December is definitely THE worst month of the year when I was young. It means endless days with nothing to do and nowhere to go. It rains endlessly and I am always glad I live on the hill, Bukit Sekilau. Remote chance of a flood happening.
There was nothing much one can do when tengkujuh comes. I remember sitting in my room, reading my book, looking out the slightly opened wooden window. It may be incredibly boring for some, listening to the sound of the rain on the asbestos roof, but it was music to my ears. I did not think I would miss it but I did, especially when spring came in New Brunswick. We definitely have better rain here.
Food was scarce during tengkujuh. Lunch was ikan singgang and budu, pucuk ubi rebus and sambal belacan, fried ikan masin and daily crispy fried ikan tamban. Ikan tamban is like the staple in my house. Fried fresh kampung eggs for breakfast with nasi goreng, definitely lots of ubi kayu rebus for tea with kelapa parut and my favourite gula nissang (gula melaka), sometimes if I am lucky there's chek mek molek too. I remember when I was in Kemaman, my cousin sisters would take me (the town girl) to the back of their house to collect paku-pakis for lunch even though it is drizzling. I would pretend to be as tough as them going into the unknown bushes.
The rain is rather strange in the east coast. No matter how long you are playing in the rain, you'll never get sick. No sniffles, no flu, no fever. My grandmother would allow us to play in the rain all the time, as long as it is within her view. I would be running and jumping in water puddles, splashing water and sand to my brother. Our house has more sand than the normal soil. When my children were younger, I let them play in the rain for the first time. It was incredible to see them playing in the rain for the first time. And they did not get sick at all!
There was one year; I was in Kemaman for a short stay with my cousin sisters. The rain was so heavy; Kemaman was under a few feet of water. It was my first experience with flood. Getting evacuated, had to walk in the flood until the main road and transferred on a small boat (sampan). My grandaunts and granduncles had to stay and make sure everything in the house is safe. I remember they have these beams going across the alang in the house. I remember chairs and TVs, books and other valuables there. The house is still there, my cousin sister stays in the house but it is nicer and modern now.
When I am back in Kuantan, the rain does smell the same...the sound no more. We have new roof, new glass windows. I miss the wooden windows with small cracks in between. I miss the cotton homemade curtains that flew furiously when the windows are open on a rainy day. I miss my grandmother who always tells me I can play in the rain. I am here now and the rain will create new memories for my children...the sound, the smell and the wind that comes with the rain.
I was searching for some rain pictures in Kuantan and found this which was really interesting - rain in Pantai Teluk Cempedak
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