Out Came The Skeletons From The Closet

Singing the school anthem.

When ex-classmates get together, you can be sure that some dirty linen will be aired. That was exactly what happened yesterday evening when thirteen of us got together for a reunion at Sunway Damansara with our spouses and children. William and Belinda, the gracious hosts, opened up their house to us for some merry making.

Laughing over bell bottoms and full heads of hair.

I have not met some of them since leaving school after Form Five. Nevertheless, this bunch is still as crazy as ever. There was more food than we could stuff ourselves with. The fun began when the wine and whiskey started flowing. Old discoloured photographs from the last century brought back some good memories. For a while, we were like little kids again, reliving the mischief of a time when all of us still had hair on our heads and waistlines we can only dream of now.

Recollecting the good old days at St. Xaviers Institution.

The two paragraphs above were written just before dinner. When I reread them again, now with a full stomach, they seemed very muted. I did have a lot of fun last night. The last time I laughed so hard at Beng Teik’s silly jokes was in November. This guy should have been a stand-up comedian. That talent was already bubbling during school days.

The guys of 1966.

Paul, the butt of many jokes, forgive the pun, took it all in good stride. When someone asked Paul what his choice would be between having a full head of hair or a waistline from school days. This smart guy, or so he convinced us, chose hair. His reasoning was that you can trim down a paunch but you cannot grow back hair that is no longer there. Clever huh! It will be interesting to hear Siva’s answer. Mikal, did you ask that question?

The girls – please do not ask what year.

There was Kirk the Fist Swallower. No kidding. We have witnessed him putting his entire fist into his mouth many times. Incredible. Nick and Sitham were implicated in some perverted acts. Those two rascals. The ever affable Tze Meng shared with us on how much food we should each contribute for a potluck – almost workable. Tze Meng also requested that I add more hair to his head when I post the images. If only my Photoshop skills are that good, I will my dear friend.

The kids.

I spoke to Thomas for the first time ever. It is a wonder that we have never chatted before in school. Keat Choong, who drove Wuan and me there, suddenly made me the designated driver when he befriended Jack Daniels. And I did not get to taste Henry’s keh liao jelly. Next time I will make sure I get a bite. William and Belinda were all over the place making sure we were comfortable although he had to bear the pain of seeing Manchester United lose to Liverpool. I am not going to make a roll call of the spouses here. I may get their names wrong.

Group photo.

Thank you guys and gals for a very interesting and memorable evening. Lets make this a frequent affair. Here is to St. Xaviers Institution, to Xavierians, to Lasallians and to great friendships. Labor omnia vincit.

Author: Peter Tan

Peter Gabriel Tan. Penangite residing in the Klang Valley. Blissfully married to Wuan. A LaSallian through and through. Slave to three cats. Wheelchair user since 1984. End-stage renal disease since 2017. Principal Facilitator at Peter Tan Training specialising in Disability Equality Training. Former columnist of Breaking Barriers with The Borneo Post. This blog chronicles my life, thoughts and opinions. Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook. View all posts by Peter Tan