旅行的意义

这段漫长的学习旅行也随着我交上这个学期的最后一张考卷给结束了。没有大声的欢呼，没有激烈的情绪，只有默默的离开考场，真实往往与人们在心里所想像的向反。我没有格外的高兴或兴奋，还是如往常地与朋友离开学园。

达到了父母的期望，达到了所谓社会的标准，方佛手脚上的铁链都被拆除了。以前读书时偶尔会自问自己读书的真正目的到底是什么。不过这些问题都不重要了，重要的是眼前脚下的路。

十六年的读书生涯在此终于到了一个段落。除了中间夹着两年的兵役，我的大半辈子都在读书，是个全职学生， 在这个学习旅程上我学到了许多道理，老师所教的，课本上的，从朋友学来了，自己摸索学到的，不多也不少。

选读的学府，选读的科目，最后选读的大学课程，这个旅程上我所作的所有选择我都没有后悔过。

旅行上另个重要的环节最是我在学校里说认识与结交的朋友了。有些人成为了志同道合的朋友，而有些人成为了记忆里某个陌生的脸孔。从新朋友混到成为老朋友，从彼此不认识到现在拿彼此的弱点互开彼此的玩笑。这一点也不容易，是件难得的事。


谢谢你们的陪伴，你们的笑声，你们的帮助，你们的时间，我们共同的回忆。

下一段旅行是否会精彩呢？

les

Rapid Developments

We all know that the physical landscape of Singapore changes rapidly. Buildings come and go, green patches of land are replaced with tall skyscrapers. Most of the time, when I see such rapid changes, I usually just go, 'oh, this place changed,' I will take note of the changes mentally and just move on, due to the fact that I did not have much attachment or associated memories with the place.

This time round, though, it was a place close to heart. I had spent every Saturday of my secondary school life there. I had passed by the area quite a few times in recent years and had already noticed the tell tale signs. Nearby plots of lands were fenced up and heavy constructions were going on. Tall condominiums were emerging from the ground. That familiar place had finally become a barren concrete land. The old terrace houses were gone, everything. In place were signs claiming that another new condominium will be built. The area is now much more built up, somehow making me claustrophobic. The old landscape was more liberating, there were no tall skyscrapers blocking off the sky, but only low buildings of 2 or 4 levels then. The once rustic old school charm had disappeared. In place were tall, modern, greyish high rise buildings.

Many places in Singapore have changed over the years. The iconic red brick National library disappeared. The Kallang stadium went down. The seletar airbase area changed. Bidadari cemetery is gone and soon probably will bukit brown cemetery.

Somebody suggested that bukit brown could be make into a digital virtual place and placed online for future generations to 'visit'.

Sounds like a sick joke to me.

les

Cartoonists Remember September 11, 2001-2011

To quote from the website, " In respect of the 10th anniversary of 9-11, the major comic syndicates rallied their cartoonists to pay homage to one of the darkest days in American history through their September 11, 2011 Sunday comic strips. All of the nearly 100 participating strips, which may be viewed in the online gallery below, have an overarching September 11 remembrance theme. Some convey sadness, while others embody hope, fortitude and faith. All are sensitively crafted and beautifully poignant in their own unique, thoughtful and appropriate way."

There are alot my personal favourites like Sherman's Lagoon and Baby Blues. Hit this link for more.

It really does seem like yesterday.

I like the subtlety of this one, and having all the family member looking at the baby, somehow create a sort of calmness.

les

Talking to strangers

I went to a certain fitness centre to take my test recently. Somehow I always feel that in the fitness centres, people are more willing to open up and talk to any random strangers. It could be someone that just happen to be beside you at the point of time. It is quite amazing actually, it is very different from the 'world outside'.

Strangers have talked to me as I was running/walking around the track or while I was standing around, while waiting for further instruction. It could just be a one liner or some random comments but still something you rarely see in this country.

Or maybe I just happen not to meet that out-going type of people outside. I have also notice people of a certain age tend to engage in friendly banter with strangers more, particularly middle-aged people especially those in their fifties or sixties.

There was this person who my friend met once last year, only once, a year ago, at the same fitness centre. They had engaged in some friendly banter last year. They did not contact with each other after that fateful day, and I even doubt if they actually remembered each other names.

By coincidence, a year later, he too decided to have his test on the same day we are having. The scence was quite amusing. The person saw my friend from a distance, and immediately walked towards us, saying a rather loud 'hey' in a very friendly manner. Haha, it was like old friends catching up except that they only met once, a year ago at that.

Just a few days back, while I was waiting for my bus, some uncle asked me for directions to a certain block, after telling him the bus he should take to reach his destinations, we engaged in some small talk. He was saying that he has 10 children, of 4 who are actually twins, and how they are now all so busy and they could not bring him to this particular place. He also mentioned about his grandson, a secondary school student, who is participating in this year ndp. When my bus came, as we parted, he even pat me on my back and asked me to 'take care'.

It is rare to get that kind of warmth from a total stranger. Human warmth is something you rarely see in this bustling city of ours.

les

walk

It was dark, there was only some light coming from the street lamp. It was breezy, cooling, not humid, perfect for walking.

There was not anyone else on the pavement, only me.

'I walk this empty street,the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Where the city sleeps And I'm the only one and I walk alone'. How apt it was.

Cars whistling past me, moving towards the direction they wanted. I came across a crossroad, for a split second I wondered if I should venture away from the usual path today. New sights will be nice for a change I thought.

The small road was darker, and it led me away from the busy main road. There were no cars on this road, buildings flanked both side of the road. A school on my right stood quietly. The students that usually gave the vibe and energy to the place were missing, what was left was just the cold. soulless physical structure. A contrasting difference what day and night makes.

The route brought me to the park near my house . . nice short cut. I could see my block now.

But somehow the more I walked, the more I didn't want to get home.

les

House of Healing

Looking at the fishes,
calm and at ease I was.
Strangely I felt the same in the wards,
old, sick people lying on the bed,
helpless, stoned faces I see,
weary, sick bodies, devoid of any energy.

Tags, tapes on her skinny wrist,
needles punctured her skins,
scars could be seen,
a painful sight it was.

Helpless I was,
nothing I could do to lessen her pain.
I could only afford my physical presence,
hopefully it gives her consolation.

les

Silence in macdonalds

The time was 2050, the match had already started for a few minutes. As I walked towards the entrance of macdonalds, I can see about 10plus people, sitting inside, facing the TV screen. There was a TV screen at one corner of the resturant. And that half of the resturant had now turned into a football match gallery.

My friends and I went in, there was no empty tables left, in the end we ended up sitting with strangers at the same table. The uncle even directed us to the empty seats beside us, smiling and gesturing that it was all right for us to share the table with him.

What a rare moment, I have never shared a table with strangers at MacDonalds before, nor have a stranger so politely, openly, gesturing to us that it is perfectly all right to sit down with him. And here in MacDonalds, for this hour, strangers were sharing the same tables, even engaging in some friendly chit chat. It is amazing how a common interest can actually bind complete strangers together.

As the match proceeds, everyone was watching the match in silence. The only sound I can hear is the commentary from the match, blaring out from the speakers behind me. For once, I really appreciate surround sound, it had helped to elevate the football watching experience. The screen size was OK, images crisp and clear, what was perharps lacking is a constant free flow of snacks and beer.

There was a father and daughter sitting at the table beside us. The father was glued to the screen. The daughter, a primary school children, was wearing a pink hoodie, with her hood up. She looked striking in this sea of males, who were all watching the screen with earnest. She meanwhile, did not even looked up at the TV. She was amusing herself with the little games she was playing, sipping water every now and then.

When a goal was scored, there was some audible cheers and punching of the fists in the air. The girl was totally non nonchalant though, not giving a hoot to what is happening now, not even lifting her head. Still engrossed in her little games.

A middle aged man, came in halfway through the match. And he immediately engaged in some friendly banter with another person. I wondered if they knew each other beforehand, or were they just regulars in this little Saturday night gathering.

Throughout the match, there were people standing outside the restaurant, peering through the glass walls, enjoying the match. Some other people were also sitting at the seats placed outside, seats pointed towards the direction of the TV screen inside.

Suddenly, the volume of the commentary was lowered down noticeably. The silence in this part of the resturant was more evident now. There was only the background noise seeping from the other half of the resturant. Noise coming from people sitting in the other half of the resturant, enjoying their meals, clearly they were not bothered by the ongoings in the TV screen.

A stark contrast of halves in the resturant. The football match was not though, the 2nd half was more of the same old, same old. The losing team did try hard to attack to lessen the goals deficit. But it was futile.

The match ended, some people left, some stayed for the next match. New people came in and settled down. It was just another Satuday night in this MacDonalds.

les