Our New Home

Very soon, we were at our new home in Ama Keng and everyone on her side of the family was happy. But not me. I felt so sorry for my father who loved me so much. For the first few days, I had nightmares hearing my dad call me. I did not tell my wife for fear of upsetting her again. She was then very happy and cheerful.

Her mother and sisters visited us more often. It was near the main road and convenient. I could also walk that 400m to school. I often went home during my free periods.

Soon I was more settled and happier. My wife became more romantic in someways and in October 1961, she was pregnant with our first child.

In anticipation of the birth, my wife wanted to move more closely to her mother so she could come and help out. We set out and finally found a room in a three-storey flat in Princess Elizabeth Estate. The owner was a Mr Lau who had a wife and three kids.

His sister stayed behind to look after the kids while he and his wife went to work. The kids all called her "gu-gu". The flat had three bedrooms, so he rented one to us.

Mr Lau was quite desperate as the factory they were working in was winding up and they would be left jobless. So renting a room brought in an extra $30 which was quite a good sum in the 60s.