My mum called me up at 8 today and told me that a mild heart attack had stolen my granduncle Edmund last night.He was in the ICU in Bintulu.
Let me tell you a story.
I barely could remember my granduncle Edmund because at the time i was an infant.I was born in Kuching and stayed there for a year or so and my mum and dad stayed partly with granduncle Edmund and he took care of me as a kid.Then we came back to KL and I never saw him again.
Till last Christmas.
He was in KL to get an eye operation to get his cataracts removed and stopped by for Christmas.Goodness knows how,but when my aunty told him it was Jeremy he gave me a frail hug."Jeremy you've grown so much!"
He sat with his sister,my grandmother Katie.My grandmother preaching to him.He recollecting things to my grandmother.
Then,he sat with me.He actually took my hand and told me stories.So many stories.And he told it with the perfect English that so many of us lack nowadays.
He told me about how I was like in Bintulu as a baby.How it was like growing up with my grandmother and grandaunties.How the Japanese would steal my greatgrandmother's chickens.
He told me of all the wonders he had seen.How the world changed so much.How he dreamed of so many things he never thought would exist in his lifetime but had the privilage to see.How a person could be walking down the street and be able to speak to someone else so far away.Such a charming man.He was so happy to be able to see again after the cataracts were removed.
Then when I came back to AIMST my mum called to say he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.On Friday my dad said he had a heartattack and was in the ICU.Today he was home.
Things happen so fast.Those were my last memories of him.Barely just 2 months from this post I met him.And I wanted to meet him again.So many things I wanted to ask.So many questions.
Maybe God gave him sight so he could see the world one last time.That I could meet him one last time.
Dear granduncle Edmund I love you.I'm so glad I had the pleasure to meet you.I say a prayer that I will see you again when my time comes.
2 comments:
Hey.. I love the fact that you can appreciate someone you haven't been meeting for years and to have a bond between you 2 in such a short while. I had that moment once. For 15 years. But hen i lost him. I wudve given up anything just to get him back for sometime. I've got lots to ask. About me, him, and also about life. But i guess time wasn't enough when he was around. Things have been happening. Cancer took him. But the memories that I have with him are stil fresh in my mind! Those are the only things that're left for me. Ah well. God bless jeremy! Not much ppl will write about these things in their blogs. Glad that you did. Saw another part of you!
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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