JOHN WAYNE

In 1965 there’s a boy from Bintulu who entered our school. I was in Primary five. That boy named John Wayne, Eurasian, came with his family to stay in our village. He entered our school and joined my class. Everybody talked about him as a smart boy and keen football player.

Years gone by we built our friendship. Everyday John Wayne came to my house, played and studied together. We ate together and it was a wonderful time for me.

Come 1966 we faced a tough challenge during that era. We sat for common entrance examination. Both of us managed to pass through the obstacle and we entered St. Thomas School.

Something happened during the three years together. John was adopted by our primary school teacher and stayed with the family. Our friendship began to diminish due to certain misunderstanding.

We sat for Sarawak Junior Certificate Examination in 1969 and I managed to cling on and proceeded to enter form four in the same school but not John. He did not further his study instead after some years he joined government service as a fireman at the Department of Civil Aviation.

Time passed by as we live our life on our own directions. John married his childhood sweetheart and so am I. We stayed together in the same housing estate but seldom has time together. I guessed life now is totally different from what we have thirty plus years before. I have retired but John still in service. I believe he is now somewhere in Bintulu. How do I know that. Guess what, I was informed by his son, Fikri. Yes, I met his son who is now with SAINS, govt owned company dealing with Sarawak ICT. The face of John Wayne is certainly reflected in the appearance of Fikri…ah the Almighty Allah…