I was at my childhood neighbourhood today- Geylang Bahru. I had initially planned to be there last month but time just didn't permit. So today, my first stop was Block 68, my mum bought me my first guitar there but of course, I didn't really expect to see that same stationery store there still up & running. A confectionery is currently operating in that shop space. I used to wait outside that stationery store while my mum did her marketing just a few paces away- the covered walkway you see in the picture above leads to the market.
Re-visiting this neighbourhood meant it's an opportunity for me to see what developments took place at Block 58, my residential block, the same place where my neighbours were slaughtered. The original Block 58 was no more, it's the reason why I had to move out, the authorities wanted to reduce the number of rental units in this neighbourhood. However, the new block of housing units here isn't a 58, it's in fact block 59.
There was a canal in front of the original Block 58 which is still there. Across this canal, there was an open space used as car-parking lots but currently standing in that area is the new Block 58 seen on the left of this picture. When we played soccer at the 5th floor staircase landing, kicking too hard would see our ball plunge down & bounce into the canal. That would mean the end of our soccer session & effectively saying goodbye to the ball, none of us could fish it out of the canal's rather haunting channel. Nobody would take the risk anyway because should there be an unfortunate slip, we'd be washed into the Kallang River.
Seen here is the current Block 58, looks serene & nothing like the former, bleak 58. Well, it has no reasons to manifest its predecessor's reputation, it's not even located at the original Block 58 site.
This picture was taken on the Geylang Bahru side of the Kallang River bank. That bridge you see there is a one-way road leading to Bendemeer Rd & Jalan Besar. There is this evident tranquility when I was there snapping pictures unlike the old days when the river banks were muddy & undeveloped. There was indeed a jogging track in place in the mid-1980s but we were not drawn to its provision because drug addicts were still at large going about their vices quite openly.
The Geylang Bahru - Bendemeer link bridge you see above is the obvious feature representing change. There was no such connection back in my time. I remember shouting to my school mate, who lived across the river bank, in one of those rented apartment blocks as well. I shouted at the top of my voice for a simple reason- I had no telephone back then. I was from a low-income family, my mum was a single mother (she's still single today, decided not to re-marry after the divorce with my dad), watched monochrome television for as long as I could remember & had no refrigerator until I was about 10 years old.
As I walked about the Geylang Bahru neighbourhood today, my mind was like a muted documentary show commenting on the changes but only for me to hear in my head. It's good to be back & breathe the air & feel the sunshine of the neighbourhood where I grew up but the air & sunshine today felt different. I felt a little sore leaving this place with a deep seated mystery in my head but that's out of my hands, really. Whoever came to hack my neighbour & presented that tragedy in 1979 as a permanent entry in my mind was beyond my authority. I certainly would not want to remember Geylang Bahru for this atrocious record. Remember, the killer is still at large. This individual might revisit the neighbourhood for all we know, in search of the meaning to his/ her ghastly deed. Seeing people in person when we grow old, to seek personal apology/ forgiveness & moving on in life is better than curing one's cancer.
