Wednesday, June 26, 2019

The Lord Calls (5)

2 days ago, while looking at old pictures, going down the memory lane and reminiscing, my thoughts went to a friendly young man, who I am thankful for.   If it was not for this young friendly gentleman-photographer, I wouldn't have those old pictures.  I knew he worked for a newspaper.   That was in 1971 when I was in Form V.   We never met after that.

I could even remember his name, Alfred Lee.    After 48 years of not being in contact, I wanted to find him and thank him again for the pictures.   It must be that I am older now and have more time to reflect on the past.   So I looked him up on the worldwide popular social network, Facebook.   I found  Alfred Ak Lee.    This Facebook guy is fatter and having not seen him for 48 years, I was not sure he is the Alfred Lee of 1971.   However Alfred Ak Lee is a photographer and there was a picture of him when he was younger that looks like Alfred Lee of 1971.    So I requested friendship.  I wrote him a private message asking him if he was the Alfred Lee of 1971.   2 days, no reply and I wonder.   His last public posting was in May 2018.  His profile pictures is of a photographer and so it is odd that he is not posting any pictures since May 2018.

I don't know why I continue to search for him.   I read an article from PressReader.com of a Alfred Lee that died of cancer on the 26 July 2018.   And I saw a resemblance of the Alfred Lee of 1971 in the picture that they posted in the article.   I felt that this is the Alfred Lee that I was looking for because of what they wrote about him.

However, I didn't want to take it for granted that the Alfred Lee who passed away is the Alfred Lee of 1971.    So I messaged the only FB mutual friend of Alfred Ak Lee and myself, to check if Alfred Ak Lee had passed away.   Our mutual friend didn't know.   That is odd.   I guess sometimes there are FB friends that we hardly keep up with, like in this case.

I wonder who I could ask.   I asked a former classmate, whom I thought would know.   Nope.    A former schoolmate came into my mind.   He had worked as a Municipal Counselor so he definitely would know.    And yes, bingo, he confirmed that the Alfred Lee of 1971, was the Alfred Lee that had died last year.  I didn't know his full name (Alfred Lee Kim Lung) until I read the article of his passing.

I am sorry, Alfred Lee, that I was too late in thanking you again for taking pictures of some of our school activities.   I know I have thank you in 1971 but I felt like thanking you again.





The Lord Calls (4)

I knew Agatha Wong when we worked together at the Miri/Bintulu Project in 1973-74.   Sweet lady.   She operated a stall at the Tamu Muhibbah before she ventured into tailoring business.   I would take my clothes to her when I needed help with some sewing work.
13-July-2009
















Time passed and it was only around Chinese New Year 2019 when I wondered why she didn't reply my messages.   Found out that she had passed away on Christmas Day 2018, from colon cancer.   Last I saw her was in 21 April 2016.   Another friend gone.   She will be missed.
Last picture with Agatha Wong.  18-September-2014.