micro memoir

Dinner Before Anything Else

Every evening, my six siblings, my mother, and I waited for my father to return from his carpentry work.

Only then would we begin dinner.

We ate whatever was on the table.

There was no such thing as refusing food or buying something else.

When there was a chicken drumstick, a luxury reserved for special occasions, it was cut into several pieces so that everyone could have a bite.

No matter how busy we were, everyone was expected to be present.

Today, I realize that my parents were teaching us an important lesson through this daily ritual.

My parents taught us that family comes first. Everything else can wait.

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One Step from Disaster

One Step from Disaster

When I was studying at Playfair Primary School, I had to cross the road near the junction of Paya Lebar Road and Airport Road. One day, I stepped off the central divider without paying attention. A lorry whizzed past my face, inches from my nose. Had I taken one more

The Empty Gate

The Empty Gate

Every afternoon after school, our mongrel would wait behind the metal gate. The moment he heard my bicycle bell, he would jump up and wag his tail so hard his whole body seemed to bend with it. One rainy week, I came home and the gate was empty. I parked

The Samsui Woman's Advice

The Samsui Woman's Advice

When I was 16 and waiting for my O-Level results, I worked for a few months for my brother-in-law, who ran a small construction company. I drilled concrete floors until my whole body shook from the vibration. I used a grinder to smooth the edges of window

Be Someone

Be Someone

The elders always said, "Strive to become someone." Otherwise, you will be a nobody. After sixty years of trying to become someone, I finally became myself.