Page 142 - Stories from our Grandparents

I Mdm Chun Mei Born 19XX I We would let it settle before
first came to Singapore
grew up in the southernmost part
By Alyson Lim Xian Wee
using it. It was not uncommon for
from Penang aboard the
of China in a small province called
SIT
Hainan. I was 15 years old when I was
SS Rajula with my parents
children and the elderly to fall ill
told to marry a man I did not know.
when I was only two years
old. Our father had gotten a from drinking it.
Back in those days, there was no such thing as free job working as a lorry driver. “Upon marriage, I
choice, or marrying for love. We had to fall in love with
the person we marry. Shortly after my husband and I got When I was around 8, I overheard moved to Lorong Maha
married, he left for Singapore in pursuit of a better future. my mother speaking worriedly to in Sembawang. After
While he was away, I had to do everything by myself. I others in our kampung about the many years of saving,
would wake up before dawn to work in the fields, and Japanese in Malaysia. When the I managed to buy 3
thereafter go back home to do the household chores and bombs started falling around us, my cows: Karupayyi (black),
cook for the family. I was only able to join my husband in sister and I ran and took shelter in
Singapore 8 years later. a public latrine. A bomb exploded Sevappayi (white) and
so close to us that we could feel Vellachi (white), each
“I gave birth to my first son when I was 28 years old. Life was the earth shake! We stayed there named for their colour.
difficult as we were facing financial difficulties. My husband for about an hour, barely bearing The cows supplemented the
was the sole-breadwinner in the family and I had to stay home the stench, straining our ears for income I earned working as a
sounds of the bombs.
to take care of the kids. He worked in a charcoal factory and gardener.”
would come home completely drenched in perspiration every The Japanese soldiers that
single day.” occupied Singapore were Singapore today has become very
wealthy and people are much
especially harsh. The sentries
A truck full of wooden logs were only able to fetch about fifty-cents at that would patrol our kampungs better off than we
time. One day, my eldest son suggested that all of us should go to work and shout at anyone who had used to be. Future
together so that we could collect more wood. Our family continued to help lit candles. Even the sounds of Singaporeans must
out at my husband’s workplace for another 2 years, before he was finally crying children were quickly remember that this
promoted to supervisor. Life became slightly better after that, though I hushed for fear of reprisal. Any was a hard-won
would never forget the days my husband and I had to starve ourselves in member of public who did not success and never
order to feed our hungry children. greet the sentries with a bow, or take things
who stammered in speaking the for granted.
Despite all the hardships, I am glad that we are now living traditional Japanese greetings,
in a wonderful and safe country like Singapore. I hope the were swiftly caned, publicly, across
future generation will be thankful for whatever they have in the buttocks. Water was hard to
life, as it certainly did not come easy for us. come by in those days. We had to
walk to the well. The water would
have a reddish tint due to the Mdm Leelah D/o ramasamy
sediments in the water. Born 1937
By Ganardhipan S/O Mathialaku
84 Grandma Stories SIT