Those Were The Days ( Bala's Story )

Recollections of Classmates Who Left Great Impressions - by Bala

Sim Cheng Huat Again
Think of it, I, too had hardly encountered any problems with Cheng Huat.May be as some of you have pointed out, Cheng Huat could be really a street-smart guy who seemed friendly with those who could help him.

Arm-twisting with Tee Chee Sun
Not sure you guys(from 1A to 4A) could recall Tee Chee Sun. He is a plump and prosperous looking guy and I think his father owned a pig farm or some kind of biz. I used to envy him for having the chance to eat delicious ice cream almost everyday at the end of school during P1 while waiting for his dad(private transport) to pick him up.

He tended to be abit show off and tried to demonstrate to me how strong he was and one day he twisted my arms until it really hurt. Somehow my father came to know that my arm was not OK and confronted me as to the cause. I told him what happened and the next day he turned up at school and scolded Chee Sun. Chee Sun seemed frightened
and kept on saying he was just playing with me. I felt really bad and Chee Sun since then never did such things to me again.


Found Trills in Being Driven In A Car considered as a Luxury in Those Days
Another memory I could recall is about Sien Chi, who went through an appendix operation. After his operation he was putting up at his sister's place(Ming Ming Optical) which was nearer to my place. During those times I would help him walk from the drop-off point to the class. Because of this, his brother-in-law(I think) after fetching Sien Chi  will pick me up(I think it was a red car but don't know the made) opposite the Ming Ming Optical. I was enjoying the car ride for several days with the blessing of Sien Chi. As you all know I walked to school and riding on a saloon car is a luxury.


Childhood Dream Car

Another memory I could recall was also about Sien Chi. I think it was in P3 and in one of the days when the teacher was not around, Sien Chi was looking out at the road and telling me what car it was for every car that passed by. I was so amazed with his understanding of cars that I even made up mind that if ever I owned a car I will get an Alfa Romeo as I like the name very much(don't know why).


Recollections Of Names and Faces
Roy Sivaraj was from 3B. I am very sure the boy in the photo must be Caeser Paulose(not sure if I got the spelling correct). I was wondering why Caeser was missing in the photo and now it occured to me. I met Caeser several times - during the army days in 1978 , in the bus a couple of times during the early nineties(1991 to 1993) on my way to work. I met him again at Batam Island in 2002 or 2003 & the last time in Marsiling about a year ago.( Bala's memory is fantastic, he can even recall eactly when he met a person) 

As for Lim Song Thiam(or Lim Thiam Song as per the name list), the name don't come to mind at all. If Bon Hian is right for this then I am really amazed how he could recall the names/faces of students from Class A when he was from Class B.

About Jacob
Yes I remember him and I think he was from either Class B or C. I think he did not finish his primary school with us, probably gone to India either end of Pri 3 or end of Pri 4 just like Vijayakumar from Class A.



Will get back with some more stories.
Regards
Bala