Class of ’85
Mr Brown and myself have never attended our school’s Founder’s Day dinner, but decided to do so this year, because it’s been twenty, yes, twenty years since we left the stinking halls (my classroom next to toilet) of the school on a hill with the clocktower that showed a different time on each face.
It was worth every cent we paid, even though we were a bit miffed we didn’t think like this classmate of ours, who said, and I quote, ‘Wah lao eh, pay so much for fuck? I come at 10pm and sit with you all lah’.
Our school produces these sorts, but Mr Brown and Mr Miyagi have obviously forgotten some of the things we learnt.
It was good seeing some faces we haven’t insulted in two decades, but before I could fire the first shot, a familiar face went, ‘hey, wah, you grew taller’. And when Mr Brown arrived, another familiar face went, ‘hey, what happened to your giant plastic spectacles?’. Next time, must draw faster.
Mr Brown memorised the school anthem at work today, so he sang with gusto when it was sung before dinner, while I got lost at the second verse (there’s a second verse?? WTF are the ‘Islands of the Main’?)
Then there were the hordes of school kids who were trying to sell us all manner of miscellany, like rugby jerseys and rugby balls, which, surprisingly, the rugby captain of ’85-86 didn’t buy. (For the record, merchandise included: umbrellas with school crest, polo shirt with school crest, rugby balls with school crest, rugby jerseys with school crest in 3 designs and playing numbers, frisbee with school crest, very nice red fleece hooded sweater with school crest (almost bought one), neckties with school crest, posters, tickets to school musical and fun fair tickets).
The rest of the evening was spent trying to eat the food on our plate, trying to find our old teachers, and trying to remember what we did in school. It’s been so long ago, that I hardly remember the time I was in an electro-pop band that played mostly Depeche Mode songs (Master & Servant, Slave Whip Mix 12″ Extended Single). Mr Brown remembers vaguely his band, which I vaguely remember covering Duran Duran or The Bangles.
Now, the Class of ’85 didn’t know who Mr Miyagi and Mr Brown were, so our secret identities were safe, sorta. Until the conversation swung round to I.T., the ingterneck, websites, and blogging. And this is where it hit us like a ton of bricks.
One of the Class of ’85 said, ‘hey, I have a friend whose daughter has a blog. Her name is Wendy, and her blog is Xiaxue.blogspot…’…
Golden Oldies R Us.
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