Sunday, July 7, 2013

Of Ties That Bind


Image: From Left, OPs Adam Tan Sri Aziz, Razali, Akbar, Abdul Aziz (Tan Sri) 
Amir Sharifuddin (Dr) and sitting Amiruddin (Datuk,Dr) Hank snapped the pic.

Note: 1 Six months ago we met for tea hosted by OP Amiruddin (Datuk,Dr)

One could not have really imagined
That we first set eyes way back in 1960
As scraggly school boys to be trained
In a residential school with all things military

And this afternoon we met again
Not of the same vintage
But from the early ‘60s anyway
To renew ties that bind
In keeping with the esprit de corps
Of a military tradition

Now we may not be clean shaven
We may look aged and weather beaten
Very unlike then as school boys of all innocence
Spick and span, smartly dressed in green uniforms

We are now retired from various callings
But the warm friendship we still maintain
With a rendezvous at the Club this morning
For the lost years with grand reminiscences

A big yarn followed by a sumptuous lunch
Courtesy of one who had made it in life
Tan Sri Abdul Aziz happy with his buddies
And he feted Datuk Dr Amir especially
a childhood friend he grew up with

No quiet moment of hours that slipped by
A fleeting moment and then just as fast
It was time to say good-bye!

Note: 2 We were together as school boys in the early 60’s in
a unique residential school administered steep in military
traditions, the RMC (Royal Military College)

We had an informal lunch date hosted by Tan Sri Abdul Aziz
an ex-Deputy Chief Minister, a two-term Senator
in the august House of the Dewan Negara (the Senate)
and currently a titled dignitary of Pahang chieftains
and President of Mubarak (the association of one-time
legislators) The honorific ‘Tan Sri’ is equivalent to 
‘Sir’ in the British government

16 comments:

  1. A great post. I had reunion recently with some old forces guys from 35 yrs ago. It brought back great memories.

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  2. you know i have never been to a reunion...school was not a fun time for me...i grew up through it though and came into my own after...i wonder now at going back...my 20 year for high school is in 2 years....maybe i will give it a go...smiles.

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  3. I haven't been to my reunion either I had my ten year one not so long ago but I am living in another country. This is wonderful that you are still friends

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  4. Wow, Hank. How wonderful that you were able to connect with these friends from decades ago. How I wish you had been in the photo as well. I'd say everyone looks 'pretty good' - which I always like to see. Amazing that you knew each other as your careers were just beginning, and now you share time together after your careers came to an end. I am sure you all had stories to tell. What fun!

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  5. I love the name that you gave to the poem. A splendid recollection of the past friendship. I wrote on the same lines too today and could really know how you feel. :)

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  6. Awesome that you all can still get back together after many years. Sometimes not an easy thing to do when people move away and such.

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  7. Good for you guys to keep the connection and friendship ~ Time can fly very fast ~ Thanks for sharing Hank ~

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  8. It is wonderful to feel those friendships again I think--and time fries faster as we get older--for me--this was a gracious reminder of those old friendships that I sometimes take for granted

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  9. How wonderful that you were all able to get together!

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  10. What a wonderful gathering that must have been!!!!! Lovely, Hank!!!!

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  11. This is an amazing post!

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  12. It is good to know that you still have remained friends and keep in touch with each other.Always school boys at heart:)

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  13. Great that you all can still keep in touch and meet up

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  14. This looks like my kind of reunion... after many years, sharing experiences with people who were once only a cot away. Hank, thanks for giving us a look at your compadres. My dad hated military school, but from the looks of things, you and your friends did very well! Peace, and thx for stopping by my blog, Amy

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  15. So nice you had that opportunity to see each other again. Nice write!

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