My papi, his days of being "wild"

My parents were growing children of the seventies, my papi thinks his is a rather dull one. While many people back then can boast of a childhood with exciting stories like catching guppies in drains, catching spiders among thick bushes, swimming in the well, falling from tree-tops in their kampong homes… My papi virtually got none. Maybe, got some... playing that ridiculous game called “One-leg” in badminton courts or jumping up and down from the double decker bed that my late grandfather bought for him and 伯伯.

Maybe my mummy might have a more exciting childhood, she grew up in a kampong home near the Bukit Timah hills. From young, papi was a product of congested “high-rise” HDB flats. Guess he never flown a kite all his life…. apart from what he claims, a few pathetic attempts to fly kite from the narrow corridors of the Upper Aljunied Lane flat he used to live.

He also never learn how to swim or go bike cycling. I guess he is lousy… he also dropped out of NPCC in his secondary school days. He couldn’t stand the bloody marching. He settled for ku niang ones like chess and book reading. His youth, was limited to reading sleeping, eating, studying, reading Famous Five, Secret Seven and eventually, graduating to reading Agatha Christie’s murder novels. Hercule Poirot was like Sherlock Holmes to my papi. He could solve almost every darn thing.

He still harbour a great deal of regret of not enjoying that much when he was young. It’s about as tragic as anyone’s childhood can get. That feeling of irrecoverable loss of being short-changed. He definitely would want me to play as much as I can and stay happy. Of course, it got to be within his house rules.

At the same time, he worries for me…. that, in the future, I must chalked up an impressive array of extra-curricular activities in school. That I must go for gold, go for all the "A"s academically. That there could be a future if only I can jump higher, run faster, dance that perfect ballet routine, swim faster, score that perfect 10 in everything I do. Furthermore, sing that perfect note.

I hope the intense pressure to win or excel, would not take away the joys of learning and participation. I think my parents are already thinking of doing volunteer work so as to secure the choice primary school for me.

But what else would matter for me as a near 4-year old kid? Well, I’m sure that my parents would only want me to be happy and spent an eventful childhood that I can look back fondly. As it is, my papi can also re-live another childhood through me and yet stay as an earnest adult.