Outramians Class '61 Reunion

                                               Outramians Class '61 Lunch at SRC 13/3/12  

In between sad and solemn wakes, I had a wonderful and happy re-union lunch date last Saturday at SRC (Singapore Recreation Club) with some of my secondary four classmates from Outram Sec. Sch. year 1961. Presently we have about 22 classmate contacts, but 7 were absent from our lunch date due to unforeseen circumstances. Still, it was a very exciting and memorable gathering because 3 new mates were found and re-united after more than half a century have passed us by. It was simply great, all of us very happy to be able to meet, see one another once again after such a long, long time, the nostalgic atmosphere on this day was just fantastic and indescribable. Thoughts and memories were continuously shared among us and we could not help cajoling one another for our past activities and mischievousness, it was all smiles and laughter throughout for nearly four hours till we had to part but this time not for long as we have promised to meet once a month without fail, we the 'Golden Oldies!' also known as Outramians Class '61.

All of us will continue, as a team to further seek out absentees of Outram Sec. Sch. Class '61 although we know and sadly miss many who have already passed on. We are now in a different kind of 'level', changes in our looks and features quite significant, but our minds remain the same, only this time with more knowledge and wider experiences from our past everyday lives. We joked, had we known on our last day in school, we should have said to each other, "See you in 50 years time". It was and is a continuing Marathon Of Life.

Memories are made of these and yes, before I forget again, I better stop dreaming for now, must quick get ready and go ply my trade, till then, Adios, Cheers to All!.

Pride and Agony.

Throughout last night, whilst at work, my mind kept returning to old photographs. Together with a black and white live video footage, especially that of the tragic Big Fire at Bukit Ho Swee on 25th May, 1961. Here is James Seah's memory of the fire and video below:



Remember, I was browsing through Singapore's heritage yesterday and was caught fully engrossed in stories and old photographs of yester-years gone by when I got stuck trying to write a new blog?
Its come back alive again, those pictures in my mind.
Yes, I was there at the scene of the Fire.  I was then in Sec.4 (Outram Secondary School) and also a member of the School's Red Cross Society. I cannot really recall how I came to be there at the scene on that fateful day, but I can remember vaguely though, how I helped carry a skinny old Chinese woman 'piggy-back' style from her hut to safety. I also remembered attending to those slightly hurt as well as assisting many others to safer grounds with the fire still raging everywhere. It was truly an unforgettable first time experience for me to be 'engulfed' in such a huge crisis. As I write, visions of more vivid incidents at the scene keep flashing through my mind, such as a half burnt monkey yelping, jumping about, and trying frantically to escape while still chained to a tree with me watching helplessly at the sickening tragedy. I was shocked and stunned then. But now, somehow or other, I have just felt a great relief after sharing this bit of history.