Suara Hati Ayahku

If we don’t listen well enough we will regret for the rest of our lives

Just one story. Happening in remote town of Serawak, Malaysia.

Why you come late? The tyres of my bicycle gave way .. no air in the tube Sir (panchit). Flat tyre!

‘pang’ the teacher slap the boy.

The next day .. why are you late again? My tyre is flat again Sir?

‘pang’ the teacher slap harder this time.

Next day, next day the boy never turn up to the school again.

The last news was the boy got an accident and pass away.

It took the teacher many days/weeks after that to take the road (the same road the dead boy took). He had to attend to an important meeting in District Education Office. Not long after he set off along the trail , the teacher noticed one important thing. Many people were pushing their bikes from both sides of the roads. Now he scrutinized the surface of the road. Dirty, dusty, and well the stones/ pebbles on the surface of the road were too sharp n very dangerous to the tyre of any bikes and motorcycles. They could not ride the bike without taking some trouble to push the bike for some distance towards their respective destinations.

Now he began to remember that boy that he had slapped. The reality of hardship for a small boy pushing hard the bicycle early in the morning to attend his lessons came flashing back into the minds of the teacher. Unknowingly, tear drops started to trickle from his eyes. Aghh I never listen to that poor boy after all. What a man I was. He started to regret and regret .. but as long as he live .. he will never be able to resurrect the poor boy and the old bicycle again. Never!