The happening was in the late fifties and early sixties, the days of Elvis Presley, the Rock and Roll and the visit to the Nurses Hostel for a dance get together. We were young teenagers just out of secondary school and for the first time we are been treat as adult in a world that we are yet to understand. With no proper jobs to start a living on our own, most of us still stayed at our parents house, thus everything are provided for just like before but with a difference, we are now more free to roam the streets with our gang of like minded youth. Come evening we would dress up and meet at a corner shop at one end of the Jail Road in Kuantan. It is the shops that are in front the Abdullah School, where we all had our Primary School education. My home was at Tanah Putih, now Jalan Wong Ah Jang. Tanah Putih in those days was the end of the town where the Kuantan River cut the road to the west. One had to use a ferry to get across. To us it is the end of our world. It is a place no one live. It is a swamp where Nipah grows in abundant. Folks would come here to gather the leaves to makes roofing material for houses. At time we would also join the old folks to looks for clam in the swamp. Other then that we seldom ventures across the river, where at time, you would see crocodile swimming freely. It is indeed not a place for kids to be going. No way would we venture across the river.
Our place for a meeting usually starts at the Kuantan Recreation Club or the KRC. There is a green there and wooden benches were placed on the side of the green field. It is known as the KRC Padang. In those days there are no bus services and the only way we move around are by bicycles. Four or five of us would cycle from our home and meet at one of the bench and would sat around and smoke cigarette. A new found freedom and enjoy the in things those days. Smoking cigarette is sort of the coming of age for us youth. Some would spot the Elvis Presley hair do and others would do the P. Ramlee look and all of us would use that sticky Hair Cream and all would look smart with their hair well comb and shining. Girls were not yet in our minds at that time. We were just enjoying the freedom from school before going for further study or getting proper jobs. At time we would just yarn until dark or just go to one of the friend's house to listen to the music on the gramophone and enjoy the music. At time we would sing along and enjoy the day over drinks that the friend’s mom prepared for us. As for me I believe it is the beginning of my love for music till this day, for I just cannot live without music. It is now part of my culture of fine living. I stop smoking a long time ago and now live a healthy lifestyle.
We all love to dance and at most time when the Nurses Hostel had their regular Dance Party we would get invited by some of the girl’s schoolmates who now got jobs as nurses at the local hospital. Dance party became sort of a regular pastime for those nurses at their hostel. We would dress smart and went to have a good time. We would dance all night long and really had a great time. Care less of what the happening in the world. The dance music was provided by a local band and some of the musician was friends of ours. With such great music we would just dance till midnight and then leave like all good boys do and get home happy. Friends those were the day. Image above is one of those dances. Have a nice day.
Our place for a meeting usually starts at the Kuantan Recreation Club or the KRC. There is a green there and wooden benches were placed on the side of the green field. It is known as the KRC Padang. In those days there are no bus services and the only way we move around are by bicycles. Four or five of us would cycle from our home and meet at one of the bench and would sat around and smoke cigarette. A new found freedom and enjoy the in things those days. Smoking cigarette is sort of the coming of age for us youth. Some would spot the Elvis Presley hair do and others would do the P. Ramlee look and all of us would use that sticky Hair Cream and all would look smart with their hair well comb and shining. Girls were not yet in our minds at that time. We were just enjoying the freedom from school before going for further study or getting proper jobs. At time we would just yarn until dark or just go to one of the friend's house to listen to the music on the gramophone and enjoy the music. At time we would sing along and enjoy the day over drinks that the friend’s mom prepared for us. As for me I believe it is the beginning of my love for music till this day, for I just cannot live without music. It is now part of my culture of fine living. I stop smoking a long time ago and now live a healthy lifestyle.
We all love to dance and at most time when the Nurses Hostel had their regular Dance Party we would get invited by some of the girl’s schoolmates who now got jobs as nurses at the local hospital. Dance party became sort of a regular pastime for those nurses at their hostel. We would dress smart and went to have a good time. We would dance all night long and really had a great time. Care less of what the happening in the world. The dance music was provided by a local band and some of the musician was friends of ours. With such great music we would just dance till midnight and then leave like all good boys do and get home happy. Friends those were the day. Image above is one of those dances. Have a nice day.
8 comments:
Dear Pak, thank you for sharing with us a bit of your youth moments. You must post the portrait of yourself taken in the 60's that you have up in your home, the one with the 'curry puff' hairstyle!! Rock on!
svllee, thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting. It nostalgic. The wonder years of our youth. As per your request I would do that in due course.
In the meantime enjoy life and take it easy. Have a nice day.
Dear PI,
I enjoyed your posting on your twist & roll days. You remind me of my wild days after secondary. Mine was lesser in songs but definately equally full of jest when my neighbour let me use his cub like its mine. Boozing, speeding, lepaking and stealing petrol were the norms.
Fortunately, nothing more serious happened to me during the few months of 'freedom'. Until after a few lectures from my mom and some self-reflections, I have dropped all my 'buddies' and regularly pushed myself by running alone under the evening suns on an abandoned and tarred airstrip, 3-4 days each week. That last about 6 months before I moved out of my small hometown. Till today, I can still feel the highs of these hot air spas.
There was a song in the 60's that I heard a few times and love it but I dont know the name. Its something like
'on the shore beyond the tropical sea, you would stand to welcome me, on the shore beneath the sky so blue, oh my dream at last will come true, oh malaya(?), land of glory, where I found my heart true love..'
Ha ha.. thank you for reading my lines and part-lyric too.
anonymous[10:53PM], thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting, as well sharing your thoughts on your hay days.
Well, it was a wonderful years and looking back I really enjoy all those moment including the boozing whenever we had that extra money. Like you now day when they played the old songs I would ritualized those great moment we all have had in those days of our youth. Indeed nostalgic.
I get sentimental when I hear the song Jambalaya. Beautiful song of the sixties. When we go camping that would be one of the song that we sang around the camp fire.
Have a nice day.
Pak Idrus,
Re the picture : which handsome young man are you? ;), to say the least some of the fashions/trends are coming back again eg: the boot leg...
shidah, thanks for the visit and the kind words on this posting.
Well, I am there one of those eligible bachelors. Fashion is like that it comes and goes. So to enjoy life we should adept ourselves with the changing fashion scene. That is the beauty of living and the way to enjoy life to the fullest.
Have a nice day.
Hi Pak Idrus,
Mom used to tell about her younger days, partying, dancing. She was the youngest of 8, only one brother. All her sis were so happening, in their kebayas and such. Such contrast to my late grandparents, especially grand dad who handled the district religious affairs and a hafiz. But my mom and siblings went to college/uni, spoke english immaculately. So grandparents must have comforted themselves by saying that (hahahha). They were the coolest grandparents one could ever have.
Love the style. Almost all my jeans are bootleg.
Have a good day!
ms istanbul, thanks for the visit, the kind words on this posting, as well as sharing your thoughts on those great days of your Mom and Pa in their youth.
Indeed our generation had a great time enjoying ourselves at Dance and Social Party. It was a norms of those day to dress smart in Kabaya and other dress for party and we all did dance the night away and enjoyed ourselves. As for my spouse and me we continue to attend dance and other social function until this day. That was and should be the way to enjoy life.
I hope the present generation would understand that enjoyment is part of life and indeed a healthy lifestyle. Like your grandparents, my parents were rather conservative but they understood that the generation after them are different and know how to enjoy and at the same time be a good and loving person as well.
Ms Istanbul do makes hays when the sun shine. Have a nice day.
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