Charmaine Leung - 17A Keong Saik Road

I remembered how money was always in short supply for Je Je. Fei provided for her basic needs of food, shelter and her primary and secondary school education, but she could not do more. When Je Je finished her secondary school studies, she wanted to further her education as she knew that was the only way she could get out of her difficult situation and become independent. It was her only chance at changing her life. Je Je also wanted to achieve more so she could repay the money owed to Fei for her years of upbringing. Furthermore, Je Je was proficient in her studies and it would be a pity not to take her education further. But since she did not have enough money, Je Je deferred her entry to the polytechnic for a year to buy time to earn her school fees. She was constantly stressed when a new school term was about to begin because she would have to find money for her next instalment of school fees. This went on throughout the three years that she was studying in the polytechnic.

I remembered that for one semester, Je Je had completely ran out of money and was down to her last two dollars. There was no way she could come up with the money to pay her fees the next day. Je Je had walked down the streets of Keong Saik in the direction of Kreta Ayer aimlessly, feeling hopeless. When she came to the junction, she noticed a Singapore Pools counter at the corner of one of the retail shops across the road where a queue of hopefuls had lined up to place their bets on the four-digit lottery that would be picked later that evening. A desperate idea came to herif she won the lottery that night, she would have enough money to pay for her fees. Je Je knew she was asking for the impossible, but she was not greedy, she only wanted enough to pay for her school fees. She closed her eyes and made a vow that if she won the lottery that evening, she would never gamble again for the rest of her life. When Je Je opened her eyes, she quickly noted the car plate number of the first car that passed and placed a bet on those numbers with one of the two dollars she had in her pocket. That evening, Je Je won the starter prize of two hundred and fifty dollarssufficient money to pay for one semester of fees, with a little extra for her expenses during the first month. Je Je never gambled again.

Over the years, as I grew up and became wiser, I started to realise and appreciate how amazing Je Je was. She had very little, yet she was so resourceful. Luck had helped her once, but it was her tenacity that saw her through. Je Je took up multiple jobs, lived frugally to save money, and funded her polytechnic education by doing part-time jobs and giving tuition to as many students as she could cope with while being in school. She was always on the look-out for ways to earn more money. When she used up one avenue, she would try another. When Lee Kuan Yew, as Member of Parliament for the Tanjong Pagar constituency which Keong Saik was in, set up an education bursary for the residents, she immediately applied for it and fortunately was successful. No matter how dire her financial situation was, Je Je never gave up and endured with a resilience that spoke depths of her strength of character. Seeing Je Jes example taught me so much about resilience and the strength of belief. Against all oddsand her odds were badshe just kept moving forward in her quest for what she believed in, dealing with lifes adversities and never got set back by her circumstances.

I was also amazed that Je Je had hardly aged in the years that we had been apart. It seemed that time had not left any signs on her face, and she was still that youthful Je Je I had known as a little girl.

Je, you havent changed at all, you still look the same after all these years!

No, thats not true, Im old already. My children are all grown up now, how can I still look the same? Je Je said, laughing.

Indeed, weve all aged Looking at the children who have all grown up, we cant deny our age anymore, I agreed and smiled at Je Je.

Youre the one whos still young though, Je Je said instead.

Yes, with you around, Ill always be the baby sister. Do remember you must always give in to me! I joked. In an instant, I turned into that spoilt little brat who used to bully her again.

Honestly, you were quite a handful and spoilt when you were young. You always wanted your way, and would run to Yi Ma to complain whenever you didnt get what you want, Je Je said with a half-chiding smile, remembering how I used to make life difficult for her.

Yes, you used to give in to me a lot, and I always got you into trouble with Kai Por. Being younger, I always felt I had the prerogative to be unreasonable and behaved like a brat.

Well, I was older so its natural that I always ended up taking the rap for your mischief, sighed Je Je.