The OFA durian party

Saw See and I decided to join the OFA durian party in Balik Pulau this morning. Found out that there would be more than 100 OFA members and their spouses with the same idea in mind.

Accordingly, we left in two buses and reached our destination in no time at all. Turned out to be the same place that we had gone to many decades ago when Ban Hin Lee Bank first organised a durian trip for its staff.

I remember then that the durian offered us were rather common; I also remember that the owner of this orchard used to sit on the floor shirtless and tanned, and he held the durian with the soles of his feet - he wasn't wearing shoes - while hacking away at the fruit with a heavy cleaver. All these haven't changed much these years. In my opinion, the durian still weren't the best in Balik Pulau and now, the durian were being hacked open the same way by the owner's sons or grandsons. But at least, one was now wearing sneakers instead of holding the fruit still with their soles.

For the next two hours as we sailed into the durian and then the rambutan, chempedak and mangosteen, we felt like kids again, caring little about whatever medications we were on.

 Group photo by Loh Keng Jin.