The World of Tai Tai

Last Tuesday, I received a phone call from See Wei, an ex-classmate at Chung Hua Pujut, asking if I was interested to meet our other school mates in Woo Foo Restaurant on Sunday evening. Surprised and delighted, I said yes and from that moment onwards, I kept counting the days for the reunion dinner.  For the past few years, See Wei had been the only one whom I had always seen around, for he owns a pet shop in the vicinity of my neighbourhood. The rest seemed to have evaporated in the air.  Upon graduation from our beloved primary school in 1982, the majority of us moved to SMK Lutong while the others either ended up in neighbouring towns or overseas. After SPM, we went our separate ways and saw each other less and less. This went on until our names lost their scent of familiarity in each other's mind. As the day for the reunion drew near, string after string of forgotten names made their presence felt in the dark recesses of my memory.  Things would have been ha...

Through the ajar sliding glass door, bright sunlight filled the dining room, glinting off the leaves of the potted plants in each corner. The incoming breeze rippled around us, bringing with it the scent of the sea, which blended well with the aroma of spices in the air. In the middle of the dining table stood a porcelain vase of purple–bluish flowers whose name had escaped my memory. Each flower, nestled snugly among tiny wrinkled leaves, dangled delicately from its stalk. Arranged around the vase were ceramic plates with pinkish floral pattern, revealing the good taste of the friendly, gracious hosts, Chea San and her Iranian husband, Nasii.                             Dr Loh Yunn Hua, the president of our writing Club, Society of English Writers Northern Zone Sarawak(SOSWE), was the key figure who had arranged the gather...