MyStory

Some might say “You don’t have to save the world to be a hero” or “You don’t have to save lives to be a hero.” So how can one be a hero? In my case, I have a hero that changed my life.

I was always financially tight, in fact sometimes to the extend of not having any money at all. How did I survive you may ask? I seriously don’t know. I somehow…managed. My father was the sole bread winner for our family of five. My mom, a housewife. Both of my parents have medical conditions hence constant medications were needed. And I have two younger brothers who were still schooling. My father was earning less than eight hundred dollars a month and we rented out a three room flat in Marsiling. We’d moved house for more than eight times in five years. Nomadic indeed! Usually it was because we couldn’t pay the rent.

As I am the eldest, everybody would depend on me to do almost everything. My parents are conservative and not so literate in English. An advantage on my part, as sometimes my father would sign a letter he thought was a consent form whereas it was actually a letter from my teacher about my test result! Anyway, all letters would be directed to me as I am the only person who could understand the contents. Any late payments of bills or mortgages, will be settled by me. For instance, begging the customer service officer on the phone not to disrupt the services.

In short, I really wasn’t taught to handle my finances well. And the word “debt” was like “hello” in my life then. I’d dug up a hole to fill up another and it goes on and on and on. My friends would cry and pour their sorrows to me about their love life and I’d ask if they would want to trade places with me. I mean, I have much bigger problems than just heart aches. Well, reality bites!

I thought I was ruined and as good as dead. No one would want to settle down with me for I have more problems than any young woman at 19 ever should. Until I met my hero, and no he is not a financial advisor, he’s even better.

Salim Mohamed Noor became my boyfriend soon after I had concluded that my messy life would never get straighten out. So I had thought, what’s the big deal, get a boyfriend and think of a way to draft a perfect suicide note. At least I would have someone to address it to. However, it turned out to be unexpectedly interesting. Salim had lived independently ever since his family moved to Malaysia. And he always believed that impossible, is impossible. He learned of my situation the day we were supposed to meet for a movie. I cancelled it at the very last minute. He was at the popcorn booth.

He was angry no doubt, I had thought my pay would be in but it didn’t. Therefore I did not have enough to travel. Salim refused to believe that no one else in my family have at least two dollars for the MRT fare. When he told me I was pathetic, I thought that was the end of our relationship. Instead, he came to visit me and I ended up being flabbergasted by his seemingly ridiculous idea.

He came with vanguard sheets, papers, pens, markers and a calculator. He couldn’t help me pay off my debts but he could assist in organizing my financial situation a bit. He drew up a plan as guidelines for my family. He told me that I cannot do this alone as I’d often felt. I used to feel that the burden was mine to deal with as I do not want my brothers to face the same difficulty growing up like I did. He’d even offered to ease my transportation fares a little by fetching me to and from work. My brothers were told to work as soon as they reached fourteen years old at a nearby fast food restaurant. My mom can barely walk as she was suffering from gout and arthritis but Salim thought that she can contribute to the family by assisting one of his friend’s satay business from the comfort of our home. My father had never been happier as Salim found him a better paying job and was even sent to a course to improve his English and upgrade his skills.

I didn’t think it will work at first but after two years of perseverance, I saw that my family’s situation has changed for the better. I’d almost given up on myself and my family. But I thank God that Salim didn’t even turn his back on me. Its been more than 5 years, I had never been more contented, debt free and best of all, I am very happy with my Hero, Salim. My husband.