Stifled...

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Taking A Walk Down Memory Lane...

I went to the area around my previous home just now. I was trying to get a phone without camera. Why? Because some army motherfuckers decided to be funny and used their camera phones to film themselves doing stupid things, in uniform! They then posted the videos on Youtube. And now all camera phones are banned in all camps. That's the order from the Chief of Army, and it takes effect this Friday. I'm going to become a civilian in a little more than a month, but I can't work without a phone, so I was forced to get a phone without camera.

I got a fucking Nokia 3310, and a used one too. Somehow I've get this feeling that the phone has been used to crack crab shells, and skulls during gang fights. That has always been my perception of this phone. Damn. And it cost me $40.

Anyway, it was a nice trip back to where I grew up. I saw many things, many people, many places. I went to the marketplace. It had been renovated. I went to the porridge stall that I have been visiting since I was a little kid. I ordered a bowl of porridge and the stall owner muttered something.

"Zong Hao?" he mumbled, obviously trying to avoid the embarrassment he may suffer if I'm not the one he mentions.

"Huh?" I couldn't hear him properly.

He looked up, and after taking a closer look at me, asked, "You are Zong Hao, right?"

"Yeah, I am. I moved but I am here to buy something so I came to eat your porridge."

He smiled. The kinda warm, friendly smile I'm so used to seeing for the first 17 years of my life. I took the bowl, sat down on an unfamiliar seat, eating the porridge I was so familiar of. He remembered me. Despite the fact that he haven't seen me in years. I was so touched.

I took my time walking around. I went to where the POSB bank used to be, only to find it gone, replaced by the People's Hall.

I went to the western food stall I used to frequent. The couple who opened the stall still remembers me. We chatted. They asked about me, my army life, my parents, everything. They showed concern. I was very touched. Really, that's something I don't find here at my new place.

They directed me to the other POSB ATM in the area. I walked there, passing by many shops that I used to linger around. The bookshop that I used to buy comics from, the shop that sells games and car parts, the 7-11 that I used to by cold drinks from everyday. I reached the ATM but it had broken down.

I remembered that there's an ATM right below the block I used to live. I decided to make my way there. I took a slow stroll there, passing my the SPC petrol kiosk that used to be a BP petrol kiosk. The kiosk RZ used to work in. I passed by the provision shops near my former house. All the shop owners are the same. None of them recognised me, but I remember them, all of them. The scene of myself buying candy from them when I was a kid appeared in my mind. It was like yesterday. I couldn't help but bought myself a candy bar.

I went to the ATM, got my money and took the same route back. The scene was so heart-warming. The old shop owners carrying their grandchildren, recieving money from the customers, chatting out loud. It's all so familiar, yet so surreal. I couldn't believe that I was really there. Those are things I took for granted for 17 years and missed out for 3 years.

I went to my old block to take a look. I saw this neighbour of mine opening the mailbox, but he didn't recognise me. He grew old, more white hair, but still looked the same. I walked to the lift lobby. The exterior of the lift has been renovated, but the inside of the lift is still the same. The lift still stops at the 1st, 6th and 11th storeys, still has the musty smell, still has the familiar blue paint intact.

I passed by the playground I grew up playing. All the sand has been removed. All the granite slides have been changed to plastic ones. I walked passed the block opposite the one I used to live in, the block I saw them build from scratch. Sure brings back memories...

I climbed the overhead bridge to get to a bus stop. I used to climb this overhead bridge everyday to get to school. I got to the bus stop, the bus stop I waited for a girl just to go to school with her. It's only that one time but I still remember.

My bus came. I boarded it and secretly said goodbye to the place where my childhood memories are created and kept.

End...

Hanged @ 9:17 PM