Popeye

The house on the left was occupied by a young Hainanese family with 2 kids - a boy my age, Aun and his younger sister (I can't remember her name).

Aun and I used to play in the evenings, he was one of my few playmates then. I don't recall any toys, mainly playing in the compound of our houses. He was a pretty docile boy, and I used to be the leader in all the games we played. He was happy to just follow my lead.

One evening, we were playing in the compound. I think we were about 5 then. All three of us were huddled together, digging dirt with some sticks. I don't think we were planting anything, just squatting together and digging and digging while talking.

I don't know what prompted me to tell Aun "if you eat a bit of soil, you will be strong like Popeye". Popeye was like da man! No matter what Brutus did to him, he would always triumph in the end.

I remember Aun asking how much he needed to eat to be strong like Popeye. Just a pinch, I said.

I nearly told him that I was just pulling his leg. But I did not.

So he took a bit of soil and swallowed it. He asked when would he be strong. I said, just wait until tomorrow.

I don't remember if he ever came back to me about that.