The 'Tallahatchie River Suicide' I Know

As the song by Bobbie Gentry goes, “Billy Joe jumped off the Tallahatchie River Bridge.” They said he committed suicide because of his guilt associated with throwing his child into the self-same river.

Truth be told, I too am privy to a similar occurrence of a suicide this side of the Pacific Ocean. It might not be that off-shoot of the mighty Mississippi, but it is one roaring river in Pahang. My story involves a baby girl as well but there was no infanticide.

A pretty lady met a well-heeled small-town business man in Kuala Lumpur. He was enamoured by her beauty and. winning ways He wanted to start an affair with her but she insisted on marriage. He was already married and bigamy was out of the question.

He cajoled her to come to his home-town and put her up at a hotel. The wife of the businessman came to know of his affair and there was frequent bickering and quarrels which sent him to her bedside at the hotel almost every night. She soon became pregnant. He sent her to Chinese Maternity Hospital in Pudu. A daughter was born.

I guess the situation was untenable. She could not endure it anymore. One day when he was out of town, , she ventured out of her hotel in a heavy downpour, leaving the baby asleep in her cot.

No one knew what happened until a hotel staff came by to check on the baby because she was crying incessantly. A police report was made when the mother could not be located in the hotel and a search mounted. A day later, they found her body, thrashed up and broken upon a clump of bamboo stems along the riverside. Apparently she jumped from the bridge of the river just outside of town.

That was in 2004. That daughter of hers would be 23 years old today.

Quote of the Day:

“Life is simple, its just not easy.” Unknown

Heartsong