It was a cool Tuesday afternoon after a heavy morning downpour. Looking forward anxiously for a good weekly run at the popular run-site which has not been patronized for quite some time, my partner and I arrived there early. The hares and co-hares Kiasu Lee and Vijai were already back from laying paper. They were all wet covered with sweat and mud. Among several other ardent hashers found there were Bombastic, Peter Looi, Bui and ex-GM Tony Teh.
It was at 5.20 pm when the sky began to turn cloudy with mild thunder. Anxious to beat the impending rain and led by Peter Looi and Bombastic, my partner and I began to follow the paper into a Malay village behind Tony Teh’s house along a laterite road as early birds. While walking, we exchanged cock and bull stories. The paper then turned into a thick bush, across a barb-wire fence and a drain for 25 minutes before hitting a housing estate. It was there that Bombastic decided not to proceed with the run by taking a home trail on the left. He was said to have injured his leg after a fall during the last run at Gangsa a week ago. The rest of us continued to follow the paper on the right of a leveled construction site for a short distance away before hitting the first and only check. While searching for the continuous paper, Peter Looi and my partner got both their legs stuck deep into the soft mud 5 meters apart. It took me quite some time and efforts and to pull my partner out while Peter Looi did it on his own. Their legs and shoes were full of heavy and sticky mud which had slowed them down in walking comfortably.
The continuous paper was found by me on the left of a bushy path a short distance away. It then led through a fence-up dragon fruit farm, a few muddy drains before hitting a river. It was then that the rain started to fall and we were caught up by front runners Tan Yean Lye and an American guest. The four of us followed the paper to the left across a muddy drain along the river whereas Peter Looi turned right on the home trail along the same river. However, we hit the sole false trail a short distance away and were forced to make a U turn to join Peter Looi. By then, we were caught up by a group of other runners, namely Holly Leong, Hawaii Goh, Nancy, Tongkat Ali, Tony Teh and Sexy Chan. From then on, it was a 3-km run on the soggy river bank and across several muddy drains before exiting from a bee farm, turning right on the Bukit Katil Road and arriving back at the run-site at 7.05 pm where the cold beer were waiting. It was then that I realized that my right leg was stuck with a well-fed leech which took me some efforts to get rid of it after being informed by Tan Joon Hai. The last runners were out 15 minutes later. It was a challenging 7-km soggy and muddy run in the rain. All the runners were wet from head to toe and covered with mud.
Hash circle was conducted by GM Garfield who had been missing for the past few runs. As usual, the hares and a few sinners were on-downed.
On-on was held at the new Original Taste Restaurant in Melaka Raya. It was well attended with 4 tables. A 7-course delicious Chinese dinner was served with free-flowing beer and karaoke. Talented singers such as Bui and Itchybawah sang their hearts out to the applause of the audience. Funny jokes were cracked. It was then that electronic wizard Au Kiat told us that he had initially tried to use the GPS (Global Positioning System) to guide the back runners back to no avail until he used his ‘precious front tool’. As usual, the hares and co-hares were on-downed again. The food and drink were on the hares. The crowd began to disperse at 10.15 pm with full stomach, clear mind and smiling face. On! On!
Scribe: Drug Buster
Date: 26th October, 2005.
" Idadakimasu " means " Thank you " for your life to extend my life in Japanese. This is how Japanese say grace to a meal which is involved with a life of a living creature. You must thank to a life which was sacrificed to extend your life. As a fine Japanese gentleman, Hirouki or Itchybawah is courteous, polite and full of thankfulness. Thanks to the generosity of Hirouki to provide the on on and the free flowing beer. Cheers! ------ Websitekang ( 27-10-05 ).