Our Story : Chapter 4 : Growing up in KL

Growing up in KL

While Endang (pronounce as ‘and-dung’) stayed with the family, a friend of Siti’s father  fell for her. Not long after a few courting and flirting, they were married. Hassan (Endang’s husband) is also a policeman, he stayed only a few floors up from Siti. 

In 1988, Azli was born. Her mother was hoping that with the newborn, will tie her father to his senses. It did work, only for a few years; abah always came back and stayed home, but when Azli was big enough to walk, his back on his usual bended self. Siti, who is 15 years old at that time, has a big responsibility. She was a mother at young age, taking care of her two siblings. Wait! It was not two, but three siblings. A few months after Azli was born, they took and adopted a child and named her, Siti Hazana. We always assumed that Azli and Nona was twin.

Nona stayed with the family only a short while. When Nona was a few months old she was taken ‘almost’ by force away. Abah‘s aunt want to take care of her and asked him to let her have Nona for herself.  The whole family cried, including Siti. Until now  she loved Nona like her own sister that she never had. I forgot Abah's aunt real name, but we called her, ‘Nenek (grandma) Rock’. She also played a big role in Siti’s life.

In 1989, Endang was pregnant with her 1^st child. She was at that time still an immigrant. Still hasn’t had a ‘red colored identification’. It was hard for her to go to any hospitals or clinics, furthermore her husband always not around. He was always gambling. So, at the time she wants to gave birth, she was alone. She called Siti’s mother to her aid, and her mother called Siti.

Andre Kawarman was born. Mrs. Tugarah delivered Endang’s baby in her bedroom. Siti helps by delivering lots of warm water. She called her father, Hassan, (Endang’s husband )and the ambulance. Like the movies, the cavalry came late. After the baby delivered the ambulance arrived and rushed the mother and the baby to the hospital. It was an experience that Siti will never forget.

Siti went to Sekolah Menengah Puteri Titiwangsa. Her house was at Jalan Ipoh. If any of you go through Jalan Tun Razak and use the flyover bridge of Jalan Ipoh, you can still see the police quarters by the side of the road. It is still standing. It got 4 blocks and 5 floors each, no lift. She was in ‘B’ block, third floor, house number 5. I clearly remembered it because I spent a lot of time there in years to come.

She had lots of friends, and they stayed friends with her until her dying days. Everybody keep in touch even after we were married. One of her 'best friend forever' lives in block ‘A’. Liza stayed nearby and went to the same school, most of the time they were together. Their family knew each other and also was closed.

When she was 15, (I remembered this because she always told me) she was canned by abah, but she told me it was her fault. She skipped school and went ‘roller skating’ with friends. This was a way siti rebelled against being given so much responsible at a very young age. In a way, she want to tell her family that she deserved to be a teenager like her other friends. (I always hug her when she told me this, until now I wonder why this story hurt her so much)

A year later, an incident happened. Liza was in a very big trouble. Siti, as her best friend came to the rescue. Suffice to say, that incident was suppose to be a secret, and I gave my oath not to tell a soul. I just want everybody to know that Siti would give her foot and limbs to help other who she loved.

She was a ‘kampung’ (village) girl. She moved to a big city, but didn’t had any culture shock. A lot of  thing happened that should made her derailed, but she was one of the lucky one. She knows what good and bad for herself. A little bit of trouble here and there, but none so severe that lead her into trouble. Even though her family was not an example of a happy family, but she and her brothers were loved by both of the parents. Her big family, visited from time to time by her uncles, aunties and even cousins made them as happy as a normal family ever was.

            She took her SPM on 1990, with the help of her best friend Radhi who confessed that he had a crash on her. Surprisingly her result was good. She wanted to continue her study in business. Her parent doesn't allow it, the reason; they don't have enough money to go around. While waiting for her result she was working, and abah didn't leave any money to feed his family, and they depended on her income. Abah always changes his car in spite of this.

            About the boy who had fall in love with her (Radhi), she rejected him; as gentle as possible because she already fell in love with me. She lost in touch with him after school, but after 7 years into our marriage she got his contact number and tries to call. It seems that he is still in love with her and was afraid to see her. Radhi married and he doesn't want her wife to get upset. (???Stupid man???)

Allahyarhamah Siti Azura & Allahyarham Azli

... to be continued