Long Long Time Ago (Part 2) , bd

Marshall Cavendish International - Jack Neo

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138 pages

English

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Long Long Time Ago Part 2 is a continuation from the first movie and tracks Singapore's growth after independence, when foreign companies set up industries in the country and created employment opportunities for the people. With a farming license inherited from her father, Zhao Di works hard to get the farm going and establishes her independence in the household. Zhao Di's growth and independence parallels Singapore's gradual shift from agriculture to modernization and the bright future she has ahead of her. Despite the wonderful times they had growing up in a kampong, it's not long before Zhao Di and family must bid a fond farewell to their beloved kampong and look forward to their new lives in the HDB flats.

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Publié par	Marshall Cavendish International
Date de parution	10 avril 2016
Nombre de lectures	2
EAN13	9789814771276
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	6 Mo

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BASED ON A TOP-GROSSING JACK NEO FILM
Some endings are new beginnings
Illustrated by James Teo
With the Support of
2016 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited
Published by Marshall Cavendish Editions An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Requests for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: (65) 6213 9300, E-mail: genref@sg.marshallcavendish.com Website: www.marshallcavendish.com/genref
The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Other Marshall Cavendish Offices: Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing in Publication Data
Name(s): Neo, Jack, 1960- | Teo, James, illustrator. Title: Long long time ago. 2 : some endings are new beginnings / author, Jack Neo; illustrator, James Teo. Description: Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, [2016] Identifier(s): OCN 950985542 | ISBN 978-981-47-5119-3 (paperback) eISBN: 978-981-47-7127-6 Subject(s): LCSH: Families--Singapore--History--20th century--Comic books, strips, etc. | Villages--Singapore--History--20th century--Comics books, strips, etc. | Singapore--History--20th century--Comic books, strips, etc. | Singapore--Social conditions--20th century--Comics books, strips, etc. Classification: DDC 741.595957--dc23
Printed in Singapore by Times Printers Private Limited
Introduction
I was born in a Chinese village in Kampong Chai Chee in 1960. In 1976, the government expropriated the land and we were relocated to HDB flats. At that time, my siblings and I were very excited about the move as we would no longer have to venture out into the dark to use the kampong toilet at night or take a shower with icy cold water drawn from the well.
There were so many new things for us to discover when we moved to our new flat that we hardly thought about the old kampong. Yet, my father would still return to our old house every now and then, something which my siblings and I could not understand then. We even made fun of him, saying that he was ungrateful and would rather yearn for the broken old house than appreciate the comfort of modern living.
Over the years, however, my siblings and I began to miss our old kampong and attempted to make a visit. But by then, we discovered that we could no longer find the road that led to the kampong
As I age, I find that my yearning for those old kampong days of my childhood has grown stronger, but I am only able to relive those moments through old photographs and in dreams. The kampong lifestyle and daily routines we were once so familiar with are but a thing of the past. Whenever I get the chance to talk to my children about kampong life, they are always excited to listen to my stories, but they will never be able to experience for themselves what life was truly like then.
Hence, Long Long Time Ago is my attempt at recording events of the past and of life in the kampong, but not just through what I remember, but through stories collected from others as well, so that generations after us can have a glimpse of what kampong life was like.
To all who have contributed to this production of Long Long Time Ago , be it the movie or book, in one way or another, thank you! May we always celebrate the Singapore spirit with an appreciation and understanding of our past and work towards a brighter future together.

After the flood, mum took over grandpa s farming licence and stopped selling soybean milk. We worked hard to build a pigsty at the front of the house and although we used only old wood to build it, the pigsty looked new when it was completed.
That was quick! They re almost done building the pigsty!
Father and Ah Xi helped, so they managed to get it done more quickly.
What are our three rascals doing there?
They have nothing else to do at home. Let them be.
I don t want them to raise pigs when they grow up.
What are you boys doing? Don t meddle in people s affairs.
I told you not to help! Go do your homework.
I m sorry...
It s okay.
2
Mum, will we be able to survive just by rearing pigs? We don t even have any pigs in our pigsty.
Why not? I m going to Ninth Aunt s place tomorrow to get money from the tontine fund. I can then buy some piglets.
When the piglets mature and reproduce, we can sell the new piglets to earn money. You girls should work hard and help out.
We can also take on odd jobs and earn a few hundred dollars a month.
Or we can grow our own vegetables and rear chickens. We won t starve.
I m more concerned about the time when we have to move to live in HDB flats. We can t grow our own vegetables or rear pigs and chickens. We will really starve then.
We re comfortable here. Why do we have to move to live in flats?
The government is developing our country. It s also good to live in flats. We won t need to worry about fires.
3
The Bukit Ho Swee fire a few years back was horrifying.
All the straw and wooden houses were razed to the ground. Thousands of people were left homeless...
Sis!
There s a hole in the roof. Why haven t you fixed it?
Are you waiting for the house to become a pool before you mend it?
I ll repair it right now.
...
Mum, Uncle Kun lives here too. Why can t he repair it himself?
Yes, why?
4
We are family. We should help one another. We must not be calculative about such matters. Understand?
We won t need to bother about leaking roofs when we live in flats.
I m coming!
Hurry up!
Although mum wasn t educated, her selfless nature...
...left a deep impression on us.
That evil woman ran away with all our money!
She looked honest, but it was all a show!
Ninth Aunt has disappeared!
What?
5
She has disappeared?
She has taken...
...all my life savings...
Oh no!
Zhao Di!
Ah Long! What are you doing here?
I just got out of prison. This is my mum.
Were you cheated of your money too?
Yes. And you?
I was hoping to use the funds to buy some piglets and start a business...
Me too. I ve not been able to get a job since I was released. My mum wanted to get some funds to help me start a business.
6
This is retribution...
...
Oh god! Why do you always make fun of me?
You place so many obstacles in my way... I am just a woman - what do you want from me?
Mum...
I can quit school...
...I will stay home to rear poultry and grow vegetables. I can look after my brother and sisters. You can work in the factory...
Quit school and be illiterate like me? It s a tough life.
You hear?
...
7
Goddess of Mercy...
The pigsty is ready, but the tontine manager has run away with my money.
I am not able to buy piglets for the pigsty. Please have mercy and take pity on me.
Please grant me a few pigs...
Grunt, grunt.
Squeal.
Squeal.
Pigs!
8
There are pigs in the pigsty!
The goddess granted my wish!
No, mum...
No? Then where did the pigs come from?
They re from Ah Long!
Ah Long?
It was the Goddess of Mercy who asked me to bring you the pigs.
Ha!
You bought these pigs?
Ah Long...
The sow that my family rears just gave birth to a dozen piglets.
9
You can care for these four piglets.
How can I accept this?
I m just leaving them in your care. When they mature and have piglets, you can return four to me.
Thank you, Ah Long!
Here s a packet of sugar cane. Share them.
Thank you!
My family s pigs are top quality.
I m no longer with 706.
With the government s crackdown on gangs, we have disbanded. I m illiterate and can only work as a labourer.
Ah Long, what are your future plans? Don t return to 706.
10
I m now working at a coal factory.
Coal factory?
Do they hire females?
They do. You re keen? But it s very dirty.
I can t support a whole family by rearing pigs alone. Dirt is not an issue.
Alright! Let me see what I can do.
Thank you.
Don t stand on ceremony.
Sis!
I m off.
Sis, the roof is leaking again after the rain last night. Ah Kun is asking you to fix it.
Alright, I ll be right over.
Goodbye!
11
With Ah Long s help, mum started working at the coal factory.
After school, my younger sister and I would do the housework and tend to the farm.
12
At night, after completing our homework, we would even take on some small tasks to supplement the family income.
Here s your pay.
Ah!
Thank you!
How times flies. Mum has been working at the coal factory for almost a year. The extra money helped us get by.
I m home!
Shock!
At times, in her hurry to return home, mum would forget to wash up and her appearance would be rather frightening.
13
The four piglets matured and gave birth to several piglets. Ah Long s pigs were indeed of top quality.
As time passed, my siblings and I also grew up.
They also started helping with the chores.
With mum working hard at the coal factory, we took care of the chores at home.
Uncle Long often helped mum out at the coal factory and we grew closer to him. He was our benefactor.
14
It was 1971. In the blink of an eye, mum had been working at the coal factory for more than three years