My Longkang

I just want to comment that my world war ll stories has been getting me feedback from readers and has piqued interests especially from the west and also Penang based readers. The latest inquiries from endroog. I just want to categorically state that the main story line is itself historically correct and accurate including most of the dialogue.

There is one part of the story which is made up : the part where Ah San makes friends with a guy because he wanted to share the radio. What was actually said was he enjoyed listening to the radio and he went to his friend’s house to do so. The rest of the story is basically as it was told. It could have been embroidered by a man in his old age or the sister could have remembered the better details or retained a selective memory. But I remember there was no dry eyes when she recounted the story to her children. She had kept it from them too.

world-war-2-part-1
world-war-2-part-2
world-war-2-part-3
after-the-execution

The stories above have been among the favorites on my blog read. I presume it is partly because it is categorized under stories but partly because of the very nature of the stories.

After the execution, the story basically floundered because of limited information except bits and pieces I picked up from snatches of conversation. The God Ah San prayed to was ‘Thi Kong’ or God of the Heavens and not the biblical God although some say he found Jesus near the end of his days.

The story of the punishment for taking the salted fish is also true. The part where Ah San jumped into the burial pit just seconds before the shots were fired is also true. The story of the man who through kindness 66 years ago advised Ah San’s sister to stop selling kuih and then bought all her kuih is immortalized in this story. So is the story of selling clogs : saving time by nailing one side of the straps before nailing the other after the lady decides to buy it. The story of collecting tips from operating a gambling den in Macallum Street during those war days too are a fact. The story of a young man who found kindness in a Japanese soldier is also true. But in the end, when it really mattered, the Japanese soldier did nothing to help him.

I must admit the part where I feigned ignorance about the whereabouts of Siaboay market was originally intended to get feedback from readers.

The story where he met a girl who was experiencing bicycle trouble is correct. Other than that, I did employ a few ‘red herrings’ here and there to embroider the story. The pic of the nonya girl and the building itself is borrowed from USM. The original house where the girl lived was in a building somewhat similar to this. The dressing was also similar.

Ah San and the Indonesian-born-lady are now deceased.

Update:
The house where the Indonesian lady stayed