RUNNING WITH PASSION

I'm like a bird....(Sing like Nelly Furtado) When I got back to Dataran Merdeka I saw a group of people gathered around the firemen truck. The Bomba was giving free ride on their firemen truck ladder. I quickly step into the queue. After a short wait, I got my turn. The old fireman pointed at me, indicating I was next. So, I stepped onto the platform and strapped myself with the safety belt. I was joined by two schoolboys. “Semua ready?” I was jolted by a deafening loud voice from the speaker attached to the platform. “Ready.” We shouted in unison. I felt a slight jerk just before the ladder started to elevate. The two boys squealed in delight. I was squealing too, in my heart. I remember that I used to play with toy firemen truck when I was a kid. Riding in one is simply a dream come through. (Insert more squealing here). The squeals from the two boys disappeared as we ascent higher and higher. I think fear had taken over the squeal. They were trembling like little rabbits left in the rain. I could feel that my legs trembling too – not sure if it was because of the excitement, the fear of falling or the jerky movement that the ladder made as it distend up. The ladder reached up as high as the clock tower at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. I could see the face of the clock almost directly from the platform. No need to look up like when I was on the ground. It was 9:03 am on a clear sunny Sunday morning. The squeal came back as my heart flutters with fear and excitement. What a rush! What a view! My left hand was gripping the railing tightly while my right hand was holding my camera. The platform started to turn, giving the boys and me a complete 360 degrees aerial view of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Dataran Merdeka surrounding area. My camera snapped on. After the turn, we were slowly brought back to ground again. I wished that there ride could be longer. I like to watch the little people from the top. Little runners running to the finishing line. Little people queuing up for Milo. Little people swarming the Dataran Merdeka like little ants. Little firemen down there. I walked back to the car with a smile like a barbequed cockle. (Insert more squeals here). My salutes go to our heroic firemen who serve our country with courage, dedication and passion. Happy Firefighters’ Day!