REMINISCING DAD - Part 6

Dad used to have a yearly movie pass to Rex Theatre that was owned by one of his contractor buddies. I don’t think the pass was ever wasted except maybe for the occasional Tamil movies. We will go and watch all other movies. If a Chinese movie was showing mom would accompany him. Mom has no interest in English films, so dad would take me along. They did not sell pop corn, soda and hot dogs then. Melon seeds were the rage. After the show, the floor would be littered with melon seed shells. I remembered dad used to buy us nicely cored and peeled apples.

The cinemas showed lots of Cowboy and Western movies at that time. People used to stand up, clapped and cheered loudly when the hero rode in and annihilate all the villains. One of most talked about movie in town back then was “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” starring Clint Eastwood. There was this scene with a 3 -men shoot out duel and the mesmerizing sound track interspersed with gun fires, whistling and howling coyotes blaring from the back ground.

Once, dad took me to watch an R18 movie that showed scantily clad buxom go-go dancers gyrating on the stage Vegas style. The movie title was called “Show Girls” or something like that. My eldest cousin sister Ah Har who was then working at the ticket counter came in during the screening and reproached dad for taking me to watch this type of adult movie. I was about 13-14 year old then. I felt so awkward and embarrassed but I could not see dad’s reaction in the darkness. Maybe it was intended to be a lesson on the birds and the bees. He never did tell me.

The Sunrise Park bungalow was initially rented out to the British army personnel. When the British army closed down the Kluang Garrison, the house became vacant. It was then that dad decided we moved to Sunrise Park. I think I must be in Form 4 then because soon after we bought a mini motorbike from our cousin in Simpang Rengam. I would proudly drive the motor bike to school everyday after getting my license.

I had my first drinking lesson when I was 15-16. The older children had grown up and had left home for further studies or work. No one was around to drink with dad during the festive occasions, so he offered me my first alcoholic drink. It was then that I had my first taste of beer and rum & coke. It felt great, sitting there drinking with dad. The very act signified that I had been accepted and treated like an adult. So it was like a rite of passage to adulthood.

I only stayed at the Sunrise Park house for about 2 years. After Form 5, I went on to Form 6 at the English College in Johor Baru. Sam was then working for 3rd Uncle (maternal side) who had successfully tendered to supply food stuff to the JB General Hospital. We stayed in a rented house that doubled as an office, store and accommodation. I only stayed in the College for a few months before I went on to High School in New Zealand. It was an eventful short stay in JB, but this is not the right forum to relate the stories…... otherwise I would be digressing from the main theme of REMINISCING DAD…..

simon - 2 January 2010