Those were the days....

Thanks SK for the contribution. The bygone era can only live in our memories. Oh, how we yearn for good old days to come back again. The reality is that it would not. The best we can do is to savour the joy of today so that when tomorrow comes and only memories of today are in our mind, we can tell ourselves that we lived yesterday to the fullest. Other alternative? Keep brooding for yesterday and for today which would be tomorrow's yesterday.....

Wong Peng Soon was our favourite badminton player

Ghani Minat was our favourite soccer hero

Rose Chan was our favourite entertainer.

You are not cool if you do not have a long side burn, greasy hair (held together by Brylcream) with a floppy "bun" infront. Then you are either an Elvis fan or a Cliff (Richard) fan. You cannot be neutral.

Films by P Ramlee always enjoyed by all Malaysians. How can we forget classics like Do-Re-Mi and Bujang Lapok, and seeing P Ramlee dueting with Saloma on "Gelora", aaaaah ... that was something else.

Because we reared Siamese fighting fishes, the seller was our idol.

Driving license renewal was by pasting an additional slip at the back of a small red booklet

Susu lembu was house delivered by our big friendly and strong Bahiii ............. on his bicycle in a stainless steel container. The container cap served as a funnel.

Kacang puteh man came a-peddling, walking and balancing on his head 6 compartments of different type of murukus ...and we barter our old exercise books for a paper cone of kacang putih.

We can enjoy monthly credit "facilities" from our friendly neighbourhood sundry shop by using the little "555" book. This was the "credit card" of the day.

F&N orange was served in wooden crates and displayed on the table in the homes during Chinese New Year.

M&M 's was called Treets ..

Eating chicken was a treat that happened only once on Chinese New Year and once on "Chap Goh Meh", Deepavali, Christmas or Hari Raya.

We always carried in our pocket a packet of fire crackers during the Chinese New Year.

We always carry a one ringgit note at night in case we are stopped by a mata-mata (policeman) for not having tail lights on our bicycles.

One noodle 'chow kway teow' cost 30 sen and we bring our own egg.

One 'roti canai' cost 15 sen and one banana for 5 sen.

We bought bangkali bread from the Indian roti man who paddled his bicycle around the neighbourhood with the familiar ringing sound from his bicycle.

Sometimes we bought cold storage bread wrapped in wax paper. Spread the bread with butter and kaya wrap with the wax paper (even newspaper) and take to school.

Crop crew cut by the travelling Indian or Hockchew barber; 30 sen a haircut, all the way to the top. Reason?.. easy to dry when curi swimming.

During weekends, went swimming in the river, no swimming trunks, only birthday suits. No one laugh at you whether your "kuku bird" is small, crooked, etc.

On Sunday morning, listened to Kee Huat Radio's "Fantastic Facts and Fancies", and Saturday, "Top of the Pops", both hosted by DJ Patrick Teoh who always ended his show with, "Here's wishing you blue skies."

Gory historic details or gore fest?

Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad (Telegu, 2024) Director: Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

The products of a romantic star of the yesteryear!

Now you see all the children of Gemini Ganesan (of four wives, at least) posing gleefully for the camera after coming from different corners of the world to see the ailing father on his deathbed. They seem to found peace with the contributor of their half of their 46 chromosomes. Sure, growing up must have been hell seeing their respective mothers shedding tears, indulgence in unhealthy activities with one of them falling prey to the curse of the black dog, hating the sight of each step sibling, their respective heartaches all because of the evil done by one man who could not put his raging testesterones under check! Perhaps,the flashing lights and his dizzying heights that his career took clouded his judgement. After all, he was only human... Gems of Gemini Ganesan L-R: Dr Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesan, Dr Kamala Selvaraj, Rekha, Vijaya Chamundeswari and Dr Jaya Shreedhar. ( Abs: Radha Usman Syed, Sathish Kumaar Ganesan) Seeing six of Ge...

Chicken's Invite? (Ajak-ajak ayam)

In the Malay lingo, the phrase 'ajak-ajak ayam' refers to an insincere invitation. Of course, many of us invite for courtesy's sake, but then the invitee may think that the invitation is for real! How does anyone know? Inviters and invitees must be smart enough to take the cue that one party may have gatecrashed with ulterior motives, or the other may not want him to join in the first place! Easily twenty years ago, my family was invited to a toddler's birthday party. As my children were toddlers, too, we were requested to come early so that my kids could run around and play in their big compound. And that the host said she would arrange a series of games for them to enjoy. So there we were in the early evening at a house that resembled very little of one immersed in joy and celebration. Instead, we were greeted by a house devoid of activities and no guests. The host was still out shopping her last-minute list, and her helper was knee-deep in her preparations to ...

RIFLE RANGE BOY

Search This Blog