The music was way too loud in the Karaoke. But Lim Kong Kok seemed to regale in it as he sang with gusto. Lam Lee Ring presented a Cantonese song with no less enthusiasm as Elsie Chua poured out some diluted liqueur from the decanter to serve the three of us – Tan Bay Wah, Lee Fei Fung and me as a friendly gesture. Teresa Tan and Ivy Chua soon joined Kim Kong Kok to dance the night away.
Yap Say Ping took up the stool beside me and we soon lapsed into a tete-a-tete as we briefed each other on how life had treated us since we ceased to be classmates in 5SE at the end of 1976. I wanted to know how his exposure to people in showbiz has impacted his outlook in life. His view centered round equality and respect for an individual regardless of personal achievement and social status. I extolled the implied sense of self-respect o f his stance in my heart and noted that the theme of supremacy of the individual and self-reliance has been emphasized repeatedly in my interaction with our group members. I explained to him the main reasons behind my effort in holding SSP76 students together through writing as many as 300 emails plus 18 articles in our blog. My vision, I told him, is to create a close-knit circle to function as a support group for members as we age. He is impressed and interested. I expressed my wish for continual friendship and promised to keep him informed of SSP76’s future development.
At this point, Tan Boon Suan – a late comer to SSP76 still feverish about merry-making with long lost friends, beckoned me to step outside with him where others were waiting. I complied and was met by a jolly group comprising of Ng Bak Seng, Tan Ban Hua, Ng Kam Fui and Gay Bing Shyan who circled around an equally high-spirited Tan Ee Keng. Before this Gay Bing Shyan had informed me and Fei Fung that he had just lost a bet which was whether Boon Suan could succeed in persuading the two of us to join the small party to come to the Karaoke. Now ruddy-faced from some alcohol consumption, it seemed that Boon Suan had accepted yet another bet on getting me to settle the score with Ee Keng as he had threatened to punch me 35 years ago. Boon Suan fashioned my hand into a fist to lightly hit Ee Keng’s cheek and the deed was considered done before I realized that the hullabaloo was but a harmless banter. (Boon Suan later clarified that there had been no bets at all.) Nevertheless, it was out of character of me to be at ease in this somewhat rowdy atmosphere but I had made an exception for the sake of this special occasion. I returned to resume conversation with Say Ping and gave him an account of my past struggle, present life situation and future outlook. When I finished I realized that Bay Wah and Fei Fung had gone outside so I excused myself to join them.
Alcohol consumption must have been moderate for I found Boon Suan completely sober now and engaging in lively conversation with my two friends just outside the door. The subject was religion. During a pause I inquired about his life as a pilot. Personal viewpoint about one’s life is a topic of immense interest to me for it enriches mine. I relished his lively narration about how a pilot depends on tillhis judgment from experience and training to make the decision of whether or not to perform the task of landing, citing the precarious geographical location of Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport as an illustration.
Reverting back to religion, I asked him what he would do in times of personal crisis.
‘Reach in and find strength in yourself,’ he said and quoting the loss of his dear brother Tan Boon Tong – my SMR teacher, he continued: ‘I dwell on the memories of his brotherly kindness and support and this has helped me pull through a very difficult time in my life.’
The same theme of self-reliance yet again. The lyrics of the song ‘The Hero’ rang through my ears:
....when you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong and you will finally see the truth that a hero lies in you....
- Is this the result of the prevailing influence of New Age Philosophy? Is it at variance with the sentiment of emphasis on group rather than the individual in our effort to build up SSP76? I hope not.
It was two a.m. in the morning. Fei Fung and I decided to call it a day.
In the hotel, there was much to compare notes about all the people we had come into contact again in the reunion. We continued to chat in bed till 4 a.m. Within five minutes I heard faint snoring from my compassionate and loyal friend of 40 years. I remained awake till daybreak. The mind simply couldn’t shut out the excitement of the encounter of the night before.
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