Thursday, June 13, 2013

1978 - kathleen & helen

i actually kept this diary, amongst many others, all these years, recording everyday events in those formative years. as I flipped thru the pages, a flood of wonderful memories was relived in my mind - of teenage angst & emotions.

Kathleen was the quintessential girl-next-door. well actually, in the next taman but she might as well be next door because in the months after 6th form, we spent a lot to time together. she was a year younger & preparing for 6th form, so I helped her out a lot. her family more or less accepted that i'm a regular fixture in her life & I just went with the flow. we talked of everything except THAT.

I knew she was planning to go to Taylor's in KL & then to Canada thereafter for further studies. what I didn't anticipate was when she appeared unexpectedly at my place one day to tell me that she's off to Canada. I wasn't at home - those days, even a fixed-line phone was considered a luxury of sorts. so, she wrote me this brief note.....
 
we wrote to each other for a while but eventually lost contact. so, even as I read thru these events of 1978, I do wonder what became of her. is she still in Toronto? did she marry the tall, dark handsome guy of her dreams? many years later, i went to her old house but the whole family has moved. much as I missed her, someone else came into my life that year - & made an immediate impact - in the most unlikely of places.
 
I met Helen in church but that's another story for another post.

6 comments:

Yan said...

Aha, that's very nice. Probably you will like my nostalgic journey too. Here - http://yancorner.blogspot.com/2005/04/i-remember.html

Hope you are ok with the link:)

doc said...

Yan,

yes, nostalgic journeys have their own unique charm. your guitar-playing neighbour seemed to have found you.

i'm still waiting for Kath to appear.

Adino said...

I can feel your sadness. It's funny how life turns out... when you lose somebody you find someone better. Can't wait to read your story about how you met Helen in church.

I wasn't even born in 1978 :P Phone numbers were only 5 digits back then?

doc said...

Adino,

i'm glad I had recorded all those events years ago. it's like a walk down memory lane for me now.

it's 7 digits now in JB.

The thumb in every pie said...

I sometimes wonder too..what the love- of- my- life- when- I- was- 16 etc is getting on now.

Interestingly, in my last trip home last week, I ..well.. sort of got an answer.

The love of my life when I was 16 had married one of my schoolmates, got divorced, now single, no kids, returned to hometown for a visit, went to the old house and looked for me, met my parents, gave them his namecard to pass to me...ahhh..now the question that begs: What should I do with the namecard? Call (him) maybe? Hmm...sometimes wondering too much is a dangerous thing, no? LOL

doc said...

Andrea,

there're no right answers to these what-if scenarios.

I can't answer for you but if Kathleen went to my parent's place & gave her contact details, I wouldn't hesitate calling her up, even if she had remained single. we have always been friends & will always remain so.

someone wrote in my autograph book years ago : F.R.A.N.C.E = friendship remains and never can end. very cliché & corny, but mostly true.