Chapter 13 The Neighbours

Fabian's home although of wooden structure can be considered a bungalow situated on a two and a half acre plot of land.Opposite their home was the General Hospital,in fact their house actually faced a sick ward.

Their good friends,the Chong brothers reside also opposite about fifty meters away from the sick ward,in the Government quarter - another wooden bungalow.That family had three males and three females siblings.Their father,a government servant was a dresser and their mother a house wife.Beside that they also had a grandmother.

On the right side of Fabian's home was another wooden bungalow.this house was well fenced up.At the back of that house was a workshop where workers hand wrapped cigars.Francis and Fabian had their first taste of tobacco smell every day as they sat around the back of their home.

Some funny with this family were they never move out to greet or make acquaintances with anyone around.In fact Fabian's family never knew them.All they had were glimpse of some of them,that was all.

In the evening the old folks will play badminton with some of their friends.At times one or two shuttle cocks will fly wildly over the fence to Fabian's compound.Since there was a fence they let that be a lost item and never made any attempts to retrieve them.

Ah,those shuttle cocks started Fabian and Francis on the road to become badminton stars,or did they?How can they be any good when they do not have proper equipments to train in.Instead,Fabian fabricated his own version of rackets with planks.Whatever the shortcomings Fabian and Francis still enjoyed themselves playing badminton and did learn the game.

On the left side was another wooden bungalow,they were exactly opposite the entrance of the General Hospital.An Indian family lived there,they were actually beside the Primary school.This family was never in sight.The back portion of that house was a noodle producer.

Those were the actual neighbors of Fabian's family.Further back at the house resided some friends they met in Primary one at Anglo Chinese School.For example the Loke brothers and others.