If readers of this blog read about my resume, you will discover I in fact became a driving instructor by chance. If you should read one of the very first articles I wrote for this blog entitled “About The Author”, you will be surprised that in reality, becoming an instructor was my part time profession, so to say.
Delving into the story of my life, in 1970, being only 25 years old and just newly married, I unfortunately committed a great mistake in life. What did I do wrong, readers might wish to ask?
Well, what I did way back in the 1970s was standing sureties for friends. One thing led to another. Very soon, gangsters and also solicitors were looking for me. At one time, I remember 5 to 7 lawyers from the entire Klang Valley were after me. To name but few law firms Anthony & Co, Aziz & Mazlan from KL etc.
I still remember a notorious gangster, a fierce looking guy called “Hoon Sai” from Pandamaran New Village, coming after me too. Spotting a large mustache, Hoon Sai, whose name in Hokkien means “Cigarettes Ashes”, this fierce looking element used to haunt me in the 1970s. Like me, the above mentioned gangster was a part time Ah Long who indulged in illegal money lending in those days. In fact, he was a tractor driver by profession.
So much for the history of my early driving instructor days. The above was meant to be an introduction into my resume only. This article, in fact is meant to relate to you about the early students that I tutored then. Students whom I taught recently and students whom I shall be teaching in the near future (after 2010).
Students of the 1970 era
One of the very early students whom I taught way back in 1969 or 1970, I remember was a Mr. Sim. I still remember this young man living around the vicinity of 1st mile Jalan Meru next to a Chinese temple.
Mr. Sim was unmarried then. I still recall Mr. Sim’s address as No.6. For you info, Mr. Sim was then working as a banker in Malayan Banking Berhad, Klang branch. Today. Mr. Sim, I hear is a successful businessman dealing in car tyres around the busy Shapadu Highway in Klang town.
To tell you the truth, I have lost touch with Mr. Sim a long time ago. But what I remember rather fondly of him was that he represents one of my very first students when I started my driving entity 40 or so years ago.
As fate would have it, I met his wife Mrs. Sim at the pasar tani pagi in Jalan Meru nearby recently. After initial introduction, she surprisingly told me she was Mrs. Sim and that her 17 year old son Ivan, would like to take up driving under me, her husband’s former instructor.
You see, I had taught her husband some forty years ago. What a twist of fate it was to be. I have taught the father in 1970 and now in 2010, to be teaching his son. It’s like a fairy tale come true. Anyway, I have elected to highlight Ivan Sim’s episode of learning driving under me later on in this unusual article.
Much as I like to relate to readers regarding all my early students who learnt driving under me some 40 years ago, unfortunately, it is impossible to remember most of them today, However, one of the very first student I do still recall, even up to this day, must surely be a housewife, a Mrs. Mona Yeo. This lady, about 30 years of age when I chanced to teach her driving then lived in Taman Eng Ann, near the Kwang Hua Secondary School, Klang.
If you are a Klang resident, and is familiar with the town, I’m sure you’ll have no difficulty at all knowing its location. Mrs. Mona Yeo, I assume must be of Mallaca Chinese origin. She was a working housewife then. I remember still, teaching Mrs. Yeo quite a number of driving lessons. I remember using a box-like Datsun 1200 to tutor her. If I am not mistaken, Mrs. Yeo took her practical test at the Klang stadium, near Jalan Kota, Klang, next to the Rex theatre.
As to whether Mrs. Yeo is still around today, I am unaware. Hopefully, even after 40 years, I still hope she is still around and well. Good luck to her and god bless. Are you still driving even today?
The student I’m referring to, if in fact she’s still alive today should now be in her 60s or even 70s. Just imagine and this instructor is still holding on to the steering today, so the saying goes
If I should quote to you only instances or examples of students who have been successful and able to handle cars today, this would tantamount to telling you lies. Obviously, some students I have tutored years ago, even today, are still unable to drive at all. For this, I will go on to relate to you an instance of one special student, whom I taught in the 1970s, whom I know is unable to handle a car. This student, who is now over 70 years of age, still cycles around the town. I know this for the truth as he is my personal and rather close buddy of mine.
The student who I’m referring to is none other than Lan Yin, a Chinese doctor or “sinseh”, as the Chinese terms it.
Today, the above should still possess a valid driving license. But unfortunately, due to reasons only known to himself, Lan Yin doesn’t drive. And as far as I know, my friend is still confirmed bachelor. I do not understand why he chooses not to driver. Most probably, like some people, he is scared of today’s traffic conditions on the road. In fact, which driver today doesn’t? Or who knows, he might be a stingy person for all you know.
Lan Yin, who still meets me occasionally at the pasar tani pagi in Jalan Meru still talk to me about interesting episodes while learning driving with me many years ago. I guess he still relishes those interesting times he had with me learning driving. Will Lan Yin end up driving one of these days? Believe me, to see him drive after all these years would be something just wonderful.
Relating to readers 3 of the earliest students whom I taught way back in 1970, I think should be suffice. I shall not go on to bore you with stories of my old students, but rather proceed on to relate to you some of my latest students who have very recently just succeeded in getting their driving license.
If time should permit, there would be nothing to stop me from telling you readers about the current list of students which are presently under my care today. Since this article has been rather long, I will continue the stories in the second part of this article ==> Stories Of My Driving School Students Part 2
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