I was still young back then when I used to follow my nenek to kill time went in and out the not so huge Liawan jungle but you know, it was still a jungle back then, where you can see eagles, will buffaloes, huge trees and all, the things you should expect from the wild. That’s pretty cool for a 20 yrs old memory. My nenek would use the jungle track nearby my house and I would sneaked out the house not to be noticed by my mom and lied to him that I was actually allowed to follow him Lol. It was fun back then to roam around with the early morning breeze covered with the whitey chilling mist. I really missed it so much.
He used to go and check his old ugly bull before we went into the inner part of the jungle. I have always hated that bull because it only acknowledged him and no one else, so I have to go on guard and to stay away near the bamboo pile before he screamed for the call. It was kinda scary, though, to stand alone there Lol. Rumors have it that children will be kidnapped by the bamboo ’spirits’ and it was no joke for a kid like me. Imagining back, wow this is one precious memory.
The reason why I like to follow him was because of the scenery with the beautiful hills, the paddy fields, animals, birds, etc. I used to eat the fruits and berries from the wild trees. I seldom see them nowadays. It a pretty harsh word if I use the word NEVER for that statement aha. He always pluck me leaves of the jarak so that I can make balloons out of it. We would crossed over rivers and muddy banks. I liked that. Sometimes I went back with wet clothes or muddy and my mom would scolded me ahaha.
He used to call the buffaloes and they will come to him. It was like a miracle because they will come and he would give salt to them sometimes from the palm of my hands. He would tell me which ones of his and which ones of my family’s. I don’t think that my family still has them. Thieves are every where, nowadays.
Yes, the eagles. We always went to see the eagles. There was an eagle nest way up there on one of the trees. Only the brave ones would go and climb it. Oh yes, there are people who would climb that tree for the bee’s nest but I wouldn’t. Just can’t stand with the height. There were no branches at all only at the top but there were stairs. Cool, eh?
We stopped to go around the jungle after a while. He got sick and I’m kinda grown a little and to busy with my youngster years. So I’ve forgotten the fun. I was more interested with the boys stuff. Ohh, damn. I wished I had more time to spend with him in the jungle because things changed so much these days. There’s no more jungle, no more paddy fields, no more wild animals, no more river sides, no nothing. It all gone and the tragic flood on 96′ sealed it fate. Nothing seems like it used to be.
It’s a very sad thing. Things changed huh? Nothing last forever.
