The real moon walk

Fifty years ago. It was the evening of 20 July 1969 in the United States. Over here in Malaysia, it was already the morning of 21 July 1969. Conveniently, a Monday morning, a school day. I was in Physics class at that time. How apt, learning Physics. In Form Four Science One at Penang Free School. Suddenly at around 10.30am, the school's public address system came alive. A crackling sound that alerted us to someone going to make an announcement. But this time, it wasn't any ordinary, run-of-the-mill announcement. The Headmaster, Poon Poh Kong, said we would be hearing a live broadcast from the Voice of America. Relayed through Radio Malaysia, of course. Such a momentous occasion. Quite unprecedented for the school. Unprecedented in the sense that the Headmaster saw it fit to interrupt all the classes in the school and let us listen to a live broadcast from overseas. For the next hour or so, all lessons stopped. Everyone was visualising, listening intently, mesmerised, the teacher included. He was watching over us like a hawk, feeling quite awed himself. Gesticulating with the palm of his hands, he emphasised the American astronauts walking and bouncing on the surface of the moon. Down here, teacher Tan Sean Huat. Up there, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon, and Michael Collins piloting the command module above. That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind.