First Twilight at Tiong Bahru

Weather Forecast: Dusk will reveal the moon's riddle.

At the beginning of every new year, most people make it a point to start afresh. Out with the old and in with the new, so they say. This year started with the date 1.1.11 which may sound auspicious for the superstitious. Who doesn’t like the sound of number 1 anyway? And in the modern world where everyone desires to be ahead of the pack, this indeed could be a sign of good things to come.

These were exactly the same sentiments that I had when we transferred from Bukit Batok to Tiong Bahru. New address, new life. It felt like a second chance at a failed romance, a firm handshake that undermines an un-chic outfit in an interview, or simply like opening up an ice cream tub to taste the new flavour. I conditioned myself on what to expect and yet, once there, all the preconceived ideas in my mind went away. Apprehensions were replaced with hope. A frown, with a smile.

As soon as Marie and I stepped out of the cab, Angel came rushing by to help us with our luggage. A dependable friend, she allowed us to stay in their flat for a few days until we find our own place to stay in. Every moment suddenly becomes vivid.

As the old lady on the big screen said, “I can still smell the fresh paint.”

Only that there was nothing fresh in this side of town. Tiong Poh Road is lined with historic pre-war, two-storey shophouses that seem to be out of place in affluent Singapore. It is rustic, quiet and aged. Walking by, I could not forget the lingering smell of what seemed like wet clothes that didn’t properly dry, mixed with 2 or so different scents of incense. The overflowing trash bins along the sidewalk were flocked by the orange-billed black Javan Myna birds whose crowing could send chills to the uninitiated. Their signature crows only remind me of the movie Omen. Not too far away was a group of Banglas (Bangladeshi blue-collar workers) doing some road works. The drilling noise breaks the monotony of the Sunday afternoon gloom.

                                                                                   Javan Myna

Although we were only going to stay there for a few days, Angel’s housemates welcomed us like dear friends. There’s Joey, whose muscles could put Sylvester to shame (the action star, not the cat). There’s the inseparable couple Nico & Ana. And there’s the cheerful Nita, who would be our roommate together with Angel.

But we were not all strangers. Angel is actually an ex-colleague of mine and Marie’s former schoolmate. While Nita and I share a common friend who works for the same company where Angel and I first met. It is a connection that is not too far-fetched especially for today’s Facebook-addicted folks. And the tie that binds us all in that flat? We are all part of the creative industry. >>>

                                                                              Tiong Poh Road

We have settled in Angel’s room that was highlighted with a diaphanous curtain in deep purple, her favourite colour. Our chit-chat turned into a virtual talk show, each inevitably ending up on the hot seat of fun, wicked, intriguing and embarrassing recollection of the past. We almost forgot that it was already past six in the evening and our now exhausted jaws and overworked throats were starting to crave for food in harmony.

We headed towards the nearby hawker center along Seng Poh Road that is situated atop a wet market. Unlike the quiet Tiong Poh Road, this area was teeming with people all eager to have a good meal. The layout of the center is like a big donut where one could freely roam and hunt for the stall that caters to your cravings. I was too amazed at the several choices that I circled the area three times before I ended up buying. So many food, so little time. I wish I could say that with men. I chose to eat Hokkien Mee – handmade noodles with prawns, squid and a few veggies.

I feel a bit guilty and paiseh that I still haven’t given enough attention to my chopstick-wielding skills. But at the rate that I eat, which is at the snooze level, using the more ergonomically compatible spoon and fork seems like the best option. Sometimes I do try to eat with the chopsticks-and-spoon tandem, though, especially when I am not too hungry.

But sitting inside that hawker center and staring at my delicious plate of noodles made me too hungry. So hungry that I felt like 3-inch fangs were coming out of my mouth ready to lunge ferociously anytime. I wouldn’t mind The Cullens doing that to me, would you? And so we chomped in between babbles, laughter, and the periodic dipping on the chilli sauce. I downed my meal with a sweet sugarcane juice that was freshly squeezed using a metal machine that functions similarly to a paper shredder. Only that the end product is not trash but a very refreshing – and vomit green – liquid that’s perfect for someone with a sweet tooth. What could have been a quick dinner ended up as more than an hour-long gathering. On our way home, we passed by a general provision shop where I bought a one-dollar glass mug and a red plastic toiletries container.

                                                                            Edward Cullen

  

As we slowly reached home, strolling as if we were on a park, all the energetic ambient noise gradually faded. It was full moon (or was it new moon?) and the night sky looked more poetic than ever. I wished that we could walk slower so that I could enjoy this moment while everything still seemed predictable. Time was my perennial enemy. Somehow anxiousness seeped in. It will be the first night that I will be spending outside Bukit Batok, a place that I dearly miss. But with newfound friends in this country full of strangers, I knew that everything’s gonna be alright.  

Names were changed to protect their privacy.