Swamp

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Atchafalaya Swamp

Thursday, October 9, 2008

No Country for Old Men

Geezer #2 and #3 (sorry, didn't catch your blog, G3)


REGRETTABLY THIS ISN'T A MOVIE REVIEW starring Tommy Lee Jones or Josh Brolin or even directed by Ethal or Joel Coen.

Instead, it stars two old geezers. A
nd directed by me, Mat Salo.

They're tough sons of bitches too, I might add.

I bumped into them this morning, something I hadn't expected to happen in a minor fender-bender-kind-of-way.
Come on, would you rather bump into these old geezers . . . or some purty young thang with endless legs that will put a bounce to your step and a twinkle in your eye? Not too mention a longing, a stirring, in the --uh, never mind. Furthermore, the distinct possibility of these old timers having lost their marbles cannot be overlooked. But let's be fair: Chances are it's probably as strong the prosecution's case against Anwar or RPK. They haven't lost everything I don't think, oh no, not by a long shot. Least of all is their balls. Because they still talk about sex the way my seven-year old boy talks about video games.

One goes by the name of Zorro, and the other is Din Merican, who calls himself a 'once-reluctant blogger' who has re-muslimmed himself 'the Malaysian DJ blogger', whatever that means. He ain't an 'Merican in case you're wondering because his MyKad says he's as Malaysian as you and me. And to prove it he pulled his wallet out for my scrutiny. That's how bonkers he might appear to some.

Officially he is PKR's version of UMNO's Shabery Cheek, minus the drool trailing the sides of the cheek. His detractors might claim that if Anwar pulls it off, this is the man who might be Malaysia's next Information Minister. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. He needs to get elected or gets appointed senator first. All he and Zorro was guilty off this morning was to pounce on me, with no warrant or anything before
proceeding to 'torture' me with Nescafe tarik and chapati in front of Club Shabas...

Now sitting with these geriatric gentlemen got me thinking. What the hell are they doing? Shouldn't they be outside a kindergarten or primary school waiting to pick their grandchildren up or something?

Instead, these geezers took it upon themselves to declare 'war' against the establishment; righting wrongs and fighting injustices in the Malaysian political and civil arena. Plus being an icon and the object of womens fantasies helps. A female lawyer-blogger with a hot bod (you know who you are) once let a hot lovers breath brush my ear, 'We need these old timers to fight for us lah. We can't do it because we have everything to lose. ISA is not cool, okay? We got our kids to think about . . . for them their children already grown-up. They got nothing to lose.'

Coming from a 'hot bod' --lawyer I mean, her logic is hard to refute. But I disagree: there's always something to lose. Mind bending orgasms is one. But why has it got to be so? Why can't normal, clear and level-headed citizens be vocal too? Oh, OK, I get it. I.S.A., cat food and all that.

Think of your little ones and your rice bowl first, right? And the all time number one favorite: What good can one do if one is behind bars or rotting in Kamunting?


I think my friend Sheih Kickdefella has probably heard the same arguments but chose to do what's right. And yes, some pro-UMNO bloggers have accused both him and RPK as 'blogger whores' hired for the sole purpose of bringing down Mr. Rosmah at all cost. Maybe so but you know it ain't so? (Or Bob Dylan would sing: it's all true . . . everything you heard?)

But damn, whether passionately having a discourse about KJ or Mukhriz, or explaining to me the various convoluted conspiracy-tinged 'Get Anwar' or 'Get RPK' schemes, these senior citizens are apt to break into song, usually simultaneously, something even a self-proclaimed amateur musicologist like me find alarming. The tune? It's called 'When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano'. Before I wrote this post up I was forced to google the song and discovered that:

A) It was a hit by The Ink Spots back in 1940 and went up as high # 4 in that years'
hit parade charts,

and,

B)
27 years later the same song was covered by Pat Boone who took it to # 80. I suppose this must be the version they were singing; and that version was in '67, folks. Remember, these are old geezers we're dealing with here.

Let me reproduce the lyrics and tell me what you read into it. Because I don't have a freakin' clue.

When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano

Words & Music by Leon Rene
Recorded by The Ink Spots, 1940 (#4*)


D9 A7 D D7 D6 D9 G9 G G/F# E7
When the swallows come back to Cap - is - tra - no,

A Em7 D B7 E7 Edim A7
That's the day you promised to come back to me;


D9 A7 D D7 D6 D9 G9 G Gm
When you whispered, "Farewell" in Cap - is - tra - no,

A Em7 D B7 E7 D9 E7 A7 D Gm D
Twas the day the swallows flew out to the sea.



Bridge:

D7 G Em7 A7 D
All the mission bells will ring

A7 Edim Gdim D C#7
The chapel choir will sing

F#7 Bm Bm7/E
The happiness you'll bring

E7 Cdim E7 A7

Will live in my mem - o - ry


D9 A7 D D7 D6 D9 G9 G Gm
When the swallows come back to Cap - is - tra - no,

A Em7 D B7 E7 A7 Gdim D
That's the day I pray that you'll come back to me

(courtesy of the The Guitar Guy)


Tell me, have they lost their marbles? Or are we the ones that have lost ours, letting these geezers fight the good fight for us while we fear for our next paycheck?


You tell me.

No country for old men? Maybe it is.

These old geezers may have lost their marbles, but at least they're working hard to reclaim them via their consequences-be-damned blogs.

And for that they deserve our utmost respect.


Me and Geezer #1. Who forced me to don his PKR themed Timberland jacket for the photo opp. Does he strike you as someone who has lost his marbles?

*This post is also dedicated to the other tough sons of bitches like Chegu Nazir, Hantu Laut, Ancient Mariner, Bang Bakaq and Pak Zawi . I implore you to check them out in case you haven't. How old is 'old', you ask. Going by Soi Lek's performance, oldies are goodies. His bedroom skills can put men half his age to shame. But for our purposes, let's just say 50. Because that's when the usually start making E.P.F. withdrawals and look forward to playing with their grandkids. But instead, whacking errant politicians, stupid policy-makers and misguided civil servants have become their raison d'etre.

15 comments:

din merican said...

Thanks, Mat.

din merican said...

Hey, Mat, marbles are only lost when minds are cluttered with schemes to cheat on the public.

Men of my generation gave so much off ourselves during the early years of Malaysian Independence; in the autumn of our years, we must return to the fold and fight for change. Sitting on our comfortable asses is not an option.

granddaddy said...

Mat Salo,

Good write-up. Nice to meet you.

I have cross-linked it to Tindakmalaysia.com here http://tindakmalaysia.com/tm_forums2008/index.php/topic,12.new.html#new, post #17.

pywong

zorro said...

Hey Swampman, your thread injected the testosterone juices in all directions, not that I am complaining. Elviza is correct. This is the old geezers time. You young guns take care of your kids, we old foggies will take care of the time that is now. When we took time to put bread on the table we allowed the rot to fester and multiply. I for one regretted my complacency and misdirected priorities. IT IS PAYBACK TIME NOW AND I HOPE TO MAKE UP FOR MY INDIFFERENCE OVER THE YEARS.
It ain't your's or Elviza's time YET, but your time will come and then you must saddle up and go get them critters.

They might break this old body but they will never possess my mind.
Peace and good will comrade swampman

Pak Zawi said...

Mat Salo,
I have to protect my grandchildren from the vultures who may leave nothing for my grandchildren after they have had their fill. How will Malaysia be by the time they are grown up? At the rate they are going I shudder at the tought of what it will be like after their plunder. Will it become another Sahara?

The Ancient Mariner said...

Hey Mat oi,

Unlike Pak Zawi, den takdo cucu lai,
so WTF.

Pantang nenek moyang den bagi muko ..

Unknown said...

I just want to be proud of my country but as it is the feeling is not 100%. Why? Need I say more?

cakapaje said...

Salam bro,

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! Psst...can the 'old geezers' hear us? Lol! I'm with you bro...a tribute to them. And soon...in about 4-5 years time, someone will put it to us...sheesh! I'm still a young man! :)

J.T. said...

Hi Mat Salo

As far as I know, one of the old geezers you refer to did in the past stand up for the teachers (together with his comrades) and got punished for it too.

Some people just have it in them. Some come to it when they see the light and some hold on for the purposes of keeping their family alive.

My hat's off to those brave 'uncles'.

Anonymous said...

Hi cuz,

I suppose when we reach that "geriatric" age there's relatively nothing much left to lose compared to the younger people with their careers and budding families.
I salute them for still wanting to make a difference for the future generations.
Remember that until we die, our deeds are still being accounted for, good or bad. And after we're dead, one of the three deeds that goes on indefinitely is our contribution to the well-being of the society. I do hope these brave people are doing just that.
Take care bro and have a safe journey back to Kaltim!

kbguy said...

hei, they are not old yet. They are young at heart and is still kicking hard ! In chinese hokkien, they are call "lao-chiao" or od-bird, which means very experience people. They eat more salt then the young chickus eating rice. The difference between them and us is they have the courage. I bet they are worst when they were still at their younger years, lack of experience and wild and hard to handle type. And for Sheih, he is still young and inexperience. Just use his horns and knock what ever he thinks it's right for the sake of justice ! That is what you call fresh blood ! he.. he.
Btw, we are far above age as far as Sheih is concern, but not far from Zoro and DJ Merican. Give another 3 or 4 years more and you'll qualify for EPF withdrawal.Do you think you are old ? I'll be joining Zoro and DJ Merican for the sake of justice and Old Men's Country soon !!

Mat Salo said...

Thanks for the comments guys (and gals).Was traveling whole of last week via Jakarta and finally, holed up where I've always belonged - on a rust bucket disguised as a swamp barge.

Hope to be able to see you in your blogs soon!

P.S. Thanks Mr.Wong, nice to have met you too. Appreciate the link.

Apa Kau Nak said...

Hi I just came across your blog and enjoys your writing very much. Its full of two sides of the coins.

Mr old geezers seems penuh berkarisma (dan bergaya gambarnya). They are becoming today's nation-concerned-young -chick's fantasies. Go get 'em tiger!!! ;)

ArahMan7 said...

Hola wareh den,

My, my! I'm honoured. You graced My Journey To Recovery with your presence.

And thanks for the lovely comments too. Now look what have you done? I'm still blushing. My beloved wife were looking at me, hard! I guess she must sense something amiss coz she then asked, "Wat's da matter, Hon? Looks like you have just being proposed?"

I guess I must have looked like a dirty old man who have just been caught with his hand (pecker?) in the cookies' jar!

"I'm not that horny, Cayang. I'm not about to run off chasing anything that wear skirt. Anyway, who would want an old man like me?" - she must have not heard me when I said, "if only you knew... ?" (nasibaik tak donga, kalo tak parah den, lol!) ;-)

Seriously, I felt so small. Even so after Mat Cendana befriended me and introduced me to the giants who's who in the Malaysian bloggersphere.

Dato Klana Primary School? Was it in Channel Road, Sikamat, Somban? I was there in 1973-74 when Sek. Men Sains NS invaded your school and took two buildings to serve as our hostels.

Those were the days when our HQ in Gontam, Pilah tak siap laie. Jadi kita orghang numpang ket skolah KGV selama 2 tahun.

Bodyguard kita orghang, akak2 diTunku Kurshiah (maso tu tongah nak naik, sumo eh lawa2 belako) dan abg2 ket SDAR. Those were the days Mat Salo. It's a long long story and it will take a long long time to story. Esok2 la den cito.

Sonang2, singgah la laie ket blog den.

Greetings and lots of love from a Nogorian living in Kuale Kangsor.

~ ArahMan7

ArahMan7 said...

Hola again!

You got me curious with your signature Cucu Jaman #1. After a few phone calls her and there, the picture is clearer now.

Hehehe, nice to hear from Apak Jaman's grandson (not forgetting the no. one too, lol!)

Sorry about the wrong reference (Dato Klana Primary, Langiang) on my comment earlier.

Yeah I admit, the burnt house (sobolah umah Pak Busu Ahmad) used to be my port before it was razed down. Never thought the white house (umah kek simpang tigo soborang balai) was the local addicts haunts.

Well, it sure does brings me back in time (not all of them were bad, though).

See you around. Maybe we can talk things over latte or whatever you favor.

Greetings and lots of love from a Langiang living in Kuale Kangsor.