It's not where we start, it's how we end.

I met an interesting old man during the long CNY break.

I was drinking with my mates after a long day of visiting relatives(more exhaustive then a day at the gym!) at Brewerks, the makers of awesome awesome beer. We chatted for a long while before parting to make our way back home.

That was where I met him. No, not the transsexual "ladies" that came out in force that night(for a change of environment or fishing a better catch then army boys I guess) but a old men well in his seventies.

Over the years, I've trained a good listening ear, mostly from listening to too many GF/BF/Political stories from my friends which typically lasts for hours on end. This man looked like he was bursting with stories to tell, so I allowed him have the opportunity to do so.

To cut the story short(as it was a good long talk), I found out that he was a rather accomplished man.

Made it into the first batch of Officer Cadets in a fledgling SAF back in 1967. (A very rare opportunity back in those days)

One of the first batches of Singapore Polytechnic graduates. (In an era where a PSLE was something, a diploma was equivalent to a degree or higher)

An Economic Development Board scholar (Again a very rare opportunity back in the bad old days)

His command of English was top rate, with a smattering of British phrases and words as it must have been taught to him back then.

He was however a bitter old man, complaining about his life, how scholars this days were simpletons, the nation treating us as second class citizens, the army, and many more.

There was a lot more that I wanted to ask him about but alas, I arrived at my stop. So I paid the fare and left.

Because you see, "He", the officer and the scholar, was my Taxi Driver.


In addendum,
I do not wish to belittle this fine old man I met as he has already done and seen so much as compared to myself. I do however find it a shame that he, with all his knowledge and expertise, ended up in this manner. Retired but forced to drive a taxi, an occupation one does not take up for leisure but as a last resort.