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Bandar Seri Begawan - "Crash!" But he could not see anything. It was rather late. Nearing midnight, in fact.

Nevertheless he stepped on the brakes hard and his car came to a sudden halt. What happened? May be an accident. And like so many kind Bruneians he wanted to help.

It was a lonely, dark stretch along the highway.

However, he got: out and went towards the spot he thought he heard the noise.

He looked around but there was no one. But all of a sudden a lady emerged from the bushes. She was young and was wearing modem office clothes.

"What happened," he asked her. "Can I help?"

"I had an accident. My car is over there. But I am not hurt," she said pointing towards the darkness where the wreck was supposed to be.

He looked in that direction but he could not see anything. And then anxiously he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am ok. Just take me home, if you don't mind. I shall be so thankful," she said.

"Where do you live?"

"In Berakas. Just drop me off at the junction. My house is near."

"I should be most glad," he said. "I am going towards Muara anyway. So there is no problem."

During the short ride that night she told him that she worked in a bank in Kuala Belait and she came back home to Bandar during the weekend.

She eventually alighted somewhere at the junction. "Why not I drive you right to your home?" he offered.

"No, that's alright. I can manage. I can walk. So kind of you," she told him.

But she gave him her home telephone number, however. She said her name was Neema. She would be glad to hear from him again, she said.

So she thanked him and left him as she walked towards a lane that led off the main road. And as he was tired and rather sleepy he drove home quickly and reached Muara well past midnight. But he could not help thinking what a pleasant young lady she was and such a beauty.

For some days as he was busy he forgot all about his midnight encounter. Then he thought of her again.

"I think I should give her a call," he said remembering her.

And that evening he did just that. It was a Saturday, he recalled. But it was not she who answered.

"May I speak to Neema?" There was a sudden silence at the other end. Then the woman said, "Yes, what can I do for you. This is Neema's mother."

"But I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to bother you but may I speak to Neema, please," repeated the man.

Again a brief silence.

Then the voice at the other end said, "Neema died last year."

The man was totally astonished. Is this some sort of a joke? Then the mother added, "Yes, my daughter died in a car accident on the highway this very day last year, I am sorry to say," and there was half a sob in her voice.

There was nothing the caller could say. "I am sorry to hear that," he said and quickly hung up the phone before further questions could be asked.

The man was in a state of shock for days. He did not speak about it to anyone in fear of being taken as a fool. But he felt a chill in his bones and a shiver running down his spine every time he passed the spot.

But slowly he recovered and talked to close friends.

However, that incident did not prevent him, like most considerate Bruneians, to render help to those stranded on the highway or give a lift to utter strangers or help in an accident.

That is the Bruneian way: to show kindness and hospitality towards others, whoever they are. Let us hope that trait will never change. Ghost or no ghost.

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