MEMORIES

Rainy season brings back many sweet memories. Memories of childhood days are much sweeter than even the refined Prai sugar.

One such memory was swimming in a natural pool in the field just behind the present Sultan Ahmad mosque. The field was used by fishermen nearby mainly to dry their fishing nets (pukat tangkul).

In other times it is also used to be the venue for activities like a circus, a funfair, etc.

When it is dry, Hazis Khalid (aka Aziz Wali by Kemaman folks and believe it or not, my best friend then) and I used to wander around looking for beautiful sea shells.

During rainy season, the field was something else. It would be turned into a huge pond. The water was, most of the time especially after a dozen or more children played in it, would be black in colour as the soil was bris.

My cousins (all girls) and I used to go swimming in these ponds. The water, even at the deepest part, was only around three feet. We would play our hearts out once we were there, even forgetting our lunch time.

Back to my friend Hazis, he was blessed with a special gift even then. He somehow was very good in finding gemstones from nature. After school he used to come to my house and he carried me on his bicycle and we went around Kampung Besut. Our favourite place was the kemunting bush in front of my aunt's house.

We would played and ran across the bushes the whole day.

There was no more bush there now. The bushes had been replaced by low cost houses now.

Next to the bushes was the airstrip. People would run there just to catch a glimpse of airplanes whenever one landed there.

In rainy season, again the airstrip was something else too - my favourite bird hunting gtround. Snipes and quails were plenty, ready to be caught by adventurous kids like me. Using a net on a long wooden handle I would run after the shivering and totally rainwater-soaked birds.

But all these are just memories now. Memories to be kept in a special corner of my mind and once in a while will be shared with you all.