It was green, self-titled, Tales
from Shakespeare written by Charles & Mary Lamb. As I flipped through the
first page, there was a note that read,
“Dear Kim, Hopefully you will
enjoy this book more than the joy I had in giving it to you.. Sincerely, Yahya
Yaacob 01.04.09”.
And I thought to myself, that I
haven’t check on this person for a while now, I quickly grabbed my phone and
checked the last chat we had, that was last year, Sep 25th 2014,
where our dear DYY told me that he was doing fine although feeling weak, in his
months of battle with the big C.
I ended the conversation with
“Mudah-mudahan Datuk, May God
renew your strength. You are not in this alone. We are praying for you”.
His last reply dated Sep 25th,
2014 read, "TQ for your prayers and good wishes".
Today, amidst all my troubles, I
suddenly remember that I have not checked on DYY for a while. A person so
distant, yet so close and someone I grew to respect over my years of working
for the Company. But as I started typing my message on WhatsApp, I had a
terrible feeling. I thought to myself, Oh God, pls tell me what I’m feeling is
wrong.
I quickly placed my fingers on my
keyboard, and googled news on Yahya Yaacob… Datuk Yahya Yaacob, and what
appeared right in front of me, was news, old news, news that came in October 11th,
2014, that he had passed on. News that I never came across, I never knew. I
suddenly feel nauseated. A sudden flow of sadness came to me.
What followed immediately after
was my frantic search of his card, a card he sent me years back, hours before
his surgery. I searched for the Literature notes he sent me, his passion for
Shakespeare and his notes. As I searched and searched, I became desperate, and
tears just flow. I am heartbroken, that I never knew, that I didn’t get a
chance to bid him farewell, that I didn’t get to tell him, everything will be
alright Datuk, even If you lost, you certainly WON this battle. And we are all
PROUD of you. That I didn’t get to say,… You did well Datuk, I applaud you!
It’s all memories now, vivid
memories of meeting him for the first and the last time. As I remember our
first conversation, when I called him with regards to some official matters, I
greeted him Good afternoon Datuk. And he replied, what is so Good about this afternoon?
Feeling nervous, I went on and on explaining about the weather and how that is
good for golfers like him, only realising minutes later, he was pulling my leg.
Yes, that is the DYY that I know, he is a great joker, a humble man, and as he
lived through his last days, I get to know him as a wonderful family man.
Tonight, as I shared with my
children, the works of Shakespeare, I remember this particular piece, that was
shared by DYY himself, one of his favourites. I suddenly see in my eyes, image
of him reading in his chair, as he recited the same poem, with a smile on his
face, he is finally free, no more worries, and no more pain. I can almost hear
his laughter, strangely from a far distance and as I closed this little chapter, I know I will always remember him that way. May your soul rest in peace
Datuk, till we meet again…
O Never Say That I Was False of Heart
O never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify:
As easy might I from myself depart
As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie;
That is my home of love; if I have ranged,
Like him that travels, I return again,
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe, though in my nature reign'd
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain'd
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good:
For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose: in it thou art my all.
William Shakespeare
