My Childhood - Part 5

Secondary School was exciting for me. Multiple twists in my life. Secondary 1 was when I gave myself an English name. Derived from the storybook series The Famous Five. The owner of the dog. Because I liked dogs then.

Due to the fact that my name is not registered legally and officially, teachers and classmates are not used to calling my new-found name. I had a way out. I would ignore anyone who do not call me by my new name, after I have reminded him/her a few times. Teacher or not, I do it regardless. In a few months, my new name stuck.. Hee hee.

Same trick I used in Army. I even sign on most official document with my unofficial name.

Sec. 1 was also when I got my first computer. A Creative PC. The first, Singaporean, bilingual PC. My father bought it after talking to Sim Wong Hoo while he was still working in his shop in Funan Centre. Before the big fire and renovation.

I also remembered I was so engrossed in it that I started to read technical manuals and BASIC programming references in school. We had this "Reading Session", where all students were supposed to read books that are not prescribed textbooks. The school wants us to be widely read, and have better general knowledge.

Of course, most students will be reading storybooks. I am the only one reading a computer technical reference book. One teacher told me that I am not allowed to read these books - that I am only allowed to read non-fiction. My rebuttal then was (of course in a shy student manner) that these computer books are out of the cirriculum, as we do not have computer courses.

Sec. 2 was when I got to know my first "crush". And I got crushed by her. She sits in front of me in class. She is demure, slim and has a pretty face. She has another suitor - the handsome guy sitting 2 rows behind me. Of course, I was a fair, short skinny boy then and felt inferior to him.

One Friday, I wrote a love letter to her. In the letter, I told her that I admmired her. And if she is not interested, she should tear this letter in front of me the next time we meet. I secretly put into her bag just before the end of the day.

However, over the weekend, I couldn't take my mind off this matter. Thus, without waiting for Monday, I called her on Sunday. She told me that she felt flattered, but we are at the age that we should concentrate on school work and not about relationship.

I felt crushed.

Months later, when I am shifting house from Holland to Bt Panjang, I heard a familiar voice at the carpark. It was her, and she was holding the arms of a tall, dark and handsome guy. Both of them laughing and walking towards the swimming pool.

I was crushed again.