LIV - 2.1 Backseat

Things changed when my brother was born.

He was a sickly baby who was born premature and had to be hospitalised due to various complications including pneumonia and bronchitis. I remember spending Chinese New Year in the hospital and peering at him through all the tubes he was hooked up to.

I was no longer the centre of the universe.

On my first day of primary school, I was packed on a school bus and went to Primary One all on my own. Before that, mom brought me to go get my hair cut because the school rules included "Hair must be cut short and kept neat." It was a tramatic experience for someone who had long hair since young. I still think its a stupid rule.

A few incidents in my primary school life stands out.

1. I was the only girl in the entire class who didn't have pocket money. I had a packed lunch box and water bottle everyday. I was seriously envious of all the other girls who could buy things to eat from the canteen. Eventually, I resorted to stealing money from home to bring to school so I could buy things to eat. That did not end well and I got caned something bad for it.
2. The principal almost called the police when I went to school with bloody welts on my legs. In the end, they called my parents and I think they attempted to counsel my mom. I remember sitting outside the principal's office and crying while they were talking inside.
3. They forgot to pick me up after I participated in a ballet performance at Kallang Theatre when I was in Primary Two. The bus brought me back to school and I waited all day, but no one came. I couldn't call home cos everyone had left and I didn't have money for the public phone. I ended up walking home in my ballet pumps. From Aljunied to Joo Chiat. No one had even noticed I wasn't home.
4. I got passed over for class monitor post in Primary Three because I didn't do my homework.
5. I got interested in reading when I got chicken pox and there was nothing to do. Mom went out and bought truckloads of Enid Blyton books for me. I eventually became the head librarian and have the record of reading every single book in our little school library. It was also because of this that I never became a prefect. Can't wear too many hats
6. At some point in Primary Four, my mom somehow got it in her head that I should have long hair, even though it was against the school rules. One Friday, my teacher threatened to cut my hair for me if I didn't get a haircut over the weekend. I went home and  attempted to cut my hair myself. My mom saw it and promptly caned me, saying that if I wanted to have such short hair, why don't I just be a boy. She then proceeded to give me the shortest haircut ever. At least my teacher was happy on Monday.
7. I had my first crush on a girl who was my Primary Five camp leader. I would go to school early on the pretext of having a project to do, when in all actual fact, I just wanted to walk past her class so I could see her.
8. When I became a camp leader in Primary Six, there were a few Primary Five girls who had crushes on me. They would leave little love letters for me at my desk to find in the morning. I went through a whole butch phase then, with the boyish clothes and all. That all went out the window when I discovered boys.
9. I participated in various school performances throughout every year, including National Day, Teacher's Day, etc. My parents never attended a single performance.
10. I had a huge falling out with my best friend right before the PSLE and that made me decide NOT to go to the affiliated secondary school. Although mom was insistent that I go to a convent, I secretly changed the choices on the form and picked some co-ed schools instead. I ended up being posted to a co-ed school, but mom got me transfered to a convent in the end.