All Grown Up

When I first got to know H back in 1996 (we'd just finished SPM back then), my eldest nephew Shazwan was turning one year old. The first time I invited H to come over to meet-the-parents (my parents!), it was for Shazwan's first birthday bash. We were 17 and Shazwan had just learned to talk. He was a quick-talker, I tell ya. At one year old he was asking questions like a two year old. He listened to stories and repeated them to other people. When in restaurants, he would order his own food ("Nasi goreng satu, milo ais satu!") much to the amusements of waiters/waitresses. He was such a cute kid who was a real joy to be with.

And like all kids, he grew up.

Now he is 13 years old, a smart-talker who says the most shocking things which would cause his grandma to go "Astaghfirullah!!".. like that time last month when he said that one day when he's got a girlfriend, he'd want to go for a road trip to Genting so that they can have a date up there. Pffft. Ideas a teenager gets from peers. And just like how my parents flailed and fainted every once in a while when dealing with us in our teenage years, sister and BIL are going through the same exact situation. Karma is a funny thing, yeah?

H used to spend hours playing wrestling with Shazwan. H was the uncle that Shazwan used to follow around, and surprisingly still does now (sometimes). Now H is Shazwan's main confidante in the family, and somewhat his role model. H isn't too comfortable with the idea, but one must try to live up to a child's expectations sometimes.

Standing at 5 feet 5 inches, 65 kilos, it's disorienting to see the child who is nearly an adult himself bent over in a secret conversation with a skinny lanky man who is his confidante and advisor.

Shazwan's nearly the same weight as his Uncle H now, he can even carry the older guy on his back.


We all grow out of our role models once we reach an age where our peers seem cooler and our individuality becomes of utmost importance. Although this will happen when Shazwan outgrows H one day, I do hope that their closeness remains somehow.

We love you, you stubborn but soft-hearted wrestler boy, you. Remember that.