THE THIRD UNCLE

In my earlier blog, maybe 2 years ago, I did mention of my third uncle - the teacher. Grandparents had 3 sons ( and a daughter given away to a Malay family). While dad was the serious one ( who worked and skimped), 2nd uncle was the fun-loving one ( playboy, living life to its fullest), 3rd uncle was something in between. He was the intellectual one - having finished school to Form three level and selected for teacher training college. Needless to say, grandparents, especially grandma was immensely proud of him.
He was a good uncle to us. Always concerned about our performance in school. In fact, I credit him to be the one to stimulate our reading habits. Even today, all the older siblings prefer a book to anything else and you could hardly catch us without a book in hand. He started a mini library at home and we named it "Kwai Le Tu Shu Kwan" (The Happy Library). All of us had to chip in our pocket money and at the end of a couple of months, he would use the money to buy children books for the library. I certainly enjoyed many happy hours there. He was our role model and I really liked him a lot.
Unfortunately after his training,he was posted to a rural school in Semerah (Muar). I guess boredom and bad company took its toll and he got quite addicted to mahjong (but that's another story). However I still have kind thoughts for him.

Nowadays he spend his time writing tourist brochures, doing translation works and registra for marriages. Still mentally active at 72!!. Here he is with his wife (70 years - and in 2007, voted most attractive grandma!!)