My Memoirs (Part 5)

Continue from My Memoirs (Part 4)

After a year, Dad had shifted the family to Sungei Ujong Road, just opposite to his working place. Together with some uncles, they had formed a Motor repair shop called Woh Hup Motor. During the school holidays, elder brother & I used to learn the trick of trade from father, He also give us joy ride when ever he test drive the Fraser & Neave (F & N) lorries, which was contracted to him for repairs. After repairs, Dad would ask elder brother to ‘hoi tan’ (invoice for billing) to F & N for the services rendered
A stone throw away from Dad’s workshop is the framed Great World Park (This is where the Komtar stand now).

We had to pay 25 cents each for entrance into the Great World Park, which housed an opened air theater, brightly lid carrousel and an entertainment park (a sort of a Disney land in small scale in those days). Elder brother would piggy-back me to catch glimpses of the show shown at the open air cinema. The Royal Theater is also housed here. I still remembered at one time, an Indian movie titled “Elephants my Friends” had a more than hundred days running (a feat & a box office hits in those days) Take note, that there is another New World Park, near the Swatow Lane.

The New World Park then housed the annual carnivals affair for many years to come, for which later, these carnivals affair shifted over to a bigger site, now stand the Pesta Ground at the Bayan Baru

We stayed for a good number of years in that house at Sungai Ujong Road. There are all together 4 tenanted families in the house. We, elder brother, I and Ah Hor, an old childhood friend (also school mates & house tenant), have had our fair share of mischievous adventure.

We called ourselves the 3 musketeers. The three of us would run from one junction to another (kai-tau / kai mei) to seek out the best view on the black & white television owned by neighbors. Best running series in those days are episode on ‘Batman & Robin’. No, we don’t have a TV then, not even a radio. For entertainment, folks used to listen to rediffusion (a paid cable radio on monthly rental basis). Story teller likes, Lei Tai-soh telling novel stories on a daily basis.
It was only many years later, that Dad bought home a TV, a 21 inches black & white National (a marvel in those days).

To continue......