Perhaps there are some truths why our old folks always say: "Don't pee near a bamboo bush..."
I don't know how the rest of the world takes it, but here in my village; old folks always caution youngsters not to play near bamboo bushes especially at dusk, pee and shit are certainly a big no-no. Of course, when we need to answer the call of nature; then we just must do we have to do and that is not a choice especially in the wilderness where toilets are not within reach.
Personally, I don't like to stay around bamboo bush not only because I had a few encounters with green pit vipers (青竹蛇), I lost a friend about 20 years ago that I believed to be caused by bamboo ghost.
My friend, Wu was an avid angler and he frequently looks for fishing hot spots to fish. Unfortunately speaking, those rivers around Taiping town were either barren or with very small fish.
One day, Wu told me that he has found a secret garden full of mahseer (kelah) fish in a stream flowing through maiden jungle in Trong, Perak. Since the place was quite isolated, Wu asked another friend Tan and me to go along. I wasn't interested in fishing but I was more interested in finding potential herbs in that area. So we traveled to Trong once a team was formed.
We arrived at the river bank around 4pm due to some logistic hiccups but everyone was glad that the travelling was quite smooth. After setting up the tents, I went into the forest to look for plants while Wu and Tan found their ideal spot for fishing kelah fish.
I returned to my gang about two hours later as the environment was getting dark. Both gentlemen were still fishing as according to Wu, kelah fish would only feed once in the morning and once in the evening. So when I approached them, Wu and Tan were just starting to enjoy their catch.
Since my buddies were at the height of their mood, I returned to my tent to have my early dinner and then rested until Wu and Tan woke me up to show me their catch of the day. They said that we could have barbecued kelah fish which is an expensive fish fits for the king.
After the sumptuous kelah meal, we chat and the gentlemen wanted to have a second round of fishing adventure. Wu suddenly said he wanted to pee and before I could stop him, Wu had already fertilized part of a green bamboo bush by the river bank with his urine.
It was then around 7pm and the surrounding became dark. I started a bonfire and meditate beside it until I heard the noise of Wu and Tan an hour or so later.
When the gentlemen came near, Wu was supported by Tan and he complaint of suffering from severe migraine and sudden fever. Although I suspected Wu was suffering from the attack of bamboo ghost, since he did show the symptoms of meningitis; I suggested to Tan that we should seek immediate medical attention in Taiping town.
We hastily packed our belongings and wriggled our way to our car. As I drove along, I could see Wu yelling: "Stop! Stop! Don't disturb me. I did not urinate onto your head this morning..."
As soon as we arrived to the hospital, Wu was immediately admitted into ICU. Tan informed Wu's wife of the bad news and asked Mrs. Wu to come to the hospital to complete the admission process.
Sadly, Wu passed away two days later due to acute meningitis which the doctor blamed it to the kelah fish meat. But both of us were quite okay relatively speaking. So I decided to return to the location one week later to do a spirit conjuration.
I arrived at the same place nearing midnight. After an hour or so, a very slender greenish long haired lady appeared before me. I knew it was the bamboo ghost. So I asked: "Why did you take Wu's life?"
"Your friend urinate onto my head and he didn't even apologize. Besides, I am lonely, I need a partner..." The figure replied coldly.
I was quite agitated and confronted the bamboo ghost: "Even so you can demand an offering and not to take a life a way. This is manslaughter and you will be pay for your deed!"
"Hehehe... Wu is very happy with me... Come, let me show Wu to you..." The bamboo ghost extended its claws and grab something from the air. And there it gave me the chill when I saw the bewildered face of poor Wu.
There was nothing I could do as I must retreat as the bamboo ghost is most powerful at night, in the wilderness and near water. So I quickly retreat back to civilization.
That was one of those helpless situations I faced with spirits. So said, I supposed Wu's time was up and he might just be killed by meningitis after all and not the bamboo ghost. To double confirm my doubt, a bout two years ago; I returned to the same place again. But the bamboo bush has withered and there were signs of burnt.
A Malay passerby said that the bamboo bush was struck by lightning a few months before my revisit. Perhaps the God has finally took His actions or it was just a coincidence?
