Sunday, December 23, 2007

To Sir, With Love...To Cikgu Nazir

When Cikgu made his comment in my last posting, making a remark about him wanting to act as a bad guy in a movie - supposedly to be based on that entry - I was reminded about this book I read and how I had pictured Cikgu Nazir as one of the characters in the book.

Icarus, written by Russel Andrews, is a 2001 publication and is a who-done-it story. Though the story itself is nothing outstanding, the narration by Andrews is! Since the book involves several characters, some with intimate ties, I found Andrews narration of the bond between Jack Keller (main character) and Dominick Bertolini or Dom for short, rather heartwarming as far as the relationship between a man and his adopted son goes by. But I'm not going to write about this chapter. Rather, let you read it yourself as I've scanned it and hopefully, the text-picture will come out nice enough to read. But to give you a better understanding the relation between the two, I have briefly outlined the story below.

Jack Demeter is a successful Restaurateur, married and devoted to his wife. But he has a phobia of heights which sort of became the theme for this story, though as a child of about 10, he loves to visit his mother's office in a high rise building and flatten himself against the huge window panes in the office. As he does so, he would imagine himself flying, similar to Icarus, a legendary Greek figure.

On this particular day of this story, Dom took Jack to see his mother's office while Dom himself stayed below to give the 2 a private moment. Though it was not mentioned, the writer hinted the possibility of Dom marrying Jack's mother, and hence, the private moment for Jack's mother to break the news to Jack. Unfortunately at the very same time, a deranged ex-con went up to the same office - where everyone else had gone home for the day - seeking blind revenge.

As the story goes, Jack's mother was killed when she was thrown out of the 30storey window. Jack too nearly suffered the same fate but somehow managed to break free from the ex-con. With the mother dead, Dom took Jack into his life, perhaps out of sheer love and devotion to Jack's mother.

The rest of the story, well, you have to buy and read it for yourself :)





Ok, so you may not find much in this chapter and I am a romantic fool who thinks the writer managed to show the bond between the 2 - the soft side of each - amid the tough exterior each man portray. Mind you, this is not a love affair between a guy and a girl, nor is it a gay-thing; it is though, the natural love between 2 matured man, a camaraderie bonded by the hard time both faced when they lost the woman they loved. Needless to say, this is my favourite chapter.

Now, if you've read the chapter, then perhaps this would make sense: if ever amongst my friends and blogging brothers there is a guy who came to my mind when reading about Dom, then surely it has to be you, Cikgu Nazir; if not physically, then surely, I would think, in character. Forgive me if I am wrong, but that is what I think. Er, it is a compliment ya :)

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I have not read the book yet and no I have not read extract that you scanned. All I can say is that I am a person who value friendship very much. I have taken the fall for quite a few friends simply because they are friends.

Since I have not read that extract I do not know the characters but I do know about bonding.

Let me put it simply like this. Whats a few extra miles for a dear friend or someone dear.

I would thank you anyway even if I were to be made out as a villain. Life is just too short to be offended by whatever thing that happens.

Thanx again buddy.

cakapaje said...

OK, before anything, just would like Cikgu and Kerp (especially) to note of Doc's comment at the previous entry and are as follows:

Blogger tokasid said...

Salam Shah:

Who are the easy victims of con-men and DP?I think its guys or ladies who think all ppl are god-hearted and having no bersangka buruk about others.When you have no sangka buruk to others, you will not know how to judge ppl's character.

I was rarely cheated like ou kena, but always bcome victims towards friends who borrowed money and promising to pay after a certain period of time.Unfortunately months became a year and a year became 10 years. despite repeatedly kena janji palsu or conned, ppl like you and me will react the same way again and again and again. What to do? Nak kena start bersangka buruk ke?

Me as the ASP? No lah...aku nak jadi the Nigerians( ada ka org Nigeria pendek2 dan boroi? Jadi Pygmy boleh lah aku) atau jadi supir saja.

kalau Kerp yg bos mafiaso okay. Kerp kena shave bald and bila dok kat wheelchair nampak mcm Marlon Brando in Godfather!! Amacam Kerp?Boleh?

4:41 PM

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

Sir, you are most welcome :)

Like you, I believe there still man who value friendship above anthing else. I have friends like Razak Bakar, Siam, MB, and quite a few more whose friendship I value highly. Unfortunately, we each have our paths to thread, and it is I who have remained a hermit from many.

Anyway, I just can't imagine you as a villain. If any, another character that I can picture you is as Pancho Villas :) But off course, you would have to be the brainier one.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

ok for both entries, i shall put my say here.

i know cikgu wont feel offended by this but out of courtesy, i forward my apology in advance. cikgu does look like some baddies. gotta be his beard(?).

reading this entry, i just wish JACK would be thrown out of a building as high as KLCC and landed hard head-first on a busy street with a gigantic 10-ton truck speeding its way towards JACK's carcass!

docTA, i do shave my head every fortnightly. i look more like a street thug than a Don. besides, i'm no italian which automatically does not qualify me to be a made-man, let alone marlon brando-like don!

bak kata hang kebun...'cangkul pon cangkul lah!'. jadi towkeh along kutip hutang pon ok dahh...

sorry shah, terlebih2 pulak. here's my wish. i really hope that one fine day all of us gets to sit on one table together, enjoying yam cha, nes-O-tar kurma and stuff. lets make it a point, guys...bak kata doc, 'what say you?'.

cakapaje said...

Sala Cikgu,

Lol! Why are you so mean towards that Jack fella? Ok, except for chapter in his (in the book), he's a pretty decent guy. I know of a friend - MB - who would love to trade position with Jack, as MB too has a dream of becoming a Restaurateur. In fact, so would I.

Hey, I too am seriously contemplating of going bald! I did it twice before, but this time am thinking of doing it permanently.

Bab kata 'what say you?' tu, what say all of us? I'm all for it!

tokasid said...

Salam Shah:

I posted a comment last night but somehow the line went dead.
And I can't remember what I wrote last night!Sigh, really getting old I am.

Today was a bit busy I didn't have time to read the scanned pages yet. If I like what I gonna read,then Icarus will be he next book to look for.

As for going bald, I did it several times before but somehow MrsTA doesn't like the sight. looked like a serial rapist!Maybe later I'll insert the 'serial rapist' face.

But personally I don't mind getting bald.

cakapaje said...

Wa'alaikumusalam Doc,

Chup! Chup! I just noticed that I made mistake when replying to kerp and terletak pada Cikgu, sorry ye.

Doc, about the forgetting part, young man like me also do that :)

About the book, I would rather recommend you get 'The Blue Horizon' by Wilbur Smith. The narration or writing is in line with James Mitchener - beautiful! And the setting is in Africa. In fact, the book is part of a series where I have yet to find the rest. Yet at the same time, it can be a stand alone read! Marvelous!

As for botak...hehe, now you paint a different picture already! But, I think there is a character in another book that may fit you, or you the character. Don't know where the is now though :(