After reading
huiyingloh's story about her hometown. I had the urge to write about mine too. I am a Klang boy. Klang 'kampung' boy, some said. A friend once thought...we don't have electricity and we still live on trees. My mom and dad is from Klang, they were born in Klang. So we are Klang people. Original. Not artificial.
This is just a small town compared to Shah Alam or Petaling Jaya. There are 2 sides of Klang, divided by the all famous - Klang river. You can tell by its murky water and stench. Don't stand too near or wind down your car window when you're travelling on either one of the two bridges connecting the 2 sides of Klang. I used to stay on the 'happening' side of Klang...the side where all the big shopping complexes are located. Bukit Raja Shopping Centre and Klang Parade are just about 15mins away from where i stayed. Recently, I've shifted to the 'other' side of Klang. From one end to another. This side is just beginning to bloom. New shopping complexes and hypermarkets were raised and there are more in the government's project pipeline. Tesco is only 10mins away from where i stay now. Giant is about 15mins.
We used to have those 'old age' cinemas too. Those standalone buildings...with huge poster spots on its outer walls. I think the ticket was around RM5. Pretty expensive for me as i was only a secondary school student back then. I only get RM2 for my allowance per day. One of these cinemas is still in business, they are playing Hindi movies mostly. I wonder who would still visit such a place...now that we have a new age thing called - Cineplex.
Klang has changed so much since 10 years ago. (I kinda like to use 10 years as a measure...not too long...not too short...just enough to see some obvious changes) Well...10 years ago...we had our first 'nice' shopping complex - Bukit Raja Shopping Center. This is where all the teenagers hang out mostly. I was one of them. I just finished Form 5 and took my first job there. Tie Shop. Being the only one employed by the boss, I had to look after the shop, stock take, handle to 'accounts'...almost everything on my on. If I had to go toilet or lunch, I had to close shop. Most people (even my friends who came to visit me...or those who works in Jusco) thought my dad owned that shop. I wish. I drove my dad's new Nissan Sentra to work. Those working at the shop next door - "Hello Station" thought I lied when I said I was only an employee. After only a month...I quit my first job...as I had to attend college.
Back then, we still have our old 'pasar'. I used to visit this place when I was young. With my Granny and uncle. Every Sunday. That was about 10x2 years ago. I'd wake up early just to follow them to get some 'wet' stuff. In return, my uncle will usually buy me a box of Ding Dang or Tora. That's my reward...and reason why I followed them there. The old wet market has been demolished, now a new tall building stands in its place. They shifted to a new location since 5 or 6 years back. It's now a much better looking place with lots of parking space. My Granny, my uncle and I...we don't go there anymore.
