Just thought I'd wish all of you a wonderfully scary Halloween!

If you haven't already checked it out... here is FRANKEN-HNT!

EDIT: 10:50 AM
So, at break this morning I go to my regular coffee-shop and order 1 ice-coffee, 1 hot chai and a bagel with cream cheese to go. The grand total... $6.66! Hmmm....

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Thank you all for visiting and for all your kudos for the Franken-HNT project. I have to share your pleasure with my partner in crime for this posting, Fingers B. Mega thanks also to all of you who contributed body parts to this sick and wrong production. Couldn't have done it without you!!! And of course the mighty Osbasso for creating HNT... and was one of the first contributers to the project! Now I will crawl back into my cave and resume being a lurker... perhaps to emerge once in a while for the odd special HNT project or two. But do come by and visit for the usual rubbish that gets posted here! Cheers!

EDIT: 1:50 PM
I'm fielding 2 new shows for Rogue 2006. Using the name of my production company Theatre J'Nerique would be a "conflict of interest" since we power the festival. So, now I have to come up with a couple of "invisible" production companies. I think "Chonie Chewing Collective" is gonna be one. Any suggestions for the other?

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... Make sure that your sound is turned on.

Yes, there is a soundtrack! So when you get in... click the player to hear the soundtrack.... it runs under 3 minutes.



Now....

CLICK HERE and enter... if you dare!

Happy HNT!

EDIT: This is NOT my HNT.... click the link to go to the real one!


Don't know what HNT is... click the nifty button in the sidebar to find out!

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11:00 AM: Things are shaping up a little slower than I want them to. Suddenly my schedule is jam packed with all sorts of busy work. I will have something ready to go soon. Planning on posting the Franken-HNT tomorrow by 8 PM, Pacific time. So stay tuned for the sick and the wrong.

Looks like my upcoming weekend will be filled too. Lighting gigs are suddenly coming up like they are going out of style.

More later...

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Here is the next installment of the play. If you missed the first installment CLICK HERE. Please be aware that this is a very rough first draft.

MUSIC

HUNTER
Good. Now you have music. Can you please get on with it? I don’t have all night. (pause) Hey, you still up there? Ms. White? Ms. White?

His cell phone goes off. He puts the communicator down as he fumbles to find it. He finds it, flips it open and reads the message. A darkness come over him. He looks at his watch.


HUNTER
Shit.

He looks around, pulls out a gun and checks the clip. Puts thye gun back and pulls out the phone again. He punches some numbers into the phone. Doesn’t get an answer.

HUNTER
Shit.

Enter MS. WHITE, an attractive 20 something, with a shopping cart.


MS.WHITE
Something wrong?

HUNTER
No.

MS. WHITE
No?

HUNTER
Nothing important. Are you done? Can we go now?

MS. WHITE
What makes you think I’m done?

HUNTER
You’re not done.

MS. WHITE
I didn’t say that.

HUNTER
Then, you’re done?

MS. WHITE
I didn’t say that either.

HUNTER
Are you done or not?

MS. WHITE
I’m curious.

HUNTER
About what?

MS. WHITE
Why it is so important for you to know if I’m done?

HUNTER
It’s not important.

MS. WHITE
It must be.

HUNTER
Not really…

MS. WHITE
So, why did you ask?

HUNTER
I… just wanted to know.

MS. WHITE
Hmm… is this a line of questioning you use with every woman?

HUNTER
What?

MS. WHITE
I’m curious because I’ve heard men ask this same question of women all my life. I’ve heard it while shopping in supermarkets, eating in restaurants; I’ve heard it at parties! Are you done? Even when couples are fighting this question will eventually crop up. Are you done? Why is it so important that men know if we are done? Seems like, “Are you done?” is the primary question that men ask women. Is there some special plan after we’re done? It would be easy to assume that something spectacular would occur after we’re done, but I’ve never seen it. In fact, in my experience, very little happens after we’re done. This question comes up all the time, doesn’t it? Tell me, when you’re in bed with someone… in the middle of the act, do you suddenly blurt out – ARE YOU DONE? Because us women, we sure as hell know when you guys are done. Is that where it comes from? Never really knowing if we are done or not.

PAUSE


She pulls out a gaudy Hawaiian shirt out of the shopping cart.


MS. WHITE
(continuing)
Oh, I got something for you.

HUNTER
You didn’t have to.

MS. WHITE
I wanted to.

HUNTER
Why?

MS. WHITE
It was in the clearance rack.

HUNTER
I see.

Now pulling out a silk shirt.

MS. WHITE
There is also this… and it’s full price.

HUNTER
Silk.

MS. WHITE
One hundred percent. Which one I get for you will depend entirely on…

HUNTER
Which one I choose?

MS. WHITE
Oh, if life were so simple… it was once. No. It would depend on you, Hunter, informing me… if you are done.

HUNTER
With?

MS. WHITE
You’ve had generous offers from other casinos. 3 to be exact. I’ve heard the rumors. Are you leaving the Kingdom? Are you done?

HUNTER
Who did you hear this from?

MS. WHITE
It doesn’t matter if you’re done.

HUNTER
But it does if I’m not done.

MS. WHITE
So, you’re not done?

HUNTER
Did I say that?

MS.WHITE
Who would take over… if you are done?

HUNTER
That’s not for me to decide.

MS. WHITE
She decides?

HUNTER
She does own 51 percent of the Kingdom.

MS. WHITE
And I own 49. Why does she get to decide?

HUNTER
You know how it works. She still has majority control. So, she’ll decide.

MS. WHITE
Until my birthday next month.

HUNTER
True. Then you’ll own 75 percent. Then you can make all the decisions. Until then… she does.

MS. WHITE
Did she decide that you would be here tonight… with me? Did she decide that too? This is not your usual detail. You are never on this detail. Why are you here now? There are usually 2 other “escorts” when I’m shopping. How come there’s only one of you? Where are the other 2?

HUNTER
We’re… a little short handed tonight… so, I’m it.

MS.WHITE
Don’t you have more important things to do being the chief of security at the Kingdom and all?

HUNTER
No.

MS.WHITE
No? We’re short handed… and you’re here? So, you’re saying every card counter in town is robbing us blind right now? Oh, just wait till my birthday, buddy. If you’re not done now… you will be. The moment I blow out those candles… you will be so done! I just can’t have this kind of lackadaisical attitude in a chief of security.

HUNTER
It’s my night off… and everything is covered at the Kingdom. Everything is under control.

MS. WHITE
Really?

HUNTER
Absolutely.

MS. WHITE
Cross your heart and swear to die?

HUNTER
Cross my heart.

MS. WHITE
You get days off? Oh, that will never do. That’s something else I’ll have to change when I’m in charge.

HUNTER
You do that. In the meantime can we get on with this?

MS. WHITE
Here. You get the full price silk shirt. That color looks good on you.

HUNTER
I thought what I got would be decided on…

MS. WHITE
And I decided. I have to practice if I’m going to be any good making decisions for the Kingdom. Might as well start now.

HUNTER
O.K. (pause) So?

MS. WHITE
Yes, that color definitely suits you.

HUNTER
Me getting the full price silk shirt means that…

MS. WHITE
It means that I made a decision.

HUNTER
Yes, of course. Have you decided that I’m done or…

MS. WHITE
What do you do on your days off? You have a girlfriend I bet. I know you’re not married. How many days do you have off?

HUNTER
I work a five day week.

MS. WHITE
You get 2 days off? Oh, that’s something else I’ll have to change when I take control.

HUNTER
But I’m on call for seven.

MS. WHITE
She’s a showgirl, isn’t she?

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Many of you are sending in some great body parts for this somewhat insane Franken - HNT Monster project - MEGA THANK YOU'S. I can only post a body count update later tonight... after the workshop I have to conduct this evening.

One minor change... I'm easing up on restrictions for your submissions. I'll take as many as I can... BUT only send ONE pic! I will also use your body parts ONLY with your permission! I will try to harvest and use as many as I can! I've boosted up the memory on the special e-mail address... so send them in to frankenhnt@itcamefromfresno.com before MIDNIGHT on Sunday!

EDIT: BODY COUNT as of 9:30 AM, Oct. 21. KEEP EM COMING, FOLKS!
(note: these are only from e-mail submissions... "permission to use from my blog" has not been counted yet.)

HEAD (front) - 4 (male) – 1 (female)

BELLY or TUMMY (front) - 1 (male) - 1 (female)

NECK, SHOULDER & ARM/S (front) – 1 (male) – 3 (female)

NECK, SHOULDER & ARM/S (back) – 1 (female)

CHEST & UPPER TORSO (front) – 2 (female)

TORSO (side) – 2 (female)

FEET & TOES (front) – 3 (female)

BUTT & TOP LEGS – (back) – 1 (female)

LEGS (side) – 1 (female)

LEGS (front) – 1 (female)

LEFT BREAST (front) – 1 (female

EYE (side) – 1 (female)

HAND & ARM (front) – 1 (female)

This kind of grave robbing is fun. If you have not received an email from me yet thanking you for your submission... you will sometime soon. Cheers!

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Can't do HNT this week (see post below for reasons) but I have an idea for next week if you are interested in participating.

I will create a Horror Extravaganza with your contributions and create a Franken - HNT Monster... or 2! The Monster will be made up of body parts from YOU! What I will need is ONE pic from you. Either FRONT or SIDE view. It can be from a past HNT or a random new pic. I will slice and dice and sew it all up.... perhaps even include a soundtrack and story (yeah, like I haven't done that before... lol).

Because there are over 200 HNTers I will have to limit submissions on a "first supplied, first patched" basis. Remember, SEND ONLY ONE PIC! Below is a list of pics I will need per section of the body.

HEAD front view - 6 pics
HEAD side view - 3 pics
NECK front view - 2 pics
NECK side view - 1 pic
TORSO front view - 5 pics
TORSO side view - 3 pics
LEGS (right or left) front view 4 pics each.
LEGS (left or right... including butt) sideview 5 pics each.

Now what do you do? Email Me ONE said pic at frankenhnt@itcamefromfresno.com then comment on this post as to what you sent me... e.g. "Head (front)". I will allow 4 or 5 pics past the needed inventory per body section and will state in the comments something like "I got enough HEAD!" This will mean that submissions for that body section is closed. Deadline for submissions is Midnight Sunday.

Let's see what kind of Half-Nekkid Monster we can make!

EDIT: The count on body parts at the moment 7:25 PM is 2 heads, 1 tummy. 1 left shoulder... all guys so far.

We do need a bride for Franken-HNT!

EDIT2: 7:35 - Finally got the first "bride" body part... a lovely neck!

Here is a small sample of a stitch! This is only a quick and dirty sample... not the real thing.

EDIT 3: 8:02 PM - This could be fun!


EDIT 4: 10 PM - Arms & Hands... we need those too. Feel free to pass the word!

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More on that later. So, I had set a deadline to complete a first draft of this play. The deadline is THIS SATURDAY! I made this deadline LAST SATURDAY! The reason I set up this deadline is that there is a Rogue barbecue THIS SATURDAY and I wanted to try out a cold reading of the play in front of the gang. (Besides, I love the fire of a quick write!)

Well, life has decided to conspire against my tango with the Wacky Zone. O.K., let me explain. my modus operandi is to jam my big foot into my big mouth and then I would have to deliver the goods! It worked great with the last 49 plays that I have to my name. Kinda like inviting people over for a party just so you'll get the house clean for the event. So, I make the deadline... ANNOUNCE to all turning up that there may be a reading of my new play... and I only have 11 pages done.

The same time that I created the deadline and ANNOUNCED the fact... I of course decide to CHANGE MY CREATIVE PROCESS for said play. I had plotted it out and developed the characters... then decided that this did not feel right for this piece and made the executive decision to float the piece in a more "stream of consciousness" process. The moment I make this decision... BOOM... folks are coming over to hang out, meetings are scheduled (that need my presence), and the last 2 nights... I've been out at meetings and drinking like it's bloody going out of style. Then tonight, Number 1 (my heir) and I go out to a local bar and buy 13 old bar stools for $5 a pop! (score!) These are now sitting in my already over stuffed garage.

The worst part of all of this is that I've been really agonizing over the "jump" in the play. The point (early on) when everything begins to really move! I figure it out... and now I have to suddenly conduct a workshop for the bloody Rogue on Thursday (that I'm convinced that nobody is going to attend)! Jeez! And what am I doing about it? I'm blogging.

40 more pages to go. It'll get done. Have a nice day and cheers!

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This week's Picture Daze edition is a small sampling of life here in the Big "NO". These pics were taken last weekend.

The annual Big Fresno Fair was in town and scarysquirrelman and I decided to grace the event with our presence. The traffic was ridiculous but we finally made it into the in-field parking, past the metal detectors, through the scary tunnel and out into the Fairgrounds.





I am constantly amazed by the humanity I see at the fair. It truly is a cross section of the city's population... every social, economic and racial stratas are represented.

It's a huge county fair with local livestock and produce displayed with pride and for competition. In fact this particular cloven hoofed critter has award winning udders. SSM seemed quite taken with her.






Every town in the county turns up with their produce to be judged... it's quite the buzz. My personal pick this year for fruits & veges galore was the city of Easton.











Then there is fair food! Everything seems to be deep fried and on a stick. Here is SSM in mid-chomp on a corndog. I went for a hotlink myself. I suspect checking out the award winning udders earlier significantly affected our food choices.











We had dropped some bucks at the horsetrack earlier and I think that eating a whole load of heart attack food provided some comfort for our losses. Of course no trip to the fair is complete without visiting the Commerce & Industry pavilion.

Exhibitors hawk every thing from hot-tubs to gadgets that are halfway useful. This sign made us very curious. Turned out to be attachments to a weedwhacker.

There are of course the concerts, etc. But for me this annual event is a reminder of the heart of the valley... the fact that this area is known as the "bread-basket of the world." It's a celebration that I live in a place that toils the earth and am blessed that our food is always fresh.

It's all about the food really.

Labels:

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It's been over a week since I posted. Haven't even posted a new Picture Daze edition. What a loser! I'll try to post one this weekend. Actually, it's been a little strange not blogging.

On Monday I announced to members of the Hard Core that I am deep in the "Wacky Zone." This is a place where I have not been in a long time... and I've missed it. It is the zone where most of my older friends met me and associate me with. The one where I lived "the art of the possible" everyday. The zone where creativity is just a matter of fact. Truth be told, I began blogging just so I could make my way back there again... and I think I have arrived... and am glad to be back. Evidence of this? My last 3 HNT posts and working on 2 separate plays at the same time.

The trick now is to continue to float in the "Wacky Zone" while still accomplishing all the duties that "real life" demands of me.

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OK... here is a snippet from one of the 2 plays that I'm working on. This is a 2 person piece.

"MS. WHITE SNOWS EM"

INT. TARGET STORE –NIGHT
In the darkness we hear music. The lights come up on the patio furniture section of the store. A man in sunglasses, who we shall call HUNTER, sits impassively in a chair.

He looks around furtively. Pulls out a pair of bikini briefs. Looks around. Puts them up to his waist to check the size.

A voice comes over the store PA system.

MS. WHITE (V.O.)
Got it! WOW! Look at this stuff!

This startles Hunter. He quickly stuffs the underwear into his pocket.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
This is great!

Hunter pulls out a communicator.

HUNTER
Where are you?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
I’m here. I’m still here, Hunter. Don’t worry. I haven’t left. Did I scare you?

HUNTER
No.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
You lie.

HUNTER
I need a visual.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
I’m in the control room.

HUNTER
The technical term is surveillance center.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Good. So you know where I am. That’s all you need to know, right? I’m here. I’m fine. Tah Dah!

HUNTER
No, I still need a visual.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
I got one. I can see you on monitor number 3.

HUNTER
You do?

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
This is cool.

HUNTER
Please don’t mess with the equipment.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Hey… theres a balding spot on the back of your head. This zoom thingy works really well.

HUNTER
(to himself)
Great… she’s playing with the equipment.
(back on communicator)
Will you please come down to where I can see you?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
It’s shaped like a kidney.

HUNTER
What?

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Your bald spot.

HUNTER
Balding… It’s not all gone.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Yet.

HUNTER
O.K. … yet. It’s balding… no… thinning, actually. I like thinning… I prefer thinning. It’s a “still hair there” kinda word.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
It looks like a butt print.

HUNTER
What?

MS.WHITE (V.O.)
Your bald spot looks like a butt print. Like some small person… a dwarf or someone… with a hot little ass sat on your head and burned off some of the hair.

HUNTER
I don’t know any dwaves… not personally.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
That’s what you say.

HUNTER
Thank you for the visual.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Happy to oblige. You did say you wanted a visual.

HUNTER
That’s not what I meant. Now will you please come out where I can physically see you?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
As I recall, it was you who rushed over to the patio furniture section the moment I started looking at bras and panties. You weren’t too concerned about a visual then.

HUNTER
I was trying to provide you with some privacy.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
I tried a couple on, you know.

HUNTER
Good. I hope you found something you like.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
I did.

HUNTER
Excellent. That’s what we’re here for.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
And I didn’t use the dressing room either. (pause) I just whipped it all off right there and then. Stood buck naked in the aisle… trying on underwear smack in the middle of the store. That would have given you plenty of visual, huh? (giggles)

HUNTER
Glad I could accommodate your privacy then.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
No, you’re not.

HUNTER
Thanks.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Kinky.

HUNTER
Excuse me?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Short and curly... (giggles) Short and curly… no kinky…

HUNTER
What are you doing? Naming off the dwarfs with hot asses? Kinky, Short and Curly.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Nappy? Fuzzy? Scaly? Hmmm… Knobby? Knobby.

HUNTER
Is that the rest of the gang? Maybe we could book them for a stint at the Kingdom. The Hot Ass Dwarves… Limited engagement! (pause) Knobby?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Did you like my story about getting naked in the middle of the store?

HUNTER
So, it was a story.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
No. (pause)

HUNTER
Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea… you know… disrobing in the store and all. Generally if there are surveillance cameras… there are surveillance tapes.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
I don’t care. (pause) Oh, look… its standing.

HUNTER
Hey, what exactly are you zooming in on now?

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
The details these cameras can pick up… amazing!

HUNTER
Where are you pointing that camera?

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
The little curly hairs on your bald spot are a lot kinkier than the rest of your head. And they actually stand when you get excited…

HUNTER
Oh. I wasn’t excited.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Yes, you were.

HUNTER
I was… rankled. It’s a survival instinct. And… for the record… it’s thinning. Remember, I prefer the thinning spot on my head?

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Thinning. Whatever. Is our surveillance system at the Kingdom this good?

HUNTER
Our surveillance system is a little more upscale than what you would find at a local Target store.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
Why?

HUNTER
People like to steal from us.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
People like to steal from Target stores too.

HUNTER
We have a little more to lose… especially from card counters. Those guys are a dime a dozen in this city.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
The same could be said for shoplifters.

HUNTER
Not the same.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Sure, it is. A little here… a little there… it all adds up.

HUNTER
I suppose.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Especially those $5 dollar bikini briefs… like the ones in your pocket.

HUNTER
Hey, I was gonna pay for them before we left! And they were only $10 for a 3 pack.

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
So, you love a bargain as much as I do.

HUNTER
I like a bargain. Actions and emotions like love I save for…

MS. WHITE(V.O.)
For?

HUNTER
Never mind. Can you get out here… and get on with this? It’s 2 in the morning.

MS.WHITE(V.O.)
Precisely! It’s after hours. I need some music to shop by. Get me in the mood. I hate shopping without music.

MUSIC

HUNTER
Good. Now you have music. Can you please get on with it? The shopping part? I don’t have all night. (pause) Hey, you still up there? Ms. White? Ms. White?

So, let me know what you think... and where you think it's going... where you think it should go.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEXT PART.

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Once again, a big thank you to all of you who stopped by... and especially those of you who left such generous comments! As stated earlier, my 10th HNT would be my last regular (weekly) one. I will however be back perhaps on a bi-weekly basis... so, it's not like I'm going away forever. Besides, I'll come back as a lurker if nothing else.

Thank you also to those of you who wished me well. Please know that those wishes will transform into energy that I will be able to use in my wacky endeavors. My mistress (work) will be getting more demanding of my time and energy as these 6 months go by... and that energy will come in handy.

A big Thank You to the mighty Emperor Osbasso for creating HNT! You are more deserving of the title than you know. You have created a fun and often illuminating weekly event. Not only have I learned much about this wonderful and crazy group of bloggers... it has also afforded me the opportunity to rediscover my own creative muse. You rock, Os!

To all of you... do come by to visit. I will continue blogging (perhaps not everyday) and company (through comments) is always fun to have. I will continue my Picture Daze project... but more importantly, you will be able to share in my attempt at a new creation. (Will probably be the first play I would have written in 5 years.) There is a show that I have been meaning to write for years with the working title, "Lies my father told me" that I have decided to develop through postings on this blog. So, stop by and say hello!

cheers!
lecram

p.s. If you try the recipe I posted with this HNT... come by and let me know how you liked it.

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Well, looks like this may be the last HNT I do on a regular basis... I may come back every other week if possible. This is my busy time of year and I have 2 new plays to complete before the end of ther month. Plus there is the Rogue Festival to work on.

Oh... what is HNT? Click the nifty button and see...

45113638_202b79dc11

BTW if you are a performer or artist type... go here! We are accepting applications NOW! (See, how I'm working even here?)

So, tonight I decided to dish up something special... theatre... and performance. Consider it my "I'll see you sometime soon" gift to you... just to hold you over. Don't be shy to come by and visit though. :)

Yes, there is a soundtrack to this one as well... so make sure your speakers are turned on!

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Yep, ArtHop is tomorrow! Been a while since I've gone. Need to make an appearance to goose up applications for the Rogue.

BTW (this is a repeat I know... but I'm all about schelpping) For you performer and artists types - the ROGUE PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL is accepting applications for the 2006 fest! Yes, I'm afraid the rumors are true... I am one of those demented nutzoids who started this insane tomfoolery 5 years ago... and is now stuck running it even though I've been trying to palm it off to someone else. (BTW this is going to soon limit my participation in HNT. Go ahead... breathe that sigh of relief.) So, please make my life worthwhile and APPLY, dammit!

Oh... HNT tomorrow too... yikes!

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The Big Fresno Fair begins tomorrow! Time to check out the award winning livestock, fruits, crafts... stuff my face with corn dogs, cinnimon rolls, hot links... and bet the mules!!!!

The time of the year when heart attack food rules! The season of possible fast track money. Think I'll check out the Average White Band/Tower Of Power concert while I'm at it! Actually, the line-up this year isn't too shabby... perhaps there'll be more than 1 concert in the works for me.

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My Dad passed away in May 1971. For the Christmas holidays that year (which ran for 7 weeks) I was sent packing off to the hamlet of Sitiawan in the state of Perak. My uncle Mark lived there and sending me away provided my mother a much needed break to recover from the traumatic events of the year.

This was hardly my first trip there (and far from my last.) I knew the place well. The town itself was built on the junction of two roads. One could walk around the entire town in 10 minutes. It was also 7 miles away from the resort seaside town of Lumut (now a Naval base) which in turn was a 30 cent ferry ride from my favorite island, Pangkor. The gentle, pace of life was so different from the "big" city that I grew and lived in. Don't get me wrong, I love the city but only in a place like Lumut could I witness a malay boy slap the lapping sea water to summon a wild dolphin which he would swim and play with every evening.

Uncle Mark (my Dad's cousin... in the pic above at his 25th wedding anniversary) was like a second father to me. He was a man of respect in town... sort of an Andy Griffith in a Malaysian Mayberry. Rights of passage I would have missed with my Dad's demise were supplemented by time spent with uncle Mark in Sitiawan. Some of these included: my first inebriating taste of "toddy" at the tender age of 13, digging for cockles in the mud of the Sitiawan river, "kopi ganja", a coffee blend that included marijuana served at a local coffee shop, line fishing for squid and prawns, picking sour mangos off a tree and eating them with salt, seeing my first dead person who had committed suicide by hanging himself in front of the local movie theater and of course trips to Pangkor.

The journey there was an adventure in itself. My favorite route was taking a train to Michelle Yeoh's hometown of Ipoh. From there it would be a bus or cab ride to Sitiawan where you hopped on to another (local) bus to Lumut. From there one would get on to a ferry across to the fishing village on Pangkor. Half the village was built on stilts over the water and teeming with all sorts of fish trading activity. You can see some of the village in this pic of me on my last visit there in 1981. Then you either walked or took one of the 2 cabs to the beach on the other side of the island.

Earlier visits were mostly family affairs often including my cousin, Anna, (pictured on the left) who was like a sister to me as I was growing up. We usually stayed at the government "rest house" and frolicked by and in the warm, salty sea for most of the day. Often the fishing boats came to shore and we would buy fresh catch for dinner. On one of these trips I learned a hard lesson in the local belief in "animism". I was warned time and time again not to "kenching" (pee) by a tree lest the "datuk" (spirit) of the tree should become upset with me. I of course disregarded these warnings and that night my little boy penis painfully swelled into an ugly mushroom. My dad brought over a "pawang" (the local shaman) who while laughing at me performed a ritual and gave me an ointment of vinegar and tumeric to be applied 3 times a day to my tender nether region. I also had to go "apologize" to the tree spirit. So, there was no swimming for me the next 2 days which was torture for an 8 year old vacationing by the sea.

It was on another trip there where I last ran into my cousin, Lelly. We were both 9 or 10 years old at the time. Mind you, we have not seen each other in over 36 years. She now lives in Brighton, England and we only reconnected a short time ago through the internet. She claims that her last memory of me was of me swimming out and driving off the roof of this fishing boat. Now, through our blogs we have been getting reacquainted... and I have since discovered such a cool person who I'm proud to call my Cuz!

When I was old enough to travel on my own (I started at 12), trips to Pangkor became my escape to sanity. There was always a stop in Sitiawan to visit with Uncle Mark... then off for R&R on the island. I would usually stay at the "hotel" which was a collection of attap huts that were rented out for $1.50 a night. These rustic huts usually slept 2-3 comfortably and were frequented by backpacking Aussie student tourists. Here is a pic of my friend, Aziz in one of those huts. Nights included swims and sitting around the fire on the beach trading stories, food and joints. Kien and I also made several trips to Pangkor together... once with a troop of Girl Guides. We've shared lots of adventures there that we still smile fondly at.

I hear the place has developed quite a bit since I was last there. It's no longer "relatively untouched" and is now a much sought after resort area. I guess time and development marches on. For me, Pangkor and Sitiawan will always be the places I went to regain my sanity in the gentler days of my youth.

And so ends another edition of Picture Daze. Check out the sidebar for other editions.

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