SSP76 50th Birthday Celebration (II) Part 3: The Party Begins

For a long moment, there had been an interlude of disconcertion among the guests as Lee Song Kiah, the Invocator attempted to call them to attention in order to begin the program for the evening. But they seemed to be caught in the web of deepening conversation and were unable to free themselves from the tangle. The Master of Ceremony, Tan Meng Kwang came to his rescue to no avail. Perturbed, I looked around, wondering what could be done. It was too late for remedy at that point in time and all the two gallant gentlemen on stage could do was to laugh the disorder off and impute it to the strength of the first flush of reunion fever. In retrospect, I can envisage how a drinks reception prior to the dinner proper as proposed by Sam months before would have toned down the unrest.

-------Three Degrees: Ma ma mia …..

No real harm had been done though and Lee Song Kiah finally got the audience’s attention and introduced the Master of Ceremony. His excellent academic achievement was certainly enviable but his commitment to fostering a caring community through his involvement in Eldercare is even more worthy of praise. The crowd laughed at Song Kiah’s jokes while Meng Kwang performed his duty according to the planned program. He called upon the Organizing Chairperson, Chin Sik Foong to deliver her speech. All focused their attention on this slim ‘nyonya’ whom many were still trying to associate with the authoritative lean young girl who seemed to be a perpetual class monitor akin to disciplining. But before one could form any association she had already finished with her welcome speech. Surprise, surprise. But come to think of it, who needs a long speech that makes you snooze in a gala such as this?

-----John Denver: You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest……

The one-minute silence in remembrance of our deceased batch mates was solemn and respectful of those who we can but keep alive in our memory.

Kok Pu Long, Ng Ngiap Peng, Pang Hui Kim and Yip Miao Leng , may you rest in peace! Your generous offer of warm friendship will live in us for as long as we live.

-------Willie Nelson wails: you are always on my mind…you are always on my mind…..

‘To Sir with love’ was played to get us into the mood of expressing our gratitude to the teachers in attendance by arising to sing ‘You Raise Me Up’. Yap Fong Peng’s sparkling eyes gleamed with genuine feelings for the teachers, touched by the eloquence of the lyrics which said it all on the students’ behalf. Right before the screen at forefront, Lee Chow Leng and Ho Siew Fong stood posed in their feminine manner to serenade in earnest while Loh Bee Heng sang with gusto in his sonorous voice, raising his arms at some points to help his feelings flow. Ong Chee Peng was seated too far away to see the lyric on screen but dutifully finished the song by referring to a song sheet in hand with conviction. Go Wee Ser looked at him with admiration to cheer him on.
The teachers sat at their tables in a somber manner, obviously moved by this emotive interlude.

----All students & Gosh Groban:
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up: To more than I can be.

The first course was served. Some of those at the vegetarian table grumbled at the deep fried starter but I thought it tasted better than what is normally served at regular ones. However, it was understandably hardly an occasion for gastronomy; there was simply no time for masticating. Relatively settled for the first time since arrival, I had the opportunity to greet Tan Eng Bee who crossed over from the next table to our left where his clique comprising of Irene, Ivy, Elsie, Loh Chok Hian, Lam Lee Ring and Yap Kok Meng. He was as congenial as I have remembered him. Neither had he put on too much weight; I am sure he can still play good basketball if he still has the zeal for the sport. This was one of the two tables with more sophisticated taste where wisp of smoke mingled thickly with the scent of alcohol. On our left, 5AA students bombarded us with the same combination of aroma of equal strength. The Providence has a way of balancing things up in its amazing ways termed ‘coincidence’. The health conscious vegetarians inhaled enough second hand smoke to make up for not consuming the high oil and cholesterol content food served at other tables.

------Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…..

Neo Say Yew came to chat with us while we commented that Tan Mei Leng looked quite changed from her prefect’s photo in the SSP school magazine conveniently placed on the table. I apologized to Chin Kek Ming for requesting Chai Ten Chun to persuade him to come as he seemed quite alone, being unfamiliar with most except the 5SE students. We are quite a reserved bunch and this made boisterous non-5SE vegetarian Koh Mui Cheng a little out of place as she chatted volubly to everyone and made cat-calls during the roll-call. I was delighted to see normally low-keyed Koh Hoi Eng all dressed up formally in electric blue for the occasion, looking really smart.

------Teresa Teng : Xioa chen gu xi doa…

Then a very personal moment - the high point for each and every member participant had come : the Roll-Call. Tan Meng Kwang called out each name in alphabetical order in his animated manner:

Chew Hui Guan! (Oh…….clap, clap, clap…)

Chin Kek Ming! (Yeh, ......clap, clap, clap…)

Chin Sik Foong! (Wooooooo………………….)

The whole room sudden came alive, charged with the excitement of having the limelight shown on a particular individual though it lasted no more than a few seconds

-----(Song played completely drowned by the exaggerated uproar of cheering.)

Yap Say Peng and Sim Kian Chuan joined us then. We stood up for a first round of photo session for 5SE. It would be some mementos for us as it was a rare occasion for the eight of us to be together after all these years.

-----Three Degrees: When will I see you again….

Everywhere else in the dining hall, students took indefatigable delight in posing for group photos with different combinations of friends. They were so engrossed that they failed to realize they had neglected the teachers who seemed a bit left out. Fortunately, some sensitive students who took up the responsible to oversee that everything ran smoothly noticed this and made amend by asking students to approach the teachers for conversation. This soon restored harmony in the party and the joyous ambience resumed itself.

----- Lulu:but how do you thank someone who has taken you from crayons to perfume? It isn't easy, but I'll try…To Sir, with love….

SSP76 50th Birthday (II) Part 4: The Party Goes On

CATHING UP

During this period of time I was engrossed in two separate sessions of lengthy conversations with Yap Say Peng who told me about his life in Singapore after leaving SSP and Tong Siew Bee who talked about her teenage children. One of them aspires to be a writer and I shared with her my attempt.

Then my SMR buddies Yeo Sek Aip and Tee Kian Tee came over to catch with me. The moment I uttered ‘Ah Chiew’ (Yeo Sek Aip’s nickname), thirty-two years of separation seemed to have melted away instantaneously. After that, my Bin Chong primary school classmate Yeoh Chan Huat, the top boy in my class who thwarted all my attempts to challenge his position told me about his decision to quit auditing to run a sundry shop in Pontian– a tough decision to make, after getting an accounting degree in Singapore University. I am glad for him that it turned out to be a smart move which has strengthened his current financial standing. With him was Lee Beng Huat who trailed slightly behind me in Bin Chong. Graduated late at the age of 35, I was running scared all by myself in Singapore with little prospect of a stable job. This old friend of mine who took pity on me due to my plight showed up, drove to the out-of-the-way Anglican Church headquarter to get me an application form for the position of Admin Officer. As a result, my life began to stabilize.

Who but our trusted old friends would extend a helping hand to us in times of desperation?

Too much has happened in that one evening of reunion. My being oblivious to the programs on stage I deem understandable.

LUCKY DRAW

While engrossed in deep conversations with several people, I was vaguely aware of the commencement of the Lucky Draw on stage with the MC’s announcement. The Invocator thanked all contributors of the prices and door gifts including Tan Meng Kwang, Koh Mui Chen and Tong Siew Bee. Teachers were invited to perform the draws and the lucky winners included Lee Chai Eng, Tan Bay Wah, Irene Chuang, Koh Mui Cheng and Chin Sik Fong who won the grand price contributed by Tan Meng Kwang – a set of Ultrasonic Spa Equipment with 2 bottles of Essential Oils worth S$2400. The Invocator mentioned that she deserved to win as reward for starting the idea of our reunion. Many crowded around the stage to witness the draw which was a cheerful interlude from dining and chatting. Two persons from my table won too. Tan Bay Wah shrieked in delight when her name was called. She came back with a lovely bracelet but found it too small for her wrist to her dismay. I slipped it on and waved my arm to make the costume jewelry sparkle in the down-lights, jokingly announced that perhaps it was meant for me for it fitted perfectly. Incidentally, Koh Mui Cheng – also seated at my table, was the price contributor and she agreed to exchange it for another item which would be wearable for the winner. At that moment, Koh Mui Cheng herself also won a price.

I was glad to hear someone commented that the inclusion of this program was evidence that the reunion was well organized because there were members who cared enough to make gift/prize contributions and a member (Tan Soo Gek) who volunteered to coordinate the Lucky Draw.

BIRTHDAY CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY

Five SSP76 members born in the month of December – Chan Kok Keong, Tan Soo Gek, Lee Chaw Leng, Tey Siam Cheng and Tan Soi Moi represented the group to perform the ceremony. All members joined in to sing the birthday song after which five candles were lighted and then blown off jointly by the representatives as they beamed under the floral decorated arch on the left of the stage. The cake looked so luscious that I wish I was not seated so far back as to have missed having a slice (Sigh…). Moreover, to partake it would be symbolic of being one with the reunion group (Sigh again…actually, I have sweet tooth!).

GROUP PHOTO SESSION

There was a commotion when group photo taking was announced. All small groups broke up as all participants got ready for this moment of significance as it would capture the monumental event on film for future remembrance. The MC had no problem this time to draw the audience’s attention; all crowded around the stage voluntarily to prevent the regrettable event of accidental exclusion from a particular grouping to which they belong.

Firstly, photos were taken for each class from 5SA to 5AD with teachers who had taught it. These were followed by sessions for various primary and lower secondary schools including TMIS, SMTK, SMR, SMPN, SMPC and finally a session for the Organizing Committee. The excitement of the program or perhaps the event itself climaxed during the grand finale – the all-participants group photos which the hired photographer took seriously with a keen sense of urgency. He implored us not to break up while he moved tables and chairs for shoots from various angles. From the stage, Gay Bing Shyan – a professional photographer gave him directions on how to take the best pictures loudly before he appointed himself the official photographer free-of- charge for the group’s next reunion! – the final touch of goodwill and appreciation for the formation of our reunion group - SSP76!!

With that, the formal reunion dinner had concluded to everyone’s satisfaction.

SSP76 50th Birthday Celebration (II) Part 5: The Night is Still Young

THE NIGHT IS STILL YOUNG

Teachers Dearest

The teachers started to leave a little while after the formal dinner ended at about ten p.m.
Mr. Tan King Sik was one of those who last left. When I first saw him, I was quite struck by how young he looks now for he looks our age. He taught us Physics in form 4 and Chemistry in form 5. As our class comprised of students from various schools other than SSP, the way he had always treated us kindly had done much to ease our apprehension of being in a new school. Hardly an unkind word spoken and never needing harsh punishment to discipline us or to maintain order in class, he had helped foster in the new students a sense of belonging to the school. He had a way of looking into the students’ eyes with genuine concern for their studies; always ready to give a smile of encouragement. This special touch of his as a caring teacher set him apart from some who seemed a little indifferent though no less responsible by comparison. How pleasant and soothing was the way his red lips curled upwards to reveal his even white teeth when he smiled. Soft-spoken, gentle and slow to anger, he was easily one of our favorite teachers.

It was such an honor to have the opportunity to meet him again after three decades and to thank him for his kindness to us personally. When I mentioned this to him, his red lips split into the pleasant smile I have remembered so well. It was such a mutually gratifying moment for us both, thanks to the reunion dinner which had granted us the gratification. It is such warm feelings exchanged between people that build up our sense of self to cushion us when we fall. In retrospect, I begin to understand what Tan Boon Suan had meant when he suggested reaching inside us for support in times of need. Yes, delve into the reserve of strength stored within us from the hoard of lovingkindness others have bestowed upon us. That would see us through trying times in our lives.

Allow me to proclaim here once more: Thank you, Mr. Tan, for being so kind to us when we were your students!

Before he left the party, I promised to email to him my write-up on him. He was very please to hear that.

(NB: Mr Tan’s Reply - Hello Michelle! Thank you for your interesting write-up and photo of Dec 10. I read your email on Saturday after coming back from outstation. I will be away again after Christmas until mid-January next year. By the way, you gave me such praises which I don't think I deserve. It is only expected that a teacher carries out his duty to his students to the best of his ability. He derives much satisfaction from the success of his students under his care. Anyway it is such a pleasure to have students like you who still remembers her teacher in retrospect.)

Then I shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Lim Jin Siew and thanked them for coming. They in turn expressed their appreciation for our gesture of honoring the teachers. It is heart-warming moments like this that makes our life meaningful. My heart swelled as I watched the departure of these kindly persons who have touched our lives in a profound way.
An Amorous Moment

Most of the students stayed on for more fellowship. As the atmosphere had changed from formal to informal, people were more relax. Many moved about to mingle with different group as they were no longer stuck to their seat at a particular table. Somebody turned the music up; the mood got hotter and the people more jovial. Having taken so many photos in prim and proper posture, I put my head on Teresa’s shoulder for a sultrier pose and she returned it by putting her arms around me amorously! Ooh, that’s hot! Off guard from the excitement of the moment, I laughed heartily, exposing my orthodontic braces before the camera. Gosh! My Dracula smile has gone down in the history of SSP76’s first reunion dinner!

Shake Your Body

Ng Kam Hui went on stage to entertain us with various Hokkien songs. Pretty good, I must say. I was all too happy when Koh Mui Cheng, Ivy Chua and Lim Kong Kok danced to the music. ‘Come on, people, do something. What story am I going to write if you don’t?’ I hollered to the crowd randomly. To some, the party has just begun to feel like a party. Despite my encouragement, there were not that many dancers among us, I soon discovered.

The Fever of Reunion

There were several people who I had expected to see but had not manage to come for some reasons. Tan King Nwa, Tay Kuan Seng, Low Meng Kuan, Kua Seng Tee , Koh Ai Boo were the few among them. Then out of the blue, another such disappointment – Tan Boon Suan showed up, to our pleasant surprise. He had made an effort to attend even though the dinner was already officially over. I squealed in delight and welcome him warmly. He was in high spirit to see us all. Someone from Elsie Chua’s table offered him some whisky to drink and that turned his face dark red and his high spirit even higher. He soon became the center of attraction as we showered our attention on him because he had just arrived. He rewarded our attention with exaggerated theatrical antics including going down on knees ostensibly to propose to his close friend, Elsie. I hovered around to cheer him on, saying: ‘A second proposal please,’ to which he obliged in good sport. ‘Now I have got the stories!’ I proclaimed happily.

Romancing Once More

I turned around and seeing Tan Ee Keng still sticking around Oon Peck Choo, I teased, ‘Still not finish with Romancing Once More?’ He confessed how ardently he had crushed on Pek Choo and had to wait thirty years for the opportunity to pour his heart out, calling her Choo Choo incessantly. Such sentiment seems to be an inevitable part of alumni reunion. Everyone took it for fun.

When I rejoined my 5SE group, Sim Kian Chuan was in the midst of telling Tong Siew Bee, Tan Bay Wah and Tan Siew Kiat how Yap Say Ping used to make his daily round to the front seat area just to walk past me. Everyone laughed at him and they asked me if I knew what he was up to at that time. ‘I knew, but he didn’t know I knew.’ It was my turn to be a good sport. ‘Ooh, what a missed opportunity!’ Everyone pitied him.

Blunders and Giggles

I sat down beside Neo Say Yew while Lee Fei Fung was showing her house photos to him. She flipped to the page with her Tudor mansion whereupon I sniggered cheekily and confessed for having uploaded some samples in Facebook long ago. She raised her eyebrows and chided me for not obtaining her permission first. I flicked out my tongue and giggled. Say Yew giggled along with me knowingly as if laughing at me for having blundered yet again as is my character flaw in my interaction with the reunion group. She closed her album and sighed in resignation but smile kindly. Tan Bay Wah and Tan Soi Moi who are yet to join Facebook took the photo album eagerly to view her photos with interest and this delighted the attractive hostess of that magnificent house.

Uncorking Champagne in Celebration

I caught sight of Chin Sik Fong, Tan Kui Cheng and Yeoh Ah Yong fumbling with a bottle of pink sparkling grape juice before a table with cocktail glasses. I sauntered over to join them for a toast. It would be a memorable moment to commemorate the occasion and a lovely sight to behold when captured in camera. The cork wouldn’t come off and Sam came to the rescue. The few of us watched him in cheerful anticipation for the climax of uncorking of ‘champagne’ which symbolizes celebration.

‘Pop!’ we all clapped and filled our glasses and held them up to be photographed before saying cheers to one another and then bottomed up. What a lovely moment to have shared with your old, old friends!

Time Passes but Friendship Remains

Goh Yook Loong, Lee Beng Huat and Yeo Chan Huat came over to me and we had another round of photo session to commemorate the rare occasion of reunion for all four of us who had made it to SSP from Bin Chong Primary School. We looked at one another with images of us as children still fresh in our memory and marveled at how the elapse of time has failed to nullify friendship.

Miscellany

I looked around at the clusters of people strewn across the dining hall. I guess they must be engaging in similar sharing of moments no less wondrous than those I have experienced.

….Tan Ban Hua and Ng Bak Seng played gracious hosts by serving the guests with cognac or whisky from one group to another gallantly.

….Gay Bing Shyan was effusive in his vociferous appreciation of the pioneering team’s effort to form SSP76 which has made possible the reunion of 1976 batch of SSP students.

….Lim Hong Koon, Lee Song Kiah, Ng Bak Seng, Tan Ee Keng, Onn Peck Choo and Loh Hong Tian seemed to have endless subjects of conversation which lasted through the evening.
No one seemed inclined to calling it a night.

SSP76 50th Birthday Celebration (II) Part 6: In the Wee Hours After Midnight

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.

SSP76 50th Birthday Celebration (II) Part 7: The Morning After

A surprise breakfast invitation from Tan Ban Hua to sample local delights came to me and Fei Fung who had put up a night at Pontian Hotel as we glumly partook the breakfast included.

Teresa, Sam, Ban Hua plus the two of us drove past the reclaimed waterfront of Pontian town in the cheery morning sun. In the confinement of the tiny car I marveled at the vastness of the sea for the millionth times. Perhaps even more amazing was the fact that the spirit of SSP76 reunion had made it possible for five previously unfamiliar persons to enjoy an outing together. Our destination was Chin Sik Fong’s house at Taman Mewah.

Pontian Town has changed drastically since our school days. It looks like another typical Malaysian new town with blocks of new shops and brightly coloured government office buildings bustling with local inhabitants’ daily activities. In contrast, the old stilt houses on both sides of the Pontian bridge look out of place in the way they huddled together in disarray as if terrified of impending danger of ceasing to be the last remnants of the past. It occurred to me that the object of my reflection has something to do with the passing of our youth, having just celebrated our 50th birthday the night before. That seemed to me a lamentable fact at that moment.

We had breakfast in a neighborhood coffee shop in the open air. Sunlight filtered through foliage as we sipped fragrant local coffee. I looked from one changed face of my old school mates to another around me and couldn’t help marveling again this precious moment of reunion after three decades of separation, each having trodden down a different path. Yeo Ah Yong, who surprised me the evening before with kind words about my writings in SSP76 websites seemed like a friend rather than someone I had known mainly by sight in the past. A kind word is always remembered (I am getting into the habit of quoting Lee Song Kiah unconsciously). Likewise for Chin Sik Fong, Ho Siew Fong and Goh Yong Khiaw. Also present was Ling Liang Yin whom I was better acquainted with in our sixth forms. Conversations drifted from terrifying experiences of punishment by teachers like Mr. Rabindran and Mr. Seet and subsequent mischievous retaliation in response to comments on the reunion dinner experience. Almost all concurred in their satisfaction with the celebration in that the objective of reunion has been achieved in a pleasant and joyous atmosphere.

I sampled Pontian wanton noodle and expressed satisfaction, finding it comparable to the same sold in outlets set up by Low Cher Fei’s family while eying the plump red bean paos a few others were tasting. Outwardly this seemed to be just another casual and non-consequential breakfast with some friends but inwardly, I felt disproportionate honour and joy about the togetherness which was by no mean a chanced encounter. Rather, it symbolizes how much friendship is valued through our effort to meet up. For one whose sensitivity to the commonly occurring such as the rustling of leaves, the sun’s rays and other natural phenomena never lessens through familiarity, I treasure the moment of togetherness all the more.

In a flash of clarity, l realized that the passing of our youth need not be a source of chagrin so long as its memory is used as a basis for the renewal of lasting friendship. This I am certain will surely enrich the rest of our lives.

SSP76 50th Birthday Celebration (I) Overview: A Night of Camaraderie

December 6, 2008 – a memorable gala for us who value friendship indeed!

Imagine meeting up en masse with a 90% turn up for 10 tables of people who make the effort to converge at a single venue – our beloved hometown –Pontian from Singapore, JB, KL, Penang and even overseas!

Finally the much anticipated moment of actual contact has come upon us after three long months of preparation. The excitement of actually seeing the people with whom we have thus far been communicating with intimately in cyberspace is quite an experience in itself. Despite the dimness of dusk, I could sense the effervescence of joy radiating from the welcoming team. All are full of warm smiles of friendship from the entrance of Shangri-la Restaurant, through its narrow staircase to the dining hall lined with those already arrived. The moment a guest steps into the dinning hall, s/he can feel the limelight on himself/herself. S/he looks at each face and seeks to identify it ardently, and happy is the moment when s/he successfully recognizes one after another. Warm handshakes and exchange of pleasantries ensues; each episode of such rapture fills every heart with a crescendo of camaraderie.

Once the flood-gate of such effusive manifestation of the strong sentiment of friendship is opened, there is no stopping it! Several times the Invocator and the Master of Ceremony try to announce the commencement of the programme for the night, only to be thwarted by the sheer power of irrepressible volume of banters, chats, laughters…..They laugh in each attempt with understanding and patiently make yet another in good humour. When it is finally done, the Organizing Chairperson briefly addresses all participants whereupon all arise to sing the song ‘You Raise Me up’ to express their gratitude to the teachers present. It is a touching moment as the students poor their hearts out to their highly esteemed teachers in solemnity.

All resume friendly conversations with one another as soon as dinner begins. Most people nimble at the food for in no time at all, they find themselves lost in deep conversation yet once more. A lively buzz of merry making rings through the restaurant as schoolmates make up for thirty years of lost time. Then the roll-call shines the limelight on each participant as the rest cheer. The reunion group bursts forth with a new surge of energy. Uproars and applause, cat-calls and oohs and aahs rise and fall alternately.

To make the teachers feel more involved in the party, students approach their tables to chat and warm them up. This renders the ambience of the gathering even more heart-warming.
Several members are sponsors of door-gifts and items for lucky draw which adds excitement to the joyous atmosphere of the party.

The cake cutting ceremony is a lovely sight to behold as those born in the month of December perform the ritual merrily. Last but not lest, the equally enjoyable photo session takes up much time but no one is complaining.

After ten o’clock, those not putting up a night in Pontian start to leave but most remain for more fellowship. Once all the teachers have left, the students seem to relax a bit and that’s when the night gets hotter. Fast music is played and a few dance around. One sings in karaoke style. Just when the party begins to get subdue, a very, very late comer arrives and that gets the whole lot to focus their attention on this one very jovial member. Many theatrical antics are performed by several members in conjunction with him to the delight and amusement of the crowd.

At midnight, the party adjourns to a local Karaoke joint to continue with more merry-making. Many talk through the night (Me included – please excuse me till tomorrow. I really need to catch up on my sleep now, zzzzzzzzzzzzz……).