Russell Cole

My most vivid memories are stepping onto a Ferry for the first time, travelling from the Mainland to Penang. Heaps of Cars, Buses and people stacked on this thing taking me to a land of NO TV, NO McDONALDS, NO FRESH MILK, and lots of sport. When I say lot’s of sport, I mean it. Tennis and Basketball (both juniors and men’s), Soccer (train once pw, play once pw), Baddy (once pw), and Table Tennis (having to represent the School and play against a girls school)! How weird is that! To think, I could also have plunged into Swimming, Rugby, and Volleyball. Strange thing is, that much sport was a common occurrence amongst pupils. We were fit, tanned (hmm, Melanomas anyone?) and totally spoilt. What a great life.

Mind you, it wasn’t all Beer and Skittles. There were still a very small number of older knobs out there that liked to pick on some kids because their old man was an Officer. Yeah, good one. I didn’t know what an “Officer” was until I rocked up to RHSP.

I have the best memories of my life whilst visiting Penang in the 2 years that I graced her shores. Who can forget having an “Amah”? How many kids in Oz got to say that they have experienced that! I don’t think I really saw too much of my parents as I was so busy playing sport, running amok, and genuinely having fun. I do remember not even feeling guilty about swiping a few Rupiah’s from mum’s purse when I was going out. Things were that cheap, Mum used to say just help yourself to some money from my Purse Russell! And guess what, you didn’t need much to be able to afford to go and see the free films at the Hostie! Just a few Rupiahs for a drink, something to eat and a “bus fare from hell” to get home. I still have panic attacks at some of the things those mad cow infected bus drivers did! Fair dinkum, metres from a cliff edge, overtaking anything that moved, close your eyes and pray to Allah to get home safely. You gotta laugh!

The Teachers were the best. I think I realised it later in life after I completed High School. They all actually seemed to care. We didn’t have any poor teachers and even some that used the Cane weren’t too bad. I wonder if Mr Hayden remembers caning me, and to think, I was his next door neighbour! I told my Dad I got caned and he laughed when I told him. Sometimes there is just not enough sympathy in the world.

School socials (Meatloaf – Bat out of Hell, ELO – A New World Record, Stayin Alive – The Bee Gees, Grease – Summer Lovin’, KISS – I was made for lovin’ you, Disco Duck – Ricky someone or other (now that truly was an average song). As Guy F mentioned – The Pineapple Fights (I totally forgot about them till I read Guy’s post), the great School Uniforms (socks up anyone)?, studying under a Thatched Roof Hut, my own Personal Alarm Clock – A Mosque about 50 yards from my place, Rambutans growing in the Backyard, a really weird looking Female Guard Dog with no Tail named Bruno (work that one out )?? , sneaking the odd Anchor Beer from Dads Fridge, and not to forget the crew from Tanjong Tokong Bus that went through Jalan Gajah.

There’s so much more…

Russell Cole
(78-79, yrs 8.1 / 9.1)
PS: Apologies to my all time favourite Teacher Meg Stubbs (8.1 & 9.1 English Teacher 78-79) for the poor use of grammar and punctuation. At least I kind of ended up free minded!

Russell Cole
29/9/05