seasons in the sun

I've always been fascinated by the life my parents had before I came along. How they met, their friends, in particular their life in NJC. I've never been of the hoorah-activities sort- it was just never a part of me, but for my parents this was what their junior college life was all about. And actually, it sounded glorious. It had a growing with the growing nation feeling. Some kind of innocence, golden old-new glow, fervence, joy, sincerity. My mother said that going to jc and making the decision to stop being shy changed her life; she joined council and met my father, who only asked her out for a date after A levels though she waited for him despite a fair amount of suitors. And my father was in at least council, soccer, malay dance, dragonboat, track and field, basketball. Since I can remember, their group of friends have been meeting every year at either christmas or chinese new year. I've gotten to know them and think of each them fondly over the years. Many of them married nj people too (slightly disturbing). I've always liked going for their gatherings, which are are a warm affirmative glow of friendship and that time. A few days ago, I went into our storeroom in the sweltering afternoon heat and dug out old albums. I found one I hadn't seen before. It had golden photos. That's the best way to describe these photos because they were (I think) taken at the period between the end of jc and the start of ns or university. That last burst of that hopeful, mad, carefree something. And it was amazing to see my father and his friends as...virile young men! From the photos they are evidently full of passion and energy and joy in living, and...I don't know what else to say. I just wanted to show them here.

papa is the one standing

papa is second from left. leftmost is the friend who used to organise christmas gatherings every christmas at his house, which had an old swing where the children would sit

this christmas tree leads me to the conclusion about when the photos were taken

Fabulous Four

papa is leftmost. i think the group met for badminton because uncle M (second from left) was leaving for france to study. uncle BH (third from left) is the one who organised years of christmas gatherings, a man who remembers birthdays, and uncle KS (right) is the mad joker of the group, no gathering can be dull with him. uncle M was one of papa's best friends (they came from humble beginnings- tanglin tech secondary school, and vowed to beat the acs boys in jc. at least, my father did) but completely unlike him in his decision to go to france.

Bjorn Beatle.

I gather this is sending uncle M off at the airport. Mummy is flanked by two beatles.