Girls Will Be Girls

So there we were nine damsels all in a row - from right *Dak Ijah, Dak Pe'ah, Dak Izah, Dak Ani, Dak Ji, Miss Twiggy, Dak Mah, Dak Cantik (can't recall the name - she was new)and Dak Rose.

*Dak is the Melaka shortform of "budak" used when referring to people younger or same age as you.

We were gathered in the tuckshop - as school canteens were known then - waiting patiently for the guest of honour to make his appearance.

This was quite an important occasion going by the formal baju kurungs almost everyone was wearing except for the two hostelites who were dressed in the fashion of the time - mini-skirt and short shift - mainly because they had to save their single pair of baju kurung for study period later at the hostel's Bilek Mentala'ah. It was 1968 and short Beatles mop was in. Miss Twiggy even had on her kasut beatle!

On the blackboard was chalked in decorative writing "CLIFF AND SHADOWS"

And I guess that was their music that was played on the school record-player.

Cliff Richard - Congratulations

 We were waiting for this man, Che'gu X ( I'm not sure what his name was. Sorry Che'gu if you happen to be reading this).

The young and dashing Che'gu was one of a pair of trainee Bahasa Melayu teachers who were posted to our school for their practical training after getting their degrees and then doing their education diplomas. Teachers with degrees were not too common then and were viewed as prized items and son-in-law material. This Che'gu was the more popular of the two with the girls perhaps because he looked better than the other and exuded charisma, whereas his colleague, who taught my class, bit with sarcastic humour and tended to disengage the students rather than draw us in to the subject at hand.

Be that as it may, for as long as I was studying at that school there had never been a farewell party held for any teacher except these two. And I suspect that it was only for Che'gu X that it was intended as it was mainly organised by the girls from the classes that he had taught, and I had heard only glowing accounts of his teaching style from them.

Looking again at those pictures....  gosh,  sophisticated minah jogets of the P.Ramlee movies we were indeed not. The one sitting in the chair next to where Che'gu was making his farewell speech was just too shy and had to turn her back away.

But like I said, this Che'gu had a natural charm and a way with words that could blow anyone's defences in his raja lawak fashion. I can't remember at all what he had said but just look at the effect he had in this picture.

Gone are the shyness and the "on best behaviour looks" and out came the shrieks and squeals, 3rd from right left bent over double crying, Dak Rose, Miss Twiggy, Dak Ji and a few others forgetting to close their mouths and Dak Ijah hurriedly getting her handkerchief out...

Hahaha I can't stop smiling looking at those pictures. Girls are girls anywhere anytime - and it is only the best Che'gus that bring out the best in them.


Meanwhile at another place at about the same time, at a gathering of the goody-goody boys with some goody-goody girls, you can see good girls are just that - GOOD girls; and good boys are just..... boys.

In the photo below the girls were exactly in the same position and pose, but the boys had moved and looked more relaxed.

Is this the old "cool" or what?

Well... you may try and spot my hubby :)