Chapter 16 The New Bungalow

Within a short period of two months within that Company I had the full permission of the Boss to shift into the new bungalow built some five years ago but left alone without any residence.The Boss had refused to allow that predecessor of mine to move in.Well.I was able to convince him to allow me to shift in,much to the utter surprise of many who had plotted to frighten me off.

It was easy as I showed my stuffs to the Boss.My first impressions were never gopod to anyone but given the time and space to prove myself I managed to convince the Boss that I was make for that position.Of course with mu experiences I was able to handle the Boss with eased.My predecessor had not the quality nor experience to do so.No bragging I was able to read the Boss mind.

To begin with,I first found out why my predecessor was not given the permission to move in.He had bravely requested for a separate generator for his bungalow which the Boss refused flatly without confirming it.On this I cut that short by informing the Boss that the generator had to strength to cover all the staffs' and Manager's bungalows.I also took the liberty to reduce the running hours of the generator by at least seven hours daily thus saving precious fuel and repairs.

When you performed to cut down all costs always for the Boss's favor, one cannot go wrong.Should it back fired so what?,that should be respected as a good try.My experiences were telling.With the cut back of the generator set ,the breakdown were simultaneously reduced if not none except for the regular servicing which were unavoidable.All running time of generators and water-pump were trimmed down.All the above seemingly handed to me on a plate.

My actions pleased the Boss tremendously but not the others especially my Assistants and the staffs.Well,they were nothing only the Boss matters to me so hang them high up there.

The bungalow was situated at the three way junction and not fenced but that was no big deal because within the next three months I was granted the permission to erect a six foot high fencing around that whole plot of land.The bungalow as I moved in was infested with bats in its roofings but not doing any damages as yet.There were also a family of barn owls residing with that roof.

When night falls those rats ,bats and barn owls will be crawling around giving the atmosphere as the place was seemingly spooky if not haunted.For any new planter that should put him in fright but for me such things were common in bungalows especially those old colonial bungalows.Later I found out that those barn owls were residing in both bungalows,the one I lived in and the other the Enginneer's bungalow on a hill a short distance away.

Within months of my shifting into that bungalow I requested permission to have six foot wire netting fencing around it together with all existing land around it.With that erection completed I planted many fruit trees within that compound.Within a short period my bungalow was producing a large variety of fruits.Many types of flowers were also planted and I had a gardener taking care of all.

With those sucesses the Boss gave further instruction foen another plot of orchards directly behind my bungalow of which I planted a large variety of clonal durains.Here I was similarly a sucess as me durian soon bore fruits within three years.To the surprised of many my durians fruited within three years of planting.

Of course there was a technique to my planting method.Many do not agree but I had the fields to prove it with the trees that bore fruits within three years and these were other areas to confirm them.The methods of planting did played an important role which brought about the early maturity of those durians but also the clones of the durian involved.Certain clones like D 24 only bore fruits after at least six years in planting.

I established about ten acres at the back of my bungalow as an Orchard plots planting mostly durians and other fruits.As the those durians grew,I had a bard wired fencing erected around it.Fencing poles were sawn hard wood which littered all round the fields or at jungle edges.

These heavy hard wood were discarded in the fields during logging because these had no commercial values because the trunk had huge holes in its middle.Somehow burning them away were also difficult and thereafter left to rot by it selves in the fields.Seeing so many of them lying around I had them sawn into suitable sizes for fencing poles.I think this was a common features in all other plantations in Pahang.With that I saved something for the Boss for we need not purchased those durable fencing poles.

My bungalow was another show piece for the Boss because I had planted a lot of flowers all around the garden of my bungalow.Established within were many other fruit trees such as Durians,rambutan,oranges,pamaloes,star fruits,guavas,coconuts and chikus.The fencing of house were creepers blooming with radiant purple flowers,even over my gates.It was so attractive that the Boss brought his wife to have a view of it.

So attractive was my house yet it was seemingly spooky especially when in the late evening,when the bats come a flying in the open.With squeaking sound they made really makes on to wonder what were installed at the attic.The barn owls never help despite the fact that they were feeding on those bats and rats.Bats carried with them the dreadful bed bugs which consumned human blood. I always had my floors extra well sprayed with insectixcides.

THe barn owls were residing in both bungalows,mine and the engineer's which was situated on a hill.The family of barn owls therefore plied from one bungalow to the other,but stll I think it were the same family.When they gave chased to the bats and rats in the attic it really send frightening feelings to any new comer to my bungalow,while dweller like myself this was already a common thing.

As I resided there alone,I placed a guard in my sitting room.Yes, a guard with a shot gun,just an old timer with a gun.By such I can sleep in peace at night.You can really take chances in such an environments.Those noises from the attic certainly meant nothing by now.I was protecting myself from any intruders if any.In a plantation where the workers were mostly foreigners one cannot be careless.

The night life in the plantation were seemingly peaceful with the lovely evening breeze blowing most of the time.The sweet smelling of wild flowers were in the air in late,late evening.With wild flowers flowing in wildly signifying the presence of ghostly thing around.True?To me,yes it is true,female ghosts were around when the breezes brought in sweet smelling wild flowers.

I have met them so to say to tell the stories of my encounters with them.Believe it or not once one beautiful ghost offered four numbers ,and it came up in Magnum.I was greedy because I valued my life very much.That was why I banged hard in Toto not Magnum which was out of the way.I could easily had struck fifty thousand ringgit but my life was worth more than that.
Because should I strike the four digits with those numbers,my winning should not be less than five hundred thousand.

Most the bungalows I had dwelt in were huanted especially those colonial type of old bungalows.I had come a crossed them in the past.Initially during my earlier I was damn scared of them ghosts but having met them on numerous occasions the fear went off.Yes I even made friend s with them.Who says "Ghosts cannot be friends".








to be continued soon when inspired.