An unforgettable ordeal

Memory is always sweet and lovely making it unforgettable. But for this case, it isn’t. Here I want to share my unforgettable memory which left a deep impression on me happened when I was in primary three.

Flood water that ravaged Batu Pahat on year 2002, leaving trails of destruction in their wake still lingered on in my mind for I myself was one of the victims of that terrible flood. My grandmother passed away on the same day owing to the flood as it delayed her rush to hospital. It was heart aching enough. Although I was still young, I could remember the day vividly.

That Monday started with a drizzle which turned out to become raining cats and dogs later. I went to school as usual in the morning but I really couldn’t concentrate on my learning process as the sound of thunder was so loud and clear.

At about two, the rained showed no sign of ceasing. It was the time for coming back home. When my father came and fetched me, I saw my mother in the car too and I could feel the unusual atmosphere around us. I could see the sorrow painted on the adults’ faces and immediately I knew that something bad was happened. Just like what I thought, my mother told me that my grandmother had passed away and we had to rush to hospital.

That’s horrible and shocking. My dear grandmother had passed away. She had passed away! No way! Who to dote on me from now on? To whom can I act like a spoiled child? Who can be my shield if my mother scolds me? Nobody. No more. Although I was so young, I was still depressed as I knew my grandmother would never come alive. I was so stubborn as a child , all I want is just to have my grandmother back.

But hold on, why she was in the hospital? She was just fine in our house day before. Only after listening to my mother’s narration then I knew that traffic congestion due to the flood had delayed the time for my grandmother’s treatment. She was feeling not well suddenly in the morning but due to the traffic congestion, by the time she arrived at the hospital for treatment, her condition was unfavorable and sadly she had passed away after emergency treatment in the hospital.    

At Jalan Tanjong Laboh, we were held up for some time as two of the four lanes were flooded. The traffic was inching along. I could imagine the traffic condition which was even worse in the morning. Looking out from window, I could see the trees simply danced as the wind gained momentum. The water level rose higher and in some places it was even waist-high. The ground floor of the two-storey houses along the road was completely flooded. Here and there, items like wastepaper baskets were floating along.

I waited and waited. It took almost an hour for us to arrive at our destination. As expected, sorrow and bitterness filled up the air and I really don’t want to recall it back. So let’s me stop here. I just want to say that this ordeal is unforgettable for me because it was the first time for me to encounter a flood and at the same time, experienced deplore greatly.

Pen off,

Ah Tay