Arwah (Late) Grandmother

She was fast asleep on a mattress on the floor. It was past midnight. The small boy and his father came into the room and woke her. The father said: "Mak, bangun, ni tilam James. Mak kena bagi tilam ni dekat dia. Kalau tidak dia tak boleh tidur." ("Mother, wake up, this is James' mattress. You have to give this mattress to him. Or else he won't be able to sleep.") Startled, and sleepily, she got up and handed the sponge mattress to them. Father and son then just left her sleeping on the mengkuang mat. And I was there, watching the whole scene with tears trickling down my cheeks. That was, I think 40 years ago and its still clear in my mind and I'm sure it will stay affixed in my mind till the day I go. That loving woman who was my grandmother passed away when I was fifteen.