Sec 2/3 1986

Nani posted this pic of us when we were in Sec 2/3. It is the compulsory photo for the school book. Inevitably, the usual gang grouped together at the back, standing on the school bench and trying not to fidget. I forgot how all of us looked when we were 14. Did I really have all that hair? Did Aishah really wear those specs?

Sec 2 was when we performeded “Swiss Boy”, an obscure pop song, for one of the school concerts. Looking back, I think it is terrible but we must have been some good to be selected to perform. What I remember was dressing up as a boy (yet again!) wearing those white gloves which we thought was quite cool.

Afternoons were spent at Far East Plaza – either hanging out at the concourse, chatting about anything or everything or looking through clothes at Metro, which we never buy. We would also hang out at Sunny Bookstore, one of the first few second-hand bookshops ever, tittering over sizzling romance books. Sweet Eli always treated us to lunch at Sate Ria which served very good soto or at McDonalds over at Liat Towers. This was way before Starbucks and the coolest thing was to hang around McD in Liat Towers or Far East Plaza. We would have a cheeseburger meal – the cheapest on the menu. They had a Big Mac promo sometimes where if you can say “Two all beef pattie, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle, onion, on a sesame seed bun” under a minute, you’ll get a free drink.

Those in NPCC went through their trial of fire in Sec 2 – being the year where they competed for Best Contingent. I seem to have a memory of Evon and IU running around with their bowl haircuts and mess tins to cook Maggi. Even Nani sacrificed her lovely long locks – I almost didn’t recognise her after that haircut and she had to shake my arm a few times with “Ini Nani lah. Tak kenal ke?” In IU’s own words she left Computer Club (very hard to get into – have to sit IQ test all!) to join NPCC in order to panggang kulit itam legam with inverted bowl haircut.

I don’t know first hand what they went through but I remember the long marchings under the sun with their clumpy black shoes, polished to an inch of their lives, keeping a deadpan face while being shouted at by their seniors, Nani suddenly falling over in a faint under the heat. Timber! No doubt the high octane experience of priming themselves for the competition had tangled that group in an inseparable bond and yes, they won the Gold, with Anita narrowly missing winning the Best Commander. Never mind, Anita, suara mu tetap menawan.

I tried to be more “well-rounded” by joining the Air Rifle Club. It was compulsory for students to join a society and a sport. Air Rifle was the lazy girl sport of choice – we shoot the targets while lying down and even have a partner to cock and hand over the rifle. The rifles are always chained up in a locked room, all oiled and primed to go. The rifle range was at one end of the old block, right next to the tennis courts. While we were shooting at paper targets, one or two tennis balls will suddenly bounced into the range and we had to stop practice to let them retrieve their ball. Please note no Tennis girls had been reported shot. Hahahahaah!

Miss Chan gave up on us halfway through the year, to further her Christian studies– I think we were much too boisterous for her delicate senses We had a new teacher, Miss Chong. Miss Chong was cool! Hats off to her – we organised a class camping trip at Marine Parade at the end of the year.

Her boyfriend, then Rugby trainer for ACJC (am I right here IU? Or is it AJC?) and subsequently trainer for RJC rubgy, brought the rugger boys along for a concurrent Rugby training camp. The boys were hilarious. They sang a few off-colour songs during the bus ride and had their ears pulled by Miss Chong’s boyfriend. Of course, they slept in a different area. Miss Chong had some explaining to do when Trillion’s mom and dad unexpectedly turned up, not knowing that there will be burly boys sleeping metres away from their swimming champ daughter.

You have to say that Trillion has a most unique name. She is one of three sisters, the other two named Billion and Million. On the subject of names, there is also Tan Pin Pin who has a sister named Tan Lin Lin. She demonstrated to me how her father would sign his name and it looked like a centipede.

It rained that night and some of our tents were flooded. We ended up sleeping round the barbecue pit instead. I think we would anyway, because the boys told us scary ghost stories around the campfire. When we broke out to sleep, Yani was clutching my arm ferociously in fear and told me to say my prayers because we are sleeping in a strange place.

Of course my memory of this camping trip won’t’ be complete without referring to IU and Nani’s rendition of True Blue by Madonna, complete with dance steps. Altogether now…

True love, you’re the one I’m dreaming of
Your heart fits me like a glove
And I’m gonna be
True Blue I love you… I love you…