Reunion of Lok Yuk Old Friends

Meeting up with old friends always seems to need a reason, and the best one is when someone who has moved abroad returns to our hometown, KK, for a visit. This time, it was Ah Miao, now living in Hong Kong, who came back for a holiday, giving us the perfect excuse to gather once again.

Front sitting: Robert Chin (Now in poor health).
Back from left: Yee Siew Fung (Mrs. Yap Kim Tong),
Chin Miao Ling, Mrs. Robert Chin, Jeannie Teo,
Eddie Chow Tack Chung, Yap Kim Tong.

Of all friendships, it is those forged during secondary school and university that seem to endure the longest. These bonds, tested by time and distance, often outlast many others and remain a comforting constant in our lives.

Now that we are in the “greying season” of life, the frailty of the body and the transience of time feel more real than ever. It was five years ago when some of us last met (Read here), and though our original plan was to wait longer, we decided not to delay any further. A new gathering is now set for this November - sooner than we had first intended.

The men, of course, carry their greying and balding with a certain quiet acceptance, while the ladies - ever resourceful - prefer to disguise the passing years with the help of hair colouring technology.

As for what “old friends” talk about when they meet? You might be surprised. One classmate recently shared about a catch-up with another schoolmate who, when certain names were mentioned, simply could not recall them anymore. Another friend’s wife complained - half in jest, half in exasperation - that her husband always forgot to close the front gate and main door when leaving the house, sparking arguments born out of her concern for security. Yet another wife recounted a frightening episode when her husband, despite her warnings, insisted on driving. Barely 200 meters from home, he rammed straight into a stationary container truck - a grim reminder of how quickly health and ability can change.

These stories may be laughable but the painful truth is that they all reveal the fact of life!