still on our porch. I shall have to empty it soon, before it starts breeding mosquitoes.

So that’s that for Prospero, Pingu, and Lord Nelson. Our beloved catly trinity. We had them for a year and three-quarters, nearly. We’ll remember each of them for their nicknames, games, and habits.

Their water bowl is still on our porch. I shall have to empty it soon, before it starts breeding mosquitoes.