A parting note..

It's semi official. We are moving, nearer to town. I have void the sentiments earlier, but now I cannot escape. As I packed rubbish and junks into boxes, a tinge of sadness swept over me. Yes, the fact that I only have rubbish and junks saddens me. That, but more importantly, I have grown to love my house, my neighbours, the kids, the handsome ala James Dean grass-cutter and the not so handsome but polite guards.

As I rummaged through the drawers, I found unsent letters to Mc Egg and Tracy. I have written them when I first moved in during the era of non-wireless. I have ranted that I hated this place. Maybe I meant Bangkok, not the house. I am not so sure because as I sit and ruminate about it now, I can't seem to locate any bad memories of this mooban.

This is what I remember:
a. Gooly was still a baby when we first moved in. He didn't walk till months later. And so the neighbours would prompt him to walk, suggesting that we train him at grassy areas lest that he falls and bruises himself.

b. My neighbour wasn't very friendly during the first few months. She was probably 'shy' with the fact that she doesn't speak English. Thus, she avoided eye contact for some period of time. The way she treats us now is the total opposite. Lots of smiles and food and help.

c. The park is always bustling with activities in the evenings. Kids cycle around and around. A guard is stationed to watch after the traffic. Not that it's needed because most cars are driven at tortoise speed anyways.

d. Moms cycle around and around, with happy smiling babies and toddlers at the front booster seat. Gring gring, they like to ring their arrivals and departures. I always wave, and they always 'blek' me with their tongues.

e."Champ" was 15 when we moved in. He was the most handsome lad at the mooban. Now he is 18, and still reigns the title (according to hamsup me la.:P)

Limosine, whose fate remains unknown.

f. We had Limo the dog for a few days. We adopted it after sighting it in a rumah papan under the bridge. It was a 'chapalang' local dog who understood English. We returned him to his owner because Gooly was allergic to it, and also the bitch mother kept coming to our house to kacau. It was painful to witness a mother and son separation crisis.

g. Nong Mai, Nong Fern, Nong Bert, Nong Nit, Nong Prem are the few kids who rock the park. They made Gooly cry, but also made him happy.

h. The silent girl who shares her snack but never utters a word in our 3 years tenure here. I can't help but wonder if she will grow up to be ok.

Sigh.. there are more momentos that I can write, but I shan't. The heart seems to sink a notch lower with every word I type.

Good bye, Mooban Prinyada. You have been a good home. Wherever we shall roam next, we hope it will be as nice and warm and clean and .... a place we can call home too.