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"Blast from the Past – “Redhill Days”"

Post on: January 19, 2022

The python slithered from the carpark towards my block; its scaly skin shimmered in the moonlight as its tongue flicked out to taste the danger lurking. My brothers and I were at a safe distance and yet fully immersed in the encounter.

“Let’s whack it with the pole,” cried Johan. “Come on guys; give me a hand–take these pipes.”

“Don’t even think about it!” admonished the provision shopkeeper. “Snakes are harmless if you know how to entice them. Let me handle it; the trick is to avoid picking it up from the head or tail.”

He calmly lifted it up from the mid-body and placed it in a rice-sack with the aid of his trembling workers.

“It was hiding underneath the poncho in my truck,” cried Johan, the man who raised the alarm. “I instinctively cowered when I lifted the poncho; the python almost latched onto my arms,” he shrieked.

My brothers and I heaved a sigh of relief. The tipper truck parked across my flat was our refuge; just a few hours ago, we were sitting behind the truck, strumming the guitar and harmonising the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever”– our Sunday routine. One of my brothers had even rested his sturdy legs onto the protruding poncho momentarily!

“What a close shave; I wonder what would have happened if the python had coiled around you,” I bawled.

“You and your wild imagination; don’t speculate in unnecessary things–thank God we are safe,” my brother interjected…

 

My wife was enchanted by the story; I was relating my childhood recollections to her. Over the ensuing weeks, she journeyed alongside me as I connected episodes after episodes of my shenanigans in Redhill, Singapore; the estate I grew up during the 70s and 80s.

“Your childhood is so captivating; why don’t you capture it in writing? It has elements of nostalgia, quirks of the kampung kids and regular splits of laughter; I am bowled over,” my wife remarked.

“It could be a great read for the new generation and also for the die-hard maudlin like me,” she rhapsodised. “Moreover, you have a flair for writing, having contributed articles to various magazines–including the esteemed Reader’s Digest in the ‘My Story’ category,” she reminded, spurring me on.

I was flattered by the commendation and thought it was an excellent idea; however, life’s cares meant it had to be shelved on the back burner.

*                *                *

A year later, my wife and I attended a function at Leng Kee Community Centre; it was situated in the heart of my childhood estate. I was immensely excited; it was a homecoming after thirty years. My block had made way for luxurious skyscrapers; however, the flavour and charm of the old estate was still very much alive.

I philosophised it may not be too fitting to delve deep into the past however nostalgic it may be. But the mesmeric effect of longing for the yesteryear completely consumed me. I was virtually teleported back to the ‘70s & ‘80s as I meandered through my very own Redhill estate, with my wife in tow.

I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I decided it was time I wrote about my growing up in Redhill, albeit in the eyes of a fictitious character, Sanjay.

You can read my adventures in “Redhill Days” which is available online via Amazon Kindle (Ebook version, the link above). The hardcopy can be borrowed from National Library (Victoria Street, Singapore; and the branches at Tampines and Vivocity). Hardcopy can also be purchased via the jollygoodtimes website.

By Shaji Thomas Varughese

#JollyGoodTimes #BlastFromThePastRedhillDays #ShajiThomasVarughese
https://www.facebook.com/jollygoodtimes.org ; https://jollygoodtimes.org/
Photo: pexels.com;  Illustrations: Rosman

 

 

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