BANANA PANCAKES


What is your earliest recollection of childhood?

These are mine.

1. Being on the verandah of a house somewhere feeding crackers to a cat. I don't recall who's cat it was, I don't think mom would allow me to keep one at that age (it's not that she dislikes felines, she just wouldn't want to bother taking care of them, although Pablo, Aimar and Diego she adores dearly). Somehow, somebody managed to take a picture of that. I found that old photo, I was still in my green pyjamas! I had very little hair and I was gleefully munching on that cracker while the orange cat was eating from the small round table beside me. I was wide-eyed, partly because a lens was suddenly in my face, also because I was delighted that the kitty didn't run away.

I learned to love animals.

2. Being so fascinated by a set of thick encyclopaedia. I really digged those. I could spend hours going through them. I especially love the bright colourful images, the most memorable ones are about dinosaurs and men with rocket packs (back then it was sooooo James Bond cool). That was when I started using 'tyrannosaurus' and 'pterodactyl' in my vocabulary.

Books became part of me.

3. A red BMX! I thought I was the luckiest kid on earth. The best was having the small hind wheels finally removed. For a few years (until the bike shrunk on me), I'd never go anywhere without it.

I never stopped travelling whenever I can, even if I can only do it through imagination.

4. Catching tadpoles in the big drain. Thinking back, it's actually not a safe place to be for a 7-year old, all alone. The drain was dry most of the time though, with patches of shallow water here and there, where the tadpoles were found. I'd scoop them up, segregate them according to growth size, and examine them. Once in a while, I'd open them up to have a look inside (I know, it sounds disgusting).

I fell in love with the outdoors. And I began to appreciate science.

5. Getting my finger stuck in a metal trash can. The scar maintains. I still feel sick sometimes when I look at it.

Now how on earth can that happen? The trash can had holes underneath it to drain out excess water, that late afternoon, the trash can was put upside down. Thinking it would be fun while waiting for dad to pick me up (yes, it was at a friend's house, they had gone out a while and I was left with the maid), I collected dandelion stalks and stuffed them through the holes. Then, being the clever me, poked my finger in it to take them out again! (What the hell was I thinking?!) I tried pulling my finger out once, it wouldn't budge! Tried to remain cool and made a few more attempts. Panic started creeping in. There was neither a soul around. For the last time, I gathered my strength and yanked hard.

Blood dripped like there was no tomorrow. I saw a flap of skin and flesh.

I looked left, right and left again. Nobody was there to take pity on me! I made my way to my friend's house. Oh, the horror on the maid's face! She never stopped babbling until my dad came. It was not until I was sitting in the passenger's seat that I started crying because my dad was trying to comfort me (ironically). I received a few stitches down at the hospital. I could swear I heard what's going through the doctor's mind, that I was the most silly little girl he'd ever come across.

I secretly dreamed that one day I'd become a doctor (which I didn't eventually, instead got a job that's not anywhere in 'My Ambitions' list but enjoying it nonetheless)

6. Getting a blue eye at school.

Don't remember who started it. But I wasn't directly involved because it was one of those caught-in-a-crossfire situation. I took the punch and nobody noticed except for my piano teacher that afternoon. Didn't have much to say.

Sometimes, it's always a good idea to stay clear of sticky situations until the right time comes or you might end up hurting more.

7. Getting a keyboard. It would never compare with what friends had; the big organs and pianos. My dad was still working with the government. We didn't have much, so it was really a big deal to me. I knew dad wanted to surprise me beforehand, so I acted like it.

I grew more passionate about music.

8. Picking out a name for my newborn brother. I was elated.

9. Following my mom to the small town market on Sundays (a.k.a. the 'tamu'). I saw mothers juggling between taking care of the kids and the customers. It was always hot. A little boy was watching me eating my candy. But I had no more to give and my heart sank. My mom later told me that for some of them, it's their only way of earning a living. To go deep into the jungle to find produce to sell to feed their family. She said I should be grateful.

I really was and still am.

10. Spending the whole day with my cousins on a rambutan tree beside the pond doing what else? Eating rambutans! We laughed all day.

Friends are to be treasured, especially those who'll accept a mad chick for who she is. And (act like they) love her cooking.