Kiyoshi_My Playmate at Kuala Kangsar

Last Monday, on our way back from Cameron Highlands to Bukit Mertajam, we stopped at Kuala Kangsar to pay a visit to my wife’s cousin sister. At the same time I could take a nap there before we continued our journey back home.

Kiyoshi, the only grandson of the cousin sister, was very delighted to see us. He personally gave me 2 pieces of ice cream cakes, telling me to eat one first and to keep the other for the next day. A moment later, he took out from the freezer one of his remaining two cups of ice cream to offer me. I politely turned down the gesture.

Kiyoshi is much closed to me as I am his sole play mate in the house whenever I pay a visit to Kuala Kangsar. He is a cute, energetic and intelligent boy. At the age of 5, he is very playful. The elders have bought him a lot of toys to play. What he really lacks, is not the toys, but the playmate(s).

As there was no child around to play with, I was made his Hobson’s choice. I did not want to disappoint him, so I tried to be quite obliging to cooperate with him, to play whatever games introduced by him. We kicked football; played basketball, badminton, snooker, golf and others. Hiroshi was very creative. He would introduce rules or ways of playing a game.

Once, he did show me how he “repaired” his toy electric car, imitating his mechanic father. At another time, he patiently narrated the stories of his pet, a tortoise.

Although Kiyoshi was playful, he was very rational and understanding. He knew that I was very tired after a long journey; he would allow me to take a nap first. He then played quietly by himself without making noise. After the short nap, I joined him in his play until it was time for us to leave the house.