01. Marcus Tan

My life journey (The Script)

        I remember the first day in the kinder garden with others, I was six years old. We were very happy singing and eating while studying. Father was very young at that time and always bringing us to Ipoh during holidays. Mom was young and strong provides us all the needs at home. Years has gone by then enrollment to primary school at 7 years old.

        I was so amazed others boys was so fluent in Malay, and I do not speak well. I told myself if I need friends, I have to pick up the language and I speak put my guts. I make a lot of friends, I was good with making paper plane, and my teacher was so amazed with my handiwork and I in turn has so proud of myself at that time.

        Around 10 years old I was so active with sport “table tennis” I got interested when one of my friend bring me to a Chinese school during school breaks to play the “table tennis”. My performance at school was tremendous, I’m always the top student, and I even pick up the Arabic language when I was in standard six. My “ping pong” skill was so good and I always play the game at the local “Hakka Association” under a coach.

        I have a girl friend when I was in standard five. She was very beautiful and a daughter of a local sawmill factory. I was a top junior player for the Hakka Association when I was 12 years old. Due to too active playing table tennis, my parents stop me to do so because they afraid the sport might affect my studies. I have stopped the sport, and which I have regretted until today.

        Lives at home were so good and when I was 13 years old, whatever needs from my parent, I would get it easily. Our family was doing well, and we are very happy with other brothers and sisters.

        Authority under ISA acts was arresting when I was 14 years old, my father. My father was being made to move to Melaka. I was so proud of my mom because she had to take whole family and all matters in the family. She even pick up driving as well that she could drove all over places, she even attending to my father 3 years later. But family reunited again. This incident has caused our family a lot of resources, and making me disagreed with the bullshit ISA laws.

        My father resume his business as a tin minor, and he was doing good until 1987 when the tin market collapsed. I saw a lot of unemployment every in Perak. Workers came to our house to console my father to resume his missing operation and they even willing to take a cut, I was graduated form five, however, my father told me that he can afford to pay for my studies. He didn’t work at all during this recession period. All the times, I saw him lying on sofa. Family savings were dwindling down. One of our relative (uncle) came visiting us from America. He advised my parents to migrate to USA. My parents has made a plan to send us all the new land of promise, starting with my brother, while I was continue my “A” level study at Ipoh.

        I went to the USA when I was 21 years old, and I studied there while working and sending mores homer.

        When I was 23 years old, I have bought enough airplane tickets for my other brothers and sisters to join me in the states.

        My mom has joined me and later my father and the rest of the family. Life was so difficult at those times in the states because breadwinner is only I and the other brother while the others were so young. My parents were not be able to speak in English and it is hard, and we do not want them to work, on one occasion, I cant get a job of period of 6 months because I was a illegal, I ended up owing a lot of debts, and accruals that I have to file chapter 11 at 23 years old simply owing 8 thousand US dollars.

        Living in San Francisco at that time, I was so fortunate to meet a high sage (monk) in Ialmage, Abbot Unerable Hsuan Hua. He has guided me through this difficult period. I managed to get a job in a gas station because I went for the manager 3 or 4 times to ask the job sincerely. I was 24 years old back then. The monk has made me realized the meaning of being contended and I lead my life in the way. I meditate a lot during night before going to sleep.

        Was promoted to management job as Assistant manager after six months working in a brand new 2 millions gas station and on the ninth month I became a manager and a fellow Asian, to run a gas station (corporate operated retail shop), 2 years later being lay off due the northern California operation is not profitable.

        Joined Walgreen’s Drug store as an assistant manager. This is the best moment I felt with my career in retail because I earned a lot and popular within the shop. I’m one of the best managers they ever had, and I trained a lot managers out to run other retail outlets. I met Florence a pharmacist who fell in love with me. We have good times for a while, and during off-days I actively play “table tennis” at Oakland china town- Due to the management always skipped me to put me in a store as manager, quieted. I run away from a relationship because I have no gut to tell Florence that I am a illegal, immigrant who is just lucky in the ball games – Never heard from her since than.

        27 years old moved back to Texas and work for my brother and reunite with the whole family in Texas. My brother was running a small family restaurant, and we have a lot of loyal customer. When I was 30years old, I have came to know the future is IT, I learned a lot in the fields and I even consulted my patrons to my restaurant about IT a lot, I took courses and studying hard to learn about the new popular technology, and I told myself to changed my carrier the next time.

        One day we were being approached by a reporter “forth worth safer telegram” to write an article about our restaurant, no one dare to speak with the reporter and my brother has put me to be interviewed. I bragged a little and I related the origin of this family restaurant linking to china town in xian Pareses then the Asia. Malaysia. The next days, it because a talk of the town, and our family and restaurant as well town there after, met Yan can cook one occasion at the local home appliance center, where he promoting his cook book, has taken a picture with the legend Chinese chef, and he had related me as his friend which also help a lot with our restaurant.

        At 31 years old, the new immigration has forced me to leave my family again and back to Malaysia to wart my PR status. I remember tear drags suddenly came out from my eyes when my brother drove me to the airport, I was so scared and don’t know what to do next alone in Malaysia. Life was so difficult because I have to adjust to the new country, of birth. I was so naive and fresh to the jungle out there. Piss off with my crazy Pakistan boss, and I decide to start with my own business. It is a nightmare doing business during the recession in 1997, and my partner broke out with me, I lost a sum of the investment during this 2 years. On one occasion I have sleepless nights the after math, until I awaken by a friend saying Indonesian immigration is climbing higher one day after another at KLCC and why is that I am retreating.

        I got a job-calling luggage at KLCC, and the first week of employment, the boss decided to fire me because I was so serious and not cheerful (not unique as Malaysian). Trapped in a situation, winning or losing without food on the table, I changed myself and dropped my pride. It turns out till the best sales person in KL selling over RM180, 000 of luggage every month. I can sell basically everything in the shop to anyone.

        When I was 33 years old, I joined Everhome as an IT supervisor because this is the job I liked most. I was promoted to be a manager 2 years later and then as a senior manager. I have come up with a lot of new ideas, and designed a lot of special system to the company. It has been six years later on I worked for Everhome. Share was occasions where I was downed, and these will never sunken me, because, I have made this new places my family. Nothings are hurting me because I’m used to up and occasionally down. I came to know a wonderful girl at Taiping and because she is too far away, and I was so busy with jobs back here, we were seldom together. I wish I had more of my own times.

        Now I was 38 years old at script courses (second chapter). I have felt that I’m in the Middle Ages anises. I don’t seek a prosperous life like others used to dream – off. I’m just any other ordinary guys out there. All I know that, there is limitless potential inside me, and I have to apply all those benefit to my family, society or works. I wanted the next half of the scripts as rich as the first half.

        At the age of 40, I already settle down to set up a family of my own. I have reunited with my parents in the states. My wife and I were working very hard to saving for the future. My parents are much older compare to the years I have left them since 97’. However, my old men were so healthy, which I was 50 grateful to gods. My brothers and sisters were so successful. My brother has 2 big restaurant equipped with ordering system and a live cctv.

        I met my nephew, they grew bigger now. My brother in law is an American, but he like Taoism and I glad that both of sisters has married a good husband, my the other brother is more mature by now, he has been a successful master chef.

        At age 45, my first son was 5 years old, and it makes me proud to bring him to day care school. After 5 years struggling and savings, my life is improving. I’m expecting another baby coming.

        Our family is growing bigger and bigger, and my parents were so happy with so many grand kids. I was 50 years old at that time.

        My daughter who is 7 years old is picking up piano, something I wish to learn but I can’t pick up. Our family want for a vacation together the first time to a foreign country. I set up a small business with little start up capital, I was 50 years old. I’m selling grocery while I kept a daytime job.

        Belinda is preparing for a piano test tomorrow, my wife and me were sitting on a couch, and the melody is so sweet. Our daughter is 17 years old, and she is so beautiful like my wife. Junior do not live with us, he has been doctor who practice at Parkland memorial hospital. My business is doing well, and I have planned to expand and renovated the place bigger. We meet once a year with my brothers and sisters, and they were doing well with their lives too. We spent the wonderful Christmas compliment each other’s, and taking about our younger years. I remembered I was 60 years old at that time. Because I celebrate my birthday a week earlier.

        I have guide my job and I was so busy with the mini market. Occasionally, I joined the local Taoism chapter, I was so busy with the church, and the pet business I running, my daughter has married to another states and I have a granddaughter by my son. Belinda occasionally called my wife and me she has a just giving birth to a grandson. I was 65 years old.

       I went to visit the modern China and walked the great wall with my wife. I remembered I have last chance 35 years ago. I was quite old at 70 years.

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