The World of Tai Tai

Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird’ was an engrossing read, teaching me a lot about humanity through the deeds and plight of its memorable characters. Atticus Finch, the protagonist who is a Maycomb lawyer, is appointed by court to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell.  The appointment makes Atticus and his children, Jem and Scout, fall prey to taunting in the neighbourhood.  The lawyer, astute and farsighted, constantly reminds his children to keep a cool head and never react.  During the trial, Atticus is able to wield his arguments with superior wit and strength, pointing out the ugly truth that Mayella was attempting to seduce Tom and that her father, Bob Ewell, is trying to protect his family name by filing a false lawsuit against Tom. Despite significance of Tom’s innocence, the court convicts the black man of the crime he does not commit and he is shot dead while trying to flee the prison....

Time and again I am reminded of the importance of being a straitlaced educator, a quality that has almost rung hollow to my jaded ear over time and space. I have tried to conform myself to the dictate of conventions by being strict with students and following orders with a lemming-like obedience. But at the end of the day I hardly feel contented, and with each passing day, the urge to rebel keeps waxing within me. You can keep me in rein with injunctions, but they will gradually turn my restlessness into a raging fire. I long to spread my wings, fly into the sky and amidst the expanse of opportunities carve a niche for myself, where I can benefit society with the beauty of my passion.

I am lonely at my school.  Gone are the days when I could enjoy conversing in English with the now retired Bintang-trained colleagues. The current crop of English teachers has a habit of speaking Malay, and sometimes Chinese, among themselves. My chance of speaking English is very little. As an English teacher, I advocate the use of English in teaching-related discussions, but more often than not, my colleagues fall back on Malay when dealing with important matters.  My reminders always meet with a chorus of cold, sarcastic remarks. Given my early background as a non graduate teacher, they like to point out the so-called errors in my speech with a patronizing air, to which I ignore with a shrug of my shoulders. 'Let's ponder this matter before we proceed to the next agenda.' 'Ponder on, Mr Lo,' corrected a twenty-five year old teach for Malaysia graduate who is proud of her 8.0ielts score. I wrote on the whiteboard:'My neighbour disliked her son talki...

                                                It gives me mixed feelings whenever I feed my neighbour's dogs. With an irresponsible owner who hardly feeds them, they are painfully skinny and malnourished, their ribs protruding from beneath their matted coats. Seeing them starved is not my nature and I always make sure they are fed at least once a day. The sight of them licking their plates clean sometimes brings a lump to my throat. But they like to fight over food, which I hate to see. The two dogs, the older a mother and the younger her daughter, tend to think that the food on each other's plate is better and more plentiful. To have more share of what is given, the mother will bite and chase away the daughter when I become lapsed i...

Last Wednesday, due to a toothache, I called in sick at school.  However, after having some of my teeth filled, the dentist declared that I was alright and issued me a three-hour time off slip. Having no choice,  I reported for duty at school but the senior assistant was not happy to see me. In fact, she has never liked me.  She had been the head of the Language department at my school before being promoted to her present position. From her point of view, I am an inefficient teacher whose English proficiency is hopeless. ' Mr. Lo, ' said the senior assistant. 'your today's presence is ineffective as I have already marked you absent online.'   'What should I do?' I asked innocently. 'Return home straight.' I sighed and did what she bid me, totally unaware of the ensuing tempest. The next day, as soon as I clocked in at school, I was shocked to receive a message from the senior assistant, a warning to the effect that if I failed to ...