"First Day at School" Memories

As always, while waiting for my turn to present the business news segment of Astro News, I'll watch the general news segment, which comes on before me.

And it was the first day of school for 2006, and the customary report on the big event was there. It brought back so many memories of my experience being the first-day student and the first-day parent.

^^ Khadijah with her schoolmates in 2006

About 6 years ago, I had my first experience in sending my first-born to school. The same experience was repeated some 2 years after that, when my second-born was enrolled.

Both went through the "ordeal" - as it was for some of us - with flying colours; of course, both had been in school since they were 3 years old. Aishah & Khadijah enjoyed the socialising and learning, the parties, the games, the music sessions, oh... and of course the concerts.

My own pre-school concert graduation was a big hoo haa. I was supposed to mimic playing a guitar, and I was supposed to bring my own. As much as I begged my parents to buy one, it didn't seem that it would happen.

Aishah with her mates, also in 2006 -->

It was a big thing for me; I was going to be in front of all these people "showing off" my "talent"! So I was visibly upset that the guitar was not forthcoming; like most wide-eyed child at that stage, the anticipation was too much.

I went to bed on the eve of the concert feeling rather low; my big day would not happen.

My mom woke me the next day, rushing me to get ready.

"You don't want to miss the concert do you?", she smiled. "Look by the bed", she whispered.
And there it was, a gleaming, spanking brand new plastic guitar, that came in a box that was oddly-shaped to fit the guitar! There was a carricature of a boy playing with it on the box.

I was understandably ecstatic! Even the fact that it was white on top and reddish pink at the bottom (!) didn't matter!

Wait a minute... boy, have I digressed!

Anyway, my first day of school was of course a biggie. I of course shared the experience with my twin sister Wati.

We must've put on the uniform so many times in the days preceeding the first day! The anticipation was thrilling...

So when the day came, we got up, donned our baju sekolah, brought our red and black tartan school bag that was all the rave back then down to the breakfast table and sat down for a feast prepared ny mom.

Dad would always be offering us anchovies from his fried rice, as we loved them. This was a practice back from the kindergarten days; my sister an I would be playing in the side garden, and dad would call out saying, "Mood, Wati... ikan bilis!"

We'd rush in to see who'd get the one dangled by dad, but as always, my dad in his infinite wisdom would have 2 anyway.

So back to the first day in primary school.

We hopped into dad's blue Ford Escort 1.1GL (I think), bearing the registration WB 5415. And I remember very vividly as we turned the corner left on to Jalan Utara from Jalan Semangat in PJ, my mom turning to us in the back seat.

"Wah... anak mama first time pergi sekolah ya?", she said.

We smiled and nodded in cursory agreement. I can't really recall fear of the day really. Perhaps the Jack & Jill Kindergarten stint, and seeing my 3 elder siblings off daily helped.

Hmm... now that I think about it, how did they get to school that day?

It was an eventful day for me. REALLY eventful!

I met a girl, who turned out to be a neighbour, named Siti Salwa Md Jan. Man, was she a sight for sore eyes! (Yes, I hear the choruses now: "Man! You started early didn't you?")

At some point that day, I decided she was the one I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.

So I tore out a piece of paper from a note book, and scribbled these words:

Dia Siti, Will you mary me?

Yes I did, spelling mistakes notwithstanding.

I did pass her the note, either directly or through a friend or my twin. I can't for the life of me remember what her answer was though.

But we became friends. My siblings, who went to the same school, were already friends with her siblings, and we lived liked 600 metres apart, so it was natural.

The last time I met her parents was at a Pasar Tani in Kelana Jaya in 1999, She wasn't married then! Hmmm...

When my children had their first day in school, nobody proposed to them though. Phew!

Aishah's first year was in Assunta Primary, where her mom went. I think I was more excited than she was! She became immediately popular as she was a very talkative girl, and still is to this day, a quality I admire in her.

When her mom moved to Putrajaya, she moved on to SK Putrajaya 1.

Khadijah was enrolled in SKP1 from the start, and she too had little problems on the first day.

This year, Aishah is in the final primary year, and will be sitting for her UPSR. I've advised her to try her best for her own future. I have little doubt she'd have a wonderful future, whatever the outcome of her UPSR is.

I'll love you the same Aishah, 5As or 5Ds, I'll love you the same for you are my daughter, both the good and the not-so-good qualities about you.

That goes to you too Dijah. As long you try your best, I'll be giving you both as many As as you want!