Just a slight bend

Just a slight bend

1. My first posting as a trained teacher was in 1969. I was posted to a secondary school situated just outside Pokok Sena, a small town about 20 kilometres away to the east of Alor Setar. There were three of us posted there that year. I took the bus daily to school, a half hour ride from town.

2. Within a few months my colleagues were already riding their own scooters to school while I was still taking the bus then. Later, I travelled to work with one of my colleagues on his scooter for quite some time.

3. Somehow I thought of buying a motorcycle so that I could travel to work on my own. After acquiring a motorcycle driving license, I bought one on hire purchase. It was a Honda Cup with the number plate KC 431. I wonder if it’s still on the road today. 

4. My maiden ride away from the vicinity of my kampong was along a narrow road through a quiet park just outside town. I was riding at a moderate speed and it went well until I approached a bend. It caught me by surprise and I was completely stunned. In the blink of an eye I was sliding on the road along with my bike.

5. Fortunately, I only suffered cuts and bruises and the bike was only slightly damaged. I called on a close friend who treated my cuts with antibiotic ointment, gauze and plasters. He was curious, and after a while we were back on the bike, my friend driving. 

6. He was curious to know where I’d fallen and I guided him along. When we approached the bend, I told him that that was where I’d fallen. He was going at a much faster speed than I was earlier but nevertheless took the bend with great ease. “It’s just a slight bend!” he exclaimed obviously amazed that I had failed to manoeuvre my bike safely along the curve. 

7. I had to swallow my pride then, but little did he know I’d just had a brief experience of riding a bicycle and that was my first ride on a motorcycle away from my kampong. It had always been along a straight path or lane, so what would I know about manoeuvering a bend, a slight bend, even ...