The Old Man Behind My Bungalow

Few months after my arrival at that plantation I moved into the Manager's bungalow.It was a huge mansion built by those colonial managers way back .It was a lovely house with huge thick walls with specially selected "chengal" hardwood as all the frame works,doors and windows etc..In deed it was extremely airy with free flowing of fresh air throughout the house the whole day long.

The whole area is about three acres or larger,therefore the huge bungalow is surrounded by a large garden.It was the best bungalow I have lived in throughout my long career in planting.The old planters had planted a number of fruit fruits tree around it,but little flowers.My young wife turned into one of the most outstanding orchid garden in that district.Lovely environment to live in I would say.

Those days the manager's bungalow were never fenced because most white manager felt that even without fencing they were well secured.So well respected were that no one dare even near that bungalow without being sent for.Of course then,those days these people were well armed with rifles and pistols,that ought to frighten all wrong doers intruders away and kept their distance..

As I say that building was quite old in age yet it still very formidably strong and stood in grand stature.While we stayed everything seem alright until one fine morning my maid going to the back of the bungalow saw a white old man walking near there.That put the poor damsel in distress came shouting in fright at my wife.

"Mam mam,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,saya nampak hantu1",she shrieked with fear in her pale face.(She shouted that she had seen a ghost).That surely struck fear into my timid wife.She and the maid went into the bungalow and stayed in a corner until I returned from the fields,beside that there was nothing she could have done because and the maid were the only persons around together with my small daughter.

On my returned I went to that very spot but there was nothing around nor were there any signs of any sort of intruder.After some inquiries around we fitted a small altar under a tree at that spot.That was to honor the "Dato" or Spiritual Guardian of that area.

Every morning joss sticks were lighted for show of respect to it.Believe it or not that did the trick and that white old man never appeared again in board day light to frighten anyone anymore.In a way I think it gave us some protection from other evil forces.








to be continued.