True story of the little nonyas and babas.

I was at my grandma's house, with Dad and Mum, yesterday. The aunties were having their usual rounds of Ceki (nonya mahjong). Radio was tune in to Gold 90.5. Then the other generation started reminiscing the past kampong days. Those were the days when all the children were cramped into a room sleeping on mattresses on planks laid out; when they were still using the bucket system; when my Ah Kong had a beautiful garden of planted trees including mango and papaya; when the area flooded a few times leaving remnants of cow dung from the neighbour's floating around in the flood.

Grandma: There was one time I kicked Ah Kong off the bed. Then I said, "Eh, you fell off the bed?"

And then the aunties were talking about the little pranks they played when they were young. They dug a hole in the sand road, and covered it with paper, with the intention to have some good laughs. Sadistic I know. But instead, some Yong Tau Foo seller carrying hot soup, in the 2 buckets supported by the rod over his shoulder, fell into that trap. In shock, my aunties scrambled away leaving the yong tau foo man cursing and swearing in all directions, not knowing who played this naughty trick on him.

The uncles and their cousins had their fair share of mischief. As little boys, they tied collector's play cards to a string and threw it out on the pavement. They then hid behind the fence and waited for their prey. Some passer-by would try to pick the deck up, but before they could the boys would pull at the string. Then there was one passer-by that did not notice the bait of cards. My dad's cousin went out and shouted, "Eh! You drop your cards!" The guy who was cycling past then replied, "Oh ya! Those are mine!" As he reached forward, the boys pulled at the string. The guy then continued to run after the deck for a few tries, before he finally realised he had been tricked.

And my grandma said, "these children of mine were very naughty when they were young!"

I love story-telling sessions. The main characters in the stories must have enjoyed it more. They were laughing so hard till tears rolled out of their eyes.

Sway - Bic Runga