OBW Travelogue

It was time for the much awaited school dinner. As we got ready for the occassion, I recalled those early years in STAR when we were in the lower forms. Those days, such an event was known as the 'grand dinner'. It had always been held at the school dining hall though. However, at that time you don't really care about it (at least to me), maybe perhaps because I did not realise the significant of such event. Especially so when you were asked to be seated at the back of the dining hall during that occassion. Yeah, what's so great about these old boys coming over and 'makan' with us. When the school prepared for the occassion, it was not really an event that I anxiously waiting for like the 'Sure Heboh' or 'Sua Rasa' carnival nowadays. I wonder if the present students experiencing the same feeling. But now is different. I came back as an old boy, trying to reminisce the good ol' memories of my yesteryears in STAR. 'Tempat jatuh lagi dikenang, inikan pula tempat bermain!.

We arrived late, around half past eight for the dinner. As I walked across the the field from the placed where I parked my car, I remembered the time when I frequented the field plying my skills playing football. 'Ahh, the same place where I scored a goal against Kutik!', I recounted. It seemed like yesterday when I last played football on the field. Little did I realised that I had been away for over 34 years!

The dinner was set on the football field, between the Blue and Black house, next to the main football ground. Yunus and Wan Zain were already there. So did Tomo and Che Jan (Norizan Tan Sali) and his family. I looked around and yes, like before, the rest of the boys were seated at the back of the tent, looking rather anxiously and hungrily, waiting for the food to be served. Were they, quitely, cursing us for all the trouble and hardship they had to endure the last few days, weeks perhaps. I hope not. Anyway, we managed to find ourselves a table quite closed to the main one with Che jan and his family occupying the table next to us. All the dignitaries were there - Dato' President (of course), the HM, Pak Lau, Tan Teong Leong, Srajit Singh, Kok Kee Chai and others. We were told that the dinner was sponsored. Alhamdullilah! Syukur nikmat! Food was okay, plentiful. We were busy helping ourselves when we had the shocked of our life. Che Jan abandoned and reversed the role he was so accustomed with over the years -he shoved us the extra food from his table! Che Jan became the 'exporter' and not the 'kulekter' for that nite!.

I dont really follow what the President spoke that nite during his welcoming speech apart from him wanting the school to focus on rugby and to emulate the game sportsmanship in creating a better STAR. Then came the show of the nite - STAR Got Talent, a talent show copycat from the famous Britain's Got Talent.

The students showed some great talent but I think we (Class of 73) did much better those days. Of course we were not into dancing and there was no Spongebox those days, but on the whole I think we had the better talent. My only regret for the nite was that the organiser should have done their homework. Had they done so, we could have had Yuzer Yusof performing that nite. Yuzer was the singing prowess in the 70's, at least among the schools in Ipoh if not Perak. With due respect to the invited singer (can't recalled her name, was she anak Andy LaLa ke), she could have done better. I think she panicked - seeing those lusting and wandering eyes, stripping her from head to toe!!.

We went for a teh tarik session at Greentown after the dinner. It has always been our 'anthem' to go for this kind of session whenever we had such a gathering.

End of Episode Three.