My old neighbourhood
I grew up in East Coast Road and Katong,
My memories of the place will always be
- the school where the sea waves lapped up against the fence,
- three cinemas within walking distance of each other,
- Roxy laksa,
- coffee houses in shopping arcades where the girls swooned over boyfriends of the week while gobbling up sundae banana splits,
- seafood restaurants in rest houses,
- cozy homes with carefully tended gardens,
- and tree-lined quiet avenues.
I rarely go near the area once I left it. I hear of the developments and changes over the years, but I never experienced it. The place grew up and became a stranger while I carried on with my necessary journey of breaking away from ties that bind too tightly.
A handful of times a year, I'd find myself making my way to my old neighbourhood to visit friends, have lunch, and look in on family.
Today was one of those days.
Visited an old friend who recently moved to Bedok.
Had lunch at Bedok Market Place.
Met the newest addition to my growing clan - my nephew Thadeus.I feel no nostalgia for the East coast area; I recognise very little of it; I have gotten away.
7 comments:
And I'm just getting to know the East. :)
Strangely, I've been feeling this need to break away from the past recently, but I don't even know what. It must be liberating to feel free from the past.
wildgoose - the area has grown to at least 8X what it used to be.
i just want to be able to think of the past and not feel guilt or regret, u know?
I think if you did what was the right thing then, there's no need to feel regret or guilt. Things could always turn out a million different ways.
And we all learn from our decisions along the way.
whoa, wats all these chim talk about the past and no regrets?
kinda reminds me of the movie 'Sliding Doors', i dont think there are any good or bad decisions... they will eventually lead us to other interesting bits of our lives
sl: yah, i agree that the East doesnt sound like what you describe at all... it must be really charming to have schooled by the beach.
wildgoose - some things i will always feel bad the way things turned out. I have since learned to live with it.
edpjunkie - u more cheem than me leh haha.
the katong i grew up in was a real small sea-side town!
Now i realise 3 out of 4 of us easterners wo!
suziewong - 4 out of 4 if u count me as having lived there once :)
but the place really does not feel like the katong i knew.
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