2 August 2009 (Sunday) – Suddenly I thought of this 70 year old man and I called the house. The faint voice answered and it was Dato Ismayudin himself on the line. I once reported directly to Dato when he was the Divisional Director of Plantations Division at Kumpulan Guthrie. Dato left Guthrie and joined DRB. He did not sound that good over the phone. He told me he could hardly walk and his diets are restricted due to acute diabetes. I promised to drop by to visit him on Monday evening.
Somehow I felt guilty for not visiting Dato soonest. I called up Farid, my colleague in Guthrie and told him about Dato condition. Farid suggested that we visit Dato Ismayudin at the same evening. I agreed to the idea and promised to be at his residence at Bukit Damansara sometimes around 1530 hrs.
Farid’s wife tagged along and we were at Staffield Country Home at 1630 hrs. Datin Zainab was surprised to see me as the appointment was the following day. Dato and Datin was just about to perform their Asar prayer when we arrived and I took time off to smoke a cigarette. We met Dato and we sat chatting of his present conditions and the old time stories in Guthrie. We were talking about few names that visited him and those who does not. He specially gave credit to one of our colleague, Christie Robert who often calls on him. Some even played golf at his residence frontage but did not even bother to say hello. Well, that’s life Dato, when one is in power everybody will try to be as close as possible. When not, bye bye. I don’t know you.
Dato Ismayudin has a full package. He had malaria, dengue, two strokes, hypertension, acute diabetes and undergone a coronary bypass. I remember when he had dengue fever; I visited him at the Hospital and jokingly told him his bungalow has no fencing that’s why the aedes mosquitoes could enter his bungalow easily. (All bungalows at Staffield Country Home regulated not to have fencing).
We asked him about Dato past time and he told us other than writing; he sits at the patio waiting for the bus to pick him up to go home. We all laughed as we got the meaning. He is just waiting for times up when Almighty Allah would summon him. I offered to pick him up for a spin in case he is bored at home, lonely and needs company. He declined because his legs are unable to withstand walking and he is too proud to be wheel on the wheel chair. Dato commented; sitting on the wheel chair is just like being carried to the grave. His jovial mood and antics was still there, as if we were not visiting a sickly person. He recalled how naughty I was when he caught smoke coming out from under my table during a fasting month.
Dato Ismayudin was the best Boss I ever had. We ventured off road to Tasik Kenyir, Tasik Cini and Tasik Bera. I used to share the same tent with him and like to play prank on me. I normally partner him when we played “terup keling” and we built “rumah batu” for our opponents. Once we lost our way in the jungle of Pahang, I came down from the Jeep to find the possible get away direction but Dato stayed put in the Jeep. Later I asked him why and he told me he saw tiger footprints around where I stood. Shivers ran down my spine. I don’t know whether he was serious or joking. In the middle of the night in the jungle, a Director stood guard while I answered the call of nature but I had to pay by sacrificing my blanket for the rest of the night to him. He shouted at me when I used a pail to shower myself when I was standing in the lake of Tasik Cini. I told him the dragon of Tasik Cini would come after me if I submerged myself in the water. We were at Allson Klana Hotel Seremban for a Seminar and the first thing he ordered was to buy two sets of playing cards. During the game of gin rummy in his suite he had no pairs to proceed and I told him to make the handful playing cards with him as a fan. He told me as a Director he could sack me for intimidating a Senior Officer. Those were the nice old days with Dato Ismayudin. As the Boss, in the Office he was serious and no more buddy. Sometimes when he was short of cigarette, he made me ran up the staircase from the second floor where my Office was to his Office at fourth floor. His philosophy: If you have any problem, find the best alternatives, then you come and tell me. Don’t come and tell me your problems, for I cannot solve your problems, that’s your job.
I looked at the watch and he wasn’t pleased for he wanted us to stay longer. Finally at about 1900 hrs we had to make our way back to KL and Dato limped to the car to send us off. We know he was happy to see us and we were also delighted to visit him. He was happy that I would be going to perform the Ramadan umrah and requested that I seek Almighty Allah blessing for his health.
Boss…..for your sake, insyallah I will do it.
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