Cold Drinks
When I was small, we did not have refrigerator at our house. During fasting month we wanted to have it soothing on our throat during breaking of fast. A cold drink… with ice! So we had to buy it from a shop some 500 meters away from our house. I couldn’t remember since when it started unofficially assigned for me to buy ice every evening. I would have it bought long before the breaking fast time, around 4:30... 5:00 pm. When around say 6 pm the ice was yet to be delivered home, I was the one to be yelled at by my sister for she wouldn’t be pleased if having no cold drinks for her fast breaking.
I didn’t mind much being assigned for the job but I was annoyed over the yelling by the sister. Why did I not mind for the job? Because I did enjoy my time riding my grandfather’s bicycle. Mind you, the bike was big and heavy and I was pedaling through the side of it as my legs were still not long enough to pass the cross bar of the bicycle let alone have my butts settled on the saddle. Once I braved myself to have my legs atop the bar, I had my balls crushed, ouch! While I was riding, looking from the front, the bike was like leaning sideways to accommodate to the body weight bearing but I pedaled it with ease, though. Oh yeah…May be it was a bit wobbly.
I didn’t mind much being assigned for the job but I was annoyed over the yelling by the sister. Why did I not mind for the job? Because I did enjoy my time riding my grandfather’s bicycle. Mind you, the bike was big and heavy and I was pedaling through the side of it as my legs were still not long enough to pass the cross bar of the bicycle let alone have my butts settled on the saddle. Once I braved myself to have my legs atop the bar, I had my balls crushed, ouch! While I was riding, looking from the front, the bike was like leaning sideways to accommodate to the body weight bearing but I pedaled it with ease, though. Oh yeah…May be it was a bit wobbly.
One block of ice measuring 6-inch-cubed was selling at 10 sen. Duh, you cannot even dream of that price today. Perhaps the plastic bag to have it wrapped already cost as much. At times I came in late and ice was sold out. If it was not because of me buying it late but the ice was sold out in the early hours, it would not be much of the grudge made by my sister. But when it happened due to my procrastination or time being occupied and got carried away by the games with friends, there I would have it, my sister would not be happy at all and I would feel like shit listening to what she had to say to me.
Those were the days….
Today, my children can just take it for granted on the type of drinks for them during the breaking of fast.
GAB
3 comments:
Gab, selamat berpuasa to you. Yes, I remember those moments too. kebas tangan pegang ais sambil bawa lari balik!
aku pun ingat lagi naik gerek atuk. roda besar, nak parking pun kena angkat macam motor vespa tu, thrill sungguh tiap kali balik kampung...
yelah, dulu ais cover dengan saw dust aje, sekarang ni kalau buat macam tu gerenti takder saper nak beli
Idham -->
Bro. Idham wrote , "....I was the youngest Malaysian share holder.
Not bad for a kampung lad whose knowledge about shares and enterprise were limited to buying and selling ice cubes in saw dusts during Ramadhan."
"Air batu...air batu!!!....air batu....!!!!!" was a familiar voice along the pebbled road in my little kampung during every Ramadhan. The voice was mine......"
I found this in your blog. And it was interesting to read, man. You are heck of a guy!!!
... and thanks for linking me up.
Kak Teh --> Such a nice experience we have, huh? It'll stay for the rest of our lives.
Merapuman --> That damn bike was sure heavy man. It was a product of British long before they fouund light and strong materials to use.
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