All Kinds of Everything” is a beautiful song sang by many singers over the years. When I was in lower secondary school, it was a popular song sang by Hong Kong English pop and Cantopop singer, Frances Yip. I presume it is a love song and in it, Frances says: “All kinds of everything reminds me of you.” To me, the things that I see remind me of different people in various stages of my life. Recently, in the WhatsApp Group set up by former classmates, I communicated with two friends I had not met for a long time.
When I saw Chin’s name and her post, I immediately thought of the packet of soya sauce fried rice she once shared with me. Decades ago, when I was in Form Three, I had stayed back in school for an afternoon class. Chin, who lived not far from the school, cycled home and returned to school with a packet of soya sauce rice that was still hot.
I cannot remember how many times Chin actually shared her fried rice with me. But even if it was just once, it left behind an indelible memory. Now, although the years have flown, whenever I see soya sauce fried rice, I automatically think of Chin and how she had generously shared her food with me.
When I reminded her of her good deed recently, she replied on the WhatsApp: “Ha,ha, ha! Good to know I do leave something behind!” “Ya..your generosity,” I answered her promptly.
Another classmate I have not seen or talked to for a long time was Ho. When I saw her picture and what she posted in the group recently, immediately I remembered the Joyful Vanguard skirts her mother made for me and a few other classmates. When I was in secondary school, it was compulsory for students to join at least a club.
Like Ho, I chose to join the Joyful Vanguard, a Christian Youth Group movement which originated from France. To attend the Joyful Vanguard meetings, we needed to wear the proper uniform which consisted of a white short blouse and a skirt. Just when we were wondering where to find the tailors to sew the skirts for us, Ho told us her mother could make them for us. My friends and I did not get to meet Ho’s mother.
Instead, Ho came to school one day armed with a measuring tape and skilfully took all the necessary measurements needed for our skirts. Soon afterwards, we were all properly dressed for the Joyful Vanguard meetings, thanks to Ho’s mother. Nowadays, whenever I see schoolgirls in knee-length, slightly pleated skirts, I think of the Joyful Vanguard skirt I used to have. I think of Ho and her mother.
Ho’s reply when I reminded her about the skirts was: “Wow..Adeline..you still remember the JV skirts made by my mom. I wonder if my mom still remembers it or not.” Another former classmate, Yeo is now a practising lawyer in Penang.
Whenever I see her picture, her name, her WhatsApp posts or even write my name, I am grateful to Yeo for giving me my Christian name. I became a Christian convert when I was a Form Two student at St Elizabeth’s Convent School, an all-girls school, in Sibu. Before I was baptised, I was known to my classmates and schoolmates by my Chinese name.
In Form Two, we had a foreign teacher who taught us Bible Knowledge but had a big problem remembering names, especially Chinese names. He used to call me by another Chinese girl’s name and vice versa. One morning, equipped with an English dictionary which also carried a list of Christian names, Yeo suggested that I adopt “Adeline” as my name. She pointed out that it would be easier for the Bible Knowledge teacher to use.
“It is a good name and will be good for you,” she promised. Even at the tender age of 14 then, Yeo was beginning to display the admirable characteristics of a good problem solver.
Tired of the laughs my other classmates were enjoying at my expense during the Bible Knowledge classes, I agreed to Yeo’s practical suggestion. The Christian name I took when I was baptised later on was naturally Adeline. Now, everyone, friends and aquaintances call me Adeline. Everytime they do that, I remember Yeo and the way she calmly solved my problem in the Bible Knowledge classes.
Everytime I come across “Lepat Pisang” (steamed banana packets), I remember an elderly pager who used to work with me in the old Sarawak Tribune office in the early days of my career as a journalist. We called the pager “Pak Taha”. One night, Pak Taha gave me and my other colleagues a piece of “Lepat Pisang” each. Homemade, it was still piping hot.
That was the first “Lepat Pisang” I had ever eaten in my life. It was, to me, the tastiest Malay snack I had ever tasted. Even today, I can remember the taste of that “Lepat Pisang”. Pak Taha has long since gone but memories of his generosity and his “Lepat Pisang” remain with me.
If you follow my column, you will know I have a best friend in Sibu, my hometown. My best friend, SML, has been with me through the good and bad times of my life. Once my neighbour, she was my friend even before we attended the same primary school.
If I think of SML, memories of our regular visits to the Sibu Library when we were young come to my mind. Both of us loved the library and practically camped there during the weekends. We both loved fairy tales and the magic world they transported us to.
German-born physicist, Albert Einstein, once said: “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” I did not know about Albert Einstein and his advice then, but anyway, I am glad my best friend and I loved the library and its fairy tales.
They have certainly enhanced our imagination power. When I think of SML, I also remember how generous she is with me. She has given me lots of gifts without asking for anything in return from me. She has counselled me when times were hard and rejoiced with me in good times. Henry Ford, founder of Food Motor Company in USA, once said of his best friend,” My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” I agree wholeheartedly with Henry Ford’s observation.
SML also brings out the best in me. Today, I have shared with you some examples of how things that I see remind me of different people in various stages of my life. In retrospect, I think it is not difficult to leave a mark in someone’s heart or mind.
We just have to live life doing good things to other people. Like sharing a packet of soya sauce fried rice with someone hungry, helping someone in times of need or just lending him/her a sympathetic ear.
