Remembering the good old growing up days for those born in the 40s, 50s and the early 60s ...
Rose Chan was our favourite performer. Wong Peng Soon was our favourite badminton player.
We reared Siamese fighting fishes, the seller was our idol.
Driving license renewal was by pasting an additional slip at the back of a small red booklet.
Susu lembu was house delivered by our big friendly and strong Mr Singh, on his bicycle is a stainless steel container. And the container cap served as a funnel.
Kacang puteh man came peddling, walking and balancing on his head 6 compartments of different types of kacang and muruku ... and we barter our old exercise books for a paper cone of kacang putih.
F&N orange was served in wooden crates and displayed on table during festivals like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year etc. Eating chicken was rare and was a treat during festivals
M&M's was called Treets ...
We always carry a one ringgit note at night in case we were stop by *mata mata* for not having tail lights on our bicycles.
*Chow kway teow* was only 30 sen and some brought their own egg. One *roti canai* cost 15 sen and a banana for 5 sen.
We bought *bangkali* bread from the Indian roti man who paddled his bicycle around the neighbourhood with the familiar ringing sound. At times we bought Cold Storage bread wrapped in waxed paper. Spread the bread with butter and kaya, wrapped back with the same waxed paper and take to school.
A crew cut haircut by the travelling Indian and Hockchew barber was only 30 sen; all the way to the top. Reason:- easy to dry when *curi-curi* swimming in the river or in the sea. Mostly with no swimming trunks, only birthday suits. But no one will laugh, whether your *kuku* was small, crooked, etc.
On Sunday morning listen to *Kee Huat* radio facts and fancies and Saturday night *Top of the Pops* by DJ Patrick Teoh.
Saturday, entertained ourselves with cheap matinees, usually cowboy or Greek mythology movies like Hercules. Father gave 70 sen for the Cheap Matinee screening at 10.30am on Saturday/Sunday; 50 sen for ticket, 20 sen for return bus fare, kacang putih or *kua chi*. Nobody pays 1 ringgit for the reserve seat.
Iced *angtau* was 10 sen. Iced ball was only 5 sen with half red sugar, the other half black sugar or sarsi.
Never, never, never talked or mixed with girls until Form 5.
Learned the waltz, cha-cha, rhumba, foxtrot and offbeat cha cha from a classmate's sister.
First time dancing with a girl nearly freezed; heart went *botobom, botobom* ...
We survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time. We took aspirin, candy floss, fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups ... and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever. Tonic water was taken at the first hint of malaria.
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
The first time, well not all but mostly, used a modern toilet by squatting on it; only know the bucket system. Our children will not know the danger of visiting the outdoor toilet at night nor jumping in fright when the man collected the bucket when we were still doing our business. Toilet paper was torn up newspapers on a hook which we have to crumble it first. White toilet paper is an unknown luxury.
Riding at the back of a taxi was a special treat.
We went to the jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes. The worst disease one could get was a *lock jaw* caused by a rusty nails.
With mere 7 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best), we boys, would run like crazy for hours.
We caught guppies in drains / canals and when it rained, we swam there.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies, bread and real butter and drank condensed milk coffee/ tea, ice kacang, but we weren't overweight because we ran and cycled all day.
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts.
Most of us, never had birthday parties till we were 21. Some don't even know what's do big about 21st birthday.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
When parents found out we were caned in school, it's certain we would get another round. Parents always sided with the teachers.
We flew kites with string coated with pounded glass powder and horse glue and at times, cut our hands on the string.
Happiness was winning a kite fight with a local samseng.
We also have to make our own kites to suit our *fighting styles*. We were the last generation to know how to use logarithm tables and slide rulers.
AND I believe this generation produces the best parents because we remember the hard times.
*CONGRATULATIONS!* You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government *regulated* our lives for good!!
And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
Rose Chan was our favourite performer. Wong Peng Soon was our favourite badminton player.
We reared Siamese fighting fishes, the seller was our idol.
Driving license renewal was by pasting an additional slip at the back of a small red booklet.
Susu lembu was house delivered by our big friendly and strong Mr Singh, on his bicycle is a stainless steel container. And the container cap served as a funnel.
Kacang puteh man came peddling, walking and balancing on his head 6 compartments of different types of kacang and muruku ... and we barter our old exercise books for a paper cone of kacang putih.
F&N orange was served in wooden crates and displayed on table during festivals like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year etc. Eating chicken was rare and was a treat during festivals
M&M's was called Treets ...
We always carry a one ringgit note at night in case we were stop by *mata mata* for not having tail lights on our bicycles.
*Chow kway teow* was only 30 sen and some brought their own egg. One *roti canai* cost 15 sen and a banana for 5 sen.
We bought *bangkali* bread from the Indian roti man who paddled his bicycle around the neighbourhood with the familiar ringing sound. At times we bought Cold Storage bread wrapped in waxed paper. Spread the bread with butter and kaya, wrapped back with the same waxed paper and take to school.
A crew cut haircut by the travelling Indian and Hockchew barber was only 30 sen; all the way to the top. Reason:- easy to dry when *curi-curi* swimming in the river or in the sea. Mostly with no swimming trunks, only birthday suits. But no one will laugh, whether your *kuku* was small, crooked, etc.
On Sunday morning listen to *Kee Huat* radio facts and fancies and Saturday night *Top of the Pops* by DJ Patrick Teoh.
Saturday, entertained ourselves with cheap matinees, usually cowboy or Greek mythology movies like Hercules. Father gave 70 sen for the Cheap Matinee screening at 10.30am on Saturday/Sunday; 50 sen for ticket, 20 sen for return bus fare, kacang putih or *kua chi*. Nobody pays 1 ringgit for the reserve seat.
Iced *angtau* was 10 sen. Iced ball was only 5 sen with half red sugar, the other half black sugar or sarsi.
Never, never, never talked or mixed with girls until Form 5.
Learned the waltz, cha-cha, rhumba, foxtrot and offbeat cha cha from a classmate's sister.
First time dancing with a girl nearly freezed; heart went *botobom, botobom* ...
We survived with mothers who had no maids. They cooked /cleaned while taking care of us at the same time. We took aspirin, candy floss, fizzy drinks, shaved ice with syrups ... and diabetes were rare. Salt added to Pepsi or Coke was remedy for fever. Tonic water was taken at the first hint of malaria.
As children, we would ride with our parents on bicycles/ motorcycles for 2 or 3. Richer ones in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
The first time, well not all but mostly, used a modern toilet by squatting on it; only know the bucket system. Our children will not know the danger of visiting the outdoor toilet at night nor jumping in fright when the man collected the bucket when we were still doing our business. Toilet paper was torn up newspapers on a hook which we have to crumble it first. White toilet paper is an unknown luxury.
Riding at the back of a taxi was a special treat.
We went to the jungle to catch spiders without worries of Aedes mosquitoes. The worst disease one could get was a *lock jaw* caused by a rusty nails.
With mere 7 pebbles (stones) would be a endless game. With a ball (tennis ball best), we boys, would run like crazy for hours.
We caught guppies in drains / canals and when it rained, we swam there.
We ate salty, very sweet & oily food, candies, bread and real butter and drank condensed milk coffee/ tea, ice kacang, but we weren't overweight because we ran and cycled all day.
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and we still continued the stunts.
Most of us, never had birthday parties till we were 21. Some don't even know what's do big about 21st birthday.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and just yelled for them!
When parents found out we were caned in school, it's certain we would get another round. Parents always sided with the teachers.
We flew kites with string coated with pounded glass powder and horse glue and at times, cut our hands on the string.
Happiness was winning a kite fight with a local samseng.
We also have to make our own kites to suit our *fighting styles*. We were the last generation to know how to use logarithm tables and slide rulers.
AND I believe this generation produces the best parents because we remember the hard times.
*CONGRATULATIONS!* You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the government *regulated* our lives for good!!
And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
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