I thought I should quickly capture this before I forget.
I went to pick up dad from the hotel bar where he is having a catch up session with his long time friends Alex and Arthur.
When I saw the uncles, both of them are obviously pleasantly pleased to have me join them for drinks and their make merry.
As I sit there, so much memories came back.
There were former colleagues of my dad as were many and very close. To date, 40 years of friendship still stand as strong as ever.
If memories serve me right, they were colleagues back in the good old days when airlines are flying out of Paya Lebar Airport. Yes, I vaguely remember that small piece memory in me that I had been there before. The orange brown mushroom counters - now taken over by military staff.
And a forgotten memory is this plane that SIA flew. I guess we are the only asian airline that ever have the Concorde in our fleet before and it operated out of Paya Lebar Airport for a short while.
And then the move to Changi where our iconic ATC tower stood for many years, and still is, and been the backdrop of many accolades garnered over the years of our proud nation. And those were the days when I spent many childhood days running around the airport, visiting my dad after school, during holidays, and being cared for by the many uncles and aunties. I remember as many as I could, uncle michael, pandian, arthur, alex, francis (the-late), matthias and aunty peggy among the many.
We had only Terminal 1 then. But many memories, gosh, flashes of playing around the gallery looking at aircraft being towed out /in, taking off and landing, the huge Boeing 747s mega-tops. The smartly dressed aircrew and cabin crew was the envy of all.
Not forgetting the counter crews, they were also dressed in the beautiful kebayas unlike the typical staff you see at your check in counters now. Travelling was a different experience that time. You can enjoy the light fragrance of real (growing) orchids in the airport during those days. Really !
And my dad's days in the industry was really appreciated by me, for I looked back and thank the divine One, that I had been luckier than alot of kids my time.
It was just before primary school, I had the opportunity to look at the "Queen Elizabeth" at Madame Tussaud's, visited the site where Mary of Scots got beheaded at the Tower, walked across the London Bridge, stood at the spot where Charles and Diana got married at Westminster, looked through a looking glass at the top of Effiel Tower, watched the change of guard parade at Buckingham, plucked my first apricot fruit off the backyard in california, took a ride thru the Magic Mountain, gazed at the mesmerizing Electric Parade at Disney, got splashed at by the orcas at Sea World San Diego, played the arcades at Circus Circus at Las Vegas, shouted into the echoes of the Grand Canyon, looked at the preserved carcass of the polar bear in Alaska..... gosh and i remember that besides the aunties and uncles that went on that month long trip with us, my dad was with me.
And now I began to understand why. Perhaps my dad wanna spend that kind of time with me before I enter formal school and grow up too fast, be a teenage rebel and begin my own life. And that suddenly reminded me how precious it is. Those times together - father and son - overseas, giving me the experience before any kids does. No my family is not wealthy and I could have only enjoyed these privileged because of the labour of my dad in the travel industry.
Now as I look at 3 greying men having their beers, singing along to the live band to their favourite music, sharing with me their stories, reminding me to show up for the Xmas dinner (already?), I am thankful again, once again, and again - for the memories and for the care. To my dad, the love he has for his son.
There are so many lessons I can learn from just this impromptu one night gathering with them. Perhaps in another note.
For now thanks for the memories and I am already looking forward to the Xmas dinner already. It would be great to catch up with Mandy (uncle Alex's daughter) and Kevin (uncle Arthur's son). Excited.
