Chapter-6
2016, Dec, 37th Street, at a local teashop
LIN was a bit interested in talking about books and literature. Today, he had an appointment with his friend Oo at Seik Ku Thit (New Idea) teashop on 37th Street. Normally, they met each other for enjoying literature talks and other small pieces of stuff on Saturday morning when they had free time.
Lin was looking impatiently at his watch which said half-past eleven. Today, Lin wore a short-sleeve white shirt, and a Karen longyi (man’s sarong). The costume made him high-spirited. He thought that today’s sun was not as hot as last week because he sensed that the winter started to unfold its coldness in the city, making it more livable.
In the early morning, he noticed that mist was falling down shortly when he opened his window to see the first sunlight. He saw corrugated roofs were wet with mildew. At this time, he liked to tug his feet under the blanket and cuddled up in the bed.
But, he needed to wake up when he remembered he would meet his friend Oo because he got an appointment with him this morning downtown. He told his friend Oo to come down to meet him at 10:30 am, and his friend said that he would come according to the time.
Lin was already seated at a stool outside the teashop. Now, it was nearly an hour gone since he waited for his friend at the teashop. He looked at the empty cup of tea again and poured some green tea into the small plastic blue cup. He was blankly looking at the amorphous steam coming out from it.
He was sitting outside the teashop, feeling the sun was blazing hot on his back through the insufficient cover of the plastic umbrella set up by the teashop. So, he tried to move into the shade, but he was not much success because the sun seems to move to the place wherever he liked to go.
This morning the teashop did not have as many tea drinkers as on weekdays. Three or four tea drinkers could be found inside the teashop. Only Lin was sitting at the premises of it. He thought that he should leave soon because he felt a little bit hungry for having not enough breakfast he had taken in the morning at home.
He called out a thin young girl waiter to get the money for the cup of tea. Instead of coming directly to Lin, she was still wiping and rubbing the washed plates in front of her with the ragged napkin.
Impatiently, Lin called out to her again. “Here, the money for tea!” Only then did she stand up from her seat, and approached Lin. When he was about to stand up from a low-level stool, someone pressed his hand on Lin’s shoulder from behind.
And Lin turned around to see his friend Oo smiling broadly at him, and Oo said sorry for being late. Lin just wanted to give him the best sourness in his mind, but he kept it away and told Oo, “You’re late as late as the turtle in the fable.” “In this pace, you won’t win the race.”
Oo got the sense of sour humor from Lin whose words were really tense, and unwelcome. Oo knew that Lin was disappointed with his late coming. So, Oo thought up a plan to console his friend’s vexation.
“Come on, Lin. Don’t get me wrong, and don’t be too tense on me. I have tried to come here at the appointed time. But, this morning I rushed to go to uptown to carry out my brother’s order.”
“When I came back from there, on the way, as you know, the traffic was dragging me and the car’s tires were stuck as if they were glued to the asphalt road so that I couldn’t make it on time. But, I’ll buy you a plate of Nann (flatbread) with chickpeas. I know you like it.”
Lin thought that how clever Oo was. Oo knew how to console Lin’s anger with his favorite food.
“You’re so cruel and heartless that you let me wait for nearly an hour. Next time, I’ll do the same to you.”
Sensing the determination in Lin’s voice, Oo nodded his head, without complaining anything because Oo knew that in this way he could expel his friends’ anger away. Oo started the conversation as they sat down again at the stools.
Oo shouted “Po Seint (light sweet tea) for me and a plate of Nann with chickpeas for my friend.” Oo was such a naughty boy to tease his best friend Lin all the time. There came the reply from the thin waitress, “Sure, I’ll bring the order as quickly as I can.”
Upon it, Lin cast a disdainful glance at her. But, Oo smiled at the quick reply of the girl who was about seventeen years of age, not knowing the inconvenience between Lin and the thin waitress. And Oo saw the indignant expression of the teashop owner who sternly sat at the counter. Her only interest was counting money and imposing orders on her workers.
Lin faced his friend Oo and waited for the food. Instantly, the food arrived. And, Lin was ready to take a piece off from the Nann which was a bit hot; he blew at it to cool a little bit off. Then, Lin put some chickpeas and fried onion into the piece of Nann which was ready to put inside his mouth.
Oo also felt tantalizing to taste it. But, Oo knew that he needed to give his friend Lin first to taste it. Afterward, Lin was chewing Nann and chickpeas. And they went down his throat; Lin picked up a cup of green tea and gulped it down. He felt now quite satisfied.
Lin’s unclear mind became straightened up. His mood was back to normal after his empty belly was stuffed with food. During the time, Oo took out some old books which he was brought from home. He laid them down before Lin who looked at them fascinatingly.
“Lin, you know, these are from my brother’s book collection. I’ve brought them here for you.”
Lin looked at the books and found that they were good English novels and fiction.
Lin felt very happy and thought what a good friend Oo was and his piqued mind became smooth out again.
2017, January, downtown YangonLIN was thinking about the author C. J Richards and asking the same question again and again because the curiosity was gnawing his conscience. He really wanted to find out about this author’s life such as where he was born, where he was educated, why he chose to come to Burma, etc.Even he tried to find the author on Google, but only a few facts appeared. He was wondering where this author spent his life after his retirement from I.C.S (Indian Civil Service) in 1947 just before the country Burma (now it is called Myanmar) gained its independence in 1948.Lin was placing the poetry book on his lap, and staring into the distance from the balcony which was on the sixth floor of the downtown building on 40th Street. Although he was at the balcony, he felt no stirring of wind. So, he thought that it was another rather hot day in January.Actually, this was not his apartment, but it was h
2017, January, Downtown YangonIT was Saturday. Lin was free from his job. Lin sat at the desk, looking out from the window, staring at the coconut trees which flanked their house fence. On the desk, there were a box for pens and a book was open on the table. It seemed that Lin was reading a book.Lin was looking at the stirring palm leaves of the coconut trees which bore a clump of several coconut fruits. His glance moved from coconut trees to the sky which was sky blue and clear. It seemed that today would be fine.Last night his uncle U Thein Lwin related some history of Rangoon. It was a very interesting topic his uncle told him. It was also remarkable. Rangoon was used to call Dagon in Myanmar King and Mon King’s times.When King Alaungpaya won Dagon city from Mon’s hands in 1755, he changed the name into “Yangon”, which means “End of Strife”. But to the ears of British, they prefer to pro
2017, January, Downtown YangonLIN went over to Oo’s place on the next day to retrieve his poetry book as soon as the day came in. He did not sleep well last night. He was worried about the loss of the book and his mind was tittered with whether he would get it again or lose forever.A boiled pea seller’s cry from the street outside pierced through Lin’s bedroom to wake up his sleep which he got from late in the early morning. Even the sun rays passing through his window already shone on the wooden floor. Lin sat up on his bed with a little bit drowsy.Lin’s bedroom was strewn with books, lying on the floor because he liked to pile the books on the floor. But, his uncle U Thein Lwin preferred keeping books on shelves to place them on the floor.He glanced at the table clock which said seven-thirty. He thought that he should go to Oo’s apartment after taking a bath. When he finished taking a bat
2017, January, YangonTWO weeks had gone. Lin did not get any news from Oo, and he started to feel frustrated and it was hard to concentrate on the job at this state of mind. He wondered what he should do. He was waiting for Oo’s call all the time. But, he was trapped in his threat to Oo. If Oo could not find the similar book, their friendship would be an end.Lin got back home from his job, going around the downtown book stores to collect book orders for next delivery. With heaviness in mind, he felt a little bit tired. At the entrance of the house, Lin paused for a while, with his head downward, trying to control his agitated and wandering mind.When he got inside the house, his uncle U Thein Lwin greeted Lin, and called him to come over to him. “Lin, come over here. Here some tea for you.”Lin approached his uncle with slow paces and he sat down beside his uncle’s armchair. Then, his uncle inquired soft
2017, February, Golden Valley, YangonTHE taxi dropped Lin and Oo at the gate which said No. 35, Golden Valley. Oo pressed the bell at the gate. Before their eyes, they saw some padauk trees with thick foliage were standing quietly.The compound was spacious, and quiet, being free from the noises of downtown Yangon. Within minutes, a doorman appeared at the gate and ushered them in.Oo said, “We came here to see U Aung Aye Myint.”When they entered the living room from the balcony, Lin noticed a wooden settee in it. They both sat down on rattan chairs and waited for U Aung Aye Myint. During the time, they both browsed their eyes around the living room.On the wall facing them, they saw an oil painting depicting the natural beauty of Bagan in silhouette but they could not figure out who the painter was. They both were feasting their eyes on it, feeling wonderful at the artwork done by one of Myanmar art
I.CECIL John Richards (C.J.Richards) went back to England in 1947 after I. C. S (Burma) was dissolved from service. This was also a chance to live again with his wife and sons to lead a peaceful family life.He chose a place in Swarraton in Hampshire where the surroundings were peaceful and quiet and its environs reminded him of Burma and its people. Swarraton is a small village in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It lies three miles (5km) from New Alresford. Its nearest railway station is in New Alresford, on the Mid-Hants section of the London and South Western Railway.The locality of the place was much suited to him because he could also visit his old colleagues and friends who served in Burma as I.C.S and they would meet regularly on weekends to relate their old days in Burma.He had lived in Burma for over three decades and served well up to D. C (District Commissioner), starting from a settleme
1920-21, RangoonEveryone on Bibby Liner became agitated when the ship was entering the channel of Rangoon River. They felt less worried after passing the famous, dangerous reef at the mouth of the river. The channel became less perilous after Captain Frazer planned to build the lighthouse at the point chosen by Scottish Light House Engineer who happened to be the uncle of famous author Robert Louis Stevenson.Also, Cecil was excited so that he closed the book he was reading. His excitement became more intense when he beheld the golden spire from the starboard of the ship he was in. He knew that in a few hours, he would be arriving in Rangoon. He saw other passengers standing very near to the rail, looking ahead of them.Some white handkerchief dropped from someone’s hands and was flipping across by the wind until it finally landed onto the surface of the water. Cecil was looking after it and his eyes went down to the water
C.J.R in ToungooCecil went to Toungoo (formerly named Dinnyawadi) by train to take training for I.C.S for a year. During the training, he needed to learn Judicial, General, Revenue, Land Records, Treasury, and Registration as the other I.C.S candidates did.Cecil knew that these subjects were very important to run the country’s administration. He paid much attention to them. At university, Cecil was weak in Mathematics. But, he was trying to do well in each subject.Toungoo lies on the right bank of the Sittaung river, and it is about two miles above the mouth of its tributary the Kabaung, in north latitude 18º 56´and east longitude 96º 27´.Toungoo district was formed in 1855 on the effective occupation of the province and was administered by a Deputy Commissioner, subordinate to the Commissioner whose headquarters were at Rangoon. For administration, it is divided into three subdivisions _ Toungoo,