Carefree Pre-school Days in Segamat

When it was time for me to leave China, my paternal grandfather decided he would return to Malaya with me. I guess the bond between us must have been strong to make him decide he would leave the comfort of his home in China for a new and unfamiliar life in Malaya. My father, mother, grandfather and I sailed to Malaya, leaving my brother in China with my paternal grandmother.

By now I was four years old and I was beginning to appreciate and understand my surroundings. I can remember my morning walks with my grandfather to the local wet market where we would buy something nice for lunch and dinner. My grandfather was a very well educated person. My father’s business was flourishing and my grandfather helped the business keeping books and doing the accounts.

During the day I was under the watchful eyes of my maternal grandmother. Two years away from her had not diminished her love for me. She was ever so patient and loving. I can still picture her in my mind, walking towards our house carrying whatever she had purchased from the wet market. I would run up to her and helped her with her load. Grandmother and I were happy in each other’s company. She was happy with me because she had great love for me, I was happy with her because I could get whatever I wanted from her.

My maternal grandfather played a very small part in my growing up. He was always working at his stall sell Chinese medicinal tea. Being poor and with a large family to support I guessed he had very little time for his grandchildren. Even at that very tender age I always knew he loved me. I shall write about that later in my blog.

Segamat was a very small town. There were only about a total of a dozen streets in our town. I cannot remember when it happened. My father took on a partner in his grocery business and then there was an adjacent store adjoining ours. My father’s partner had his family living above the adjoining store, just as we were above ours.

Life must have been quite good for us during those tender years. We had no responsibility other than to behaved ourselves and not create too much commotion that we disturb the business of the stores. Although our place of residence was small and overcrowded, that did not seem to matter much. All we needed was a place to sleep at night and three square meals. The whole of the store was a playground. Father was into wholesale then and we would have the back of the stores, the accommodation quarters upstairs fully stocked with goods for sale. Our favourite game was hide and seek. We would climb over sacks of rice and flour, hide between boxes of tinned foodstuff or between crates of beer and soft drinks. Those pre-school days were full of fun. It was playtime from morning till dusk, only stopping for meals and bedtime.

This carefree period lasted until I was 6 years old when I started school at the local English Public School. One year at this school and then I was transferred to the Government English School for my primary education.

I will post about that period of my life next.