After a hard and long day at work (don't remind me that it was only the third work day of the year!), I sat in my dad's room listening to his stories.
It all started with his search for his birth certificate - later turned out to be some filmsy, yellow piece of paper that's half the size of a A5!
He found it in this red file where he kept all his docs - school certs, job testimonials, awards, home fire insurance (!), receipt for our first fridge, air-con system (!)..
I was very tired, but my curiosity kept me up! I only had a very brief knowledge of my dad's youth - which was mostly jusy limited to him being a school dropout, family struggled esp after the death of my grandfather (for the record I have nv met my paternal grandparents.).
Turns out that my dad was a gymnast who could flip around effortlessly! I nv knew about this! All 26 years of my life! And of course, a lot more other stories - of him working as a coffeeboy in KL, Construction worker in Genting, factory worker in SG. And finally picked up plumbing, went through proper certifications n became a licensed plumber with his own company.
This is a story of a self-made man - nevermind that he wasn't born with a silver spoon. With his limited education and being chinese-ed - he completed his modules (in English) to secure his license. I've always known my dad as a very determined person, but to hear all these stories just made my achievements pale in comparison. He never had the luxury of completing his education, choosing the job he want.. But he made it come possible for me to do so.
Daddy r chan I salute u! U r my hero!
