4. The Last Swim

Boys frolicking in river

The Sungai Batu Tegoh flowed just across from my old house in the Green House area.  We children were strictly forbidden to swim there. One day, I joined some neighbourhood kids for a dip in the river. We were completely naked, laughing and splashing around - until someone snitched on us.

When I climbed out of the water, there was my mum, waiting with a cane in her hand. Right there on the riverbank, I was caned blue-black and forced to walk home naked. The shame was unbearable as neighbourhood boys and girls stared at me.

That night, my dad gave me a second round.​ I never swam again. Until today, I still can’t swim.

The shame and the pain lasted forever.

Cheah Eng Seng

7th September 2025

5. The Aborted Adventure to Kuala Kangsar

Khor Heng Jin and I decided one morning to cycle to Kuala Kangsar. Off we went on our old trusty Raleigh bicycles, taking the old Taiping - Ipoh trunk road.

We were young and strong, so the uphill ride from Bukit Gantang to Bukit Berapit was no sweat. But then it happened. While descending at speed towards Padang Rengas, we lost control of our bicycles, collided, and fell right in the middle of the trunk road.

Praise God there were no serious injuries - and unbelievably, not a single vehicle in sight! We got up, egos bruised, and decided to turn back and cycle home to Taiping, thus ending our “adventure” to Kuala Kangsar.

Cheah Eng Seng

7th September 2025