Gravity Rides Everything,

Ipoh,it is a small city in the heart of Perak with a little over half a million citizens.A city everyone seems to know about.A city that is as rich in culture as it is in food and beautiful women,or so the folk tale goes.It is a city,surrounded by beautiful limestone hills which adds to the already scenic view.Ipoh is also the city where the local state government resides,which sometimes can add drama to the little city of ours.

It is a city where culture still lives and breathes,it is very much part and parcel in the lives of nearly every citizen in Ipoh.Take a stroll down old town,and without fail,you are bound to see hordes of men,women and children of every race and religion patronizing coffee shops enjoying their coffee,freshly toasted bread with kaya , egg tarts and other breakfast staples before a long day at work ,school or just to begin the day.

The coffee shops in old town all have a story to tell,each of them of course,still claiming to be the original inventor of the now-renowned Ipoh White Coffee.Generation after generation,the recipe for the perfect coffee has been preserved and passed down as if it were a priceless heirloom .Generation after generation,the coffee shops would tell their customers that they were THE original white coffee.This of course,is debatable.

Stepping into these coffee shops is always something pleasant,especially before the morning crowd. The majority of coffee shop owners,or rather known as “Taukays” would roast their coffee beans in the morning,ensuring the best of flavours would not be lost .The fresh aroma of roasted coffee would fill the shop.An aroma so wonderful and exotic,it would send a pleasant tingling sensation down your spine giving you goosebumps and exciting the senses .It was the best way to start the day and was even better than smoking marijuana according to some.

Every weekend without fail,I would follow my grandfather who is in his late 60’s to these coffee shops early in the morning.We will drive to old town in his 1960’s Mercedes benz E-class which is still in good condition.My grandfather will drive it with pride and always tells me how he had come to acquire this beautiful vintage car.He loves his car so much that he will not let anyone drive it.This car has also become,somewhat, my grandfathers calling card.Everyone knew this car.It had,I would say,become a part of the folks in old town.

Along the five foot way,everyone seems to know my grandfather and would stop to greet him.My grandfather too,would greet them back just as happily.Everyone knows my grandfather's favourite coffee shop.Despite that , the other Taukays will still invite my grandfather into their shops.My grandfather would of course decline them politely and promise to visit some other time.The coffee shop is at the corner at the end of the street.It is the one with the unchanged wooden sign board in the last 3 decades which has stood the test of time.

Walking into the shop feels like going back in time.The 3 bladed fans hanging from the ceiling,letting out that occasional squeak as it spins wobbly .The marble tops with the wooden legs with matching chairs from back in the days are still in the shop. Repeated wear and tear over the years has smoothened the wood works of the chairs and table frame.A wooden counter by the side of the shop where the Tauke sits with the rack of cigarettes behind him.There is always a welcoming feeling in the shop,it maybe the aroma of the coffee or because it of the rich history behind such a little shop.Framed black and white photos are hung on the tiled walls.Some were with the random tourist,some with actors,some politicians and even historical figures.You think that with so much attention that the shop would have evolved with time,but it hasn’t.

My grandfather always sist at the back of the shop where he can watch everyone else in the shop.My grandfather is a very modest ,patient man.He’d teach me about life and how to make the best of everything.He is more than just my grandfather,he is my friend and my mentor.He would always cross one leg over the other while reading the Chinese newspapers,occasionally taking sips at his coffee.

I can still remember the first time I had white coffee in that shop.It was a few years ago,when grandma was still alive.She had never really encouraged us to drink coffee when we were younger because it would disturb our “chi” or inner strength she would always say.She was in a good mood that day and ordered coffee for me exactly 6 years from today.From the very first very sip I took,I knew I was hooked.The flavour of the coffee was very strong and powerful yet not overpowering like other coffees.The sweetness of the coffee somehow didn’t ruin it,but complimented the flavor and aroma of the coffee.I dare call it the perfect cup of coffee.Every sip was like an explosion,a fusion of colours,stimulating every taste bud on the tongue.I looked at my grandma,and smiled. It was those kind of smiles which were different from the rest,not the smile when you were delighted nor the smile when you get a distinction in an exam,neither is it the smile you have when you are happy.It was the smile,you genuinely knew was from the heart,of true meaning and emotions.My grandma smiled back,revealing the gap in her front teeth.

I chuckled at that thought,nearly tearing. I looked at my grandfather,and I knew he felt the same.This was the very same shop my grandfather met my grandma.I took a sip of my coffee,enjoying the burst of flavours like I first did when with grandma.Tears are rolling down my cheeks as I remember my grandma.I look up and smile like 6 years ago. I see my grandma,sitting there beside my grandfather like she always did,smiling back at me,with that gap in her front teeth.

Ipoh,it isn’t merely a city.It is a place of family.It is…my home.