How many of you recall being plonked into one of these in your childhood?

I was regularly deposited in one of these, so I just HAD to put my two little girls into these chairs when I saw them in abundance at an Indonesian eatery near Duxton Hill.

On the upper floors, there were at least 30 of these chairs, turned such that their “backs” functioned as stools for diners.  I drew my MIL’s attention to them and she had a great time taking photos and reminiscing about old times.

It made me quite nostalgic too. I grew up in a pre-war shophouse along East Coast Road. It was my maternal grandparents’ home, and my grandfather ran a goldsmith’s shop before he passed away when my mum was in her teens.  Thereafter, it remained as one of those controlled rents place, till it was finally repossessed by the authorities when I was in my teens.

I have so many memories associated with that home, with its airwell cum courtyard filled with potted plants, loo right at the back near the backyard with its jackfruit tree… The wooden staircase that I deliberately heavily stomped up many a time when throwing a massive tantrum in my childhood… the kitchen corridor on the upper floor with its huge balcony window from which we could chat with the next door neighbours, or yell to them to draw down the bamboo blinds when it poured…

Looking out the front door to the main road that was about a metre away… Staring at the ceiling, wide-eyed in the dark as the lights from cars and buses threw shadows on the ceiling, and motorcycles whirred loudly sporadically through the night… Jumping on the trampoline like beds that had thin mattresses supported by a metal spring net…

Frequenting the provision shop neighbours next door for my rare treat of Kaka… Bringing an egg to add to the prata at the corner coffeeshop… Trying not to fall into the large and deep uncovered drain right in front of the row of shophouses, bridged by a walkway in front of each door… and memories of my many relatives who lived in that home, my uncles and aunts, who were all my playmates before they got married and left home, my cousins who played with me there, the many Chinese New Year reunion dinners there…

Amazing how a little bamboo chair can evoke all that.

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  1. Yes! When my oldest niece was born, I bought one of these for her. And then when my nieces outgrew it, we took over the bamboo chair and brought it home for the twins. Now, Shawna insists on standing on it to brush her teeth! πŸ™‚

  2. Oohhhh love these! We had the little stool versions, sat on them to wear our school shoes (those you had to white with a sponge every week). I like their matchy outfits btw!

    1. oh yes I know those too!

      thanks – i hope they don’t hate me when they grow up for having so much fun with their dresses. For now they still ask to dress alike with me and don’t mind matching each other. πŸ™‚

  3. All my three children have been plonked into one of these during their childhood for their Sunday school class. My church still keeps about six of these chairs from years ago!

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