Time, really changed things.
Cat Stevens says this:
Father:
It’s not time to make a change, Just relax, take it easy. You’re still young, that’s your fault, There’s so much you have to know. Find a girl, settle down, If you want you can marry. Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy. I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy, To be calm when you’ve found something going on. But take your time, think a lot, Why, think of everything you’ve got. For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Son:
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again. It’s always been the same, same old story. From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen. Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away. I know I have to go.
Father:
It’s not time to make a change, Just sit down, take it slowly. You’re still young, that’s your fault, There’s so much you have to go through. Find a girl, settle down, if you want you can marry. Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.
(Son– Away Away Away, I know I have to Make this decision alone - no)
Son:
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside, It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it. If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s them They know not me. Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away. I know I have to go.
(Father– Stay Stay Stay, Why must you go and make this decision alone?)
When I was in STAR Ipoh, during my A-Levels, and in the GU in the West End of Glasgow, or even during my 4 months hiatus (sabbatical, or whatever you call it) in the subcontinent, my dear father used to write to me.
Well, even now he still writes to me. I have great admiration to my old man. I tried to summarise that in my tribute to him in this very blog.
However, I cannot at all keep that scribe tradition. I just send sms (really short one) to my son now in STAR.
Among others:
Me: Congratulation son, I’m so proud of you.
Me: Yeop, glad to know u are alright.
Ahwaz: Ayah, mknn kat sini same mcm smlm je
Me: Makanan di STAR mmg sama sejak 52 tahun dulu. It’s the tradition.
Me: Happy birthday son.
Me: Not sure yet. Dah turun practice?
Ahwaz: Turun skit2 la ayah cuz kene kawad kaki
Me: make sure sukantara dpt full point.
Ahwaz: K, ayah tdi ade merentas desa dpt top 15 camtu
Me: Baguss …
Me: I’m going to Sarawak next wk, lepas tu ayah nak pegi Tokyo. Nak kirim apa2 ?
Ahwaz: Ayah psp nye umd bleh tk? Ataupun gundam … Atau keychain. Trlupe ayah esk priksa .. priksa tu is count on my grades
Me: Ok son.
Ahwaz: Pling tkt subject geo
Me: Just read & understand. Discuss with yr friends. I always got an ‘A’ in geog.
Ahwaz: Btw ayah sony ericson kat japan cheap tk?
Ahwaz: Ayah, when u gonna come here? Everyday everybody get scold with ‘ketua dorm’ but we never ever do anything wrong mmg very bored la kene scold btw luckily I participate an event in sports day.
Ahwaz: Yeop baik2 kat depan ketua dorm tpi dlm hati mmg nk sepak ketua tu .. Tpi at least I got 2 participate dlm race mase sports day 400m
Me: Baguss …Yeop, rileks la.
