Bridging the Generation Gap - Tyng

"Hello, Aunty! This is Tyng. Meet me for lunch tomorrow? Am taking the 2p.m. bus back to KL." my niece phoned me one evening. This is typical of Tyng. She would come to Singapore anytime and would give me little notice of her coming here.

We met at Suanthai Restaurant at Killiney. It is now my favourite haunt because the food is both tasty and economically priced, with a nice ambience and excellent service by the two bosses themselves including their crew.

Tyng gave me my birthday presents which she had prepared last month. They were daintily wrapped with crepe papers and tied neatly with a lovely ribbon. In contrast, my presents to her and her sister were put in a red plastic bag. As Tyng was walking, the lights from the little toy glowed as the bag moved. I had bought the toy from one of the stalls along Orchard Road last month and thought it would make a good present for my grand niece, Zen, who is thrilled by things that give out light. I apologised to Tyng, for I am often very lazy to wrap up my gifts. Tyng smiled and said, "It's a red plastic bag... not even a nice paper bag.... nevertheless it's the thought that counts."

At the restaurant I found out that Tyng had just spent a month in Chicago and is going steady with an American executive. Tyng is worried about not being as endowed as the American ladies who tend to be more voluptuous, but her boyfriend had assured her it is her character and personality that he found most attractive. Tyng is quite tall and pretty and exudes a vibrant air of radiance. I assured Tyng that her boyfriend is quite right for it is character and compatability that is more important than sheer physical assets. Look at how well endowed actresses are and yet many of their marriages end up in divorces.

After I sent Tyng off, I reflected over our meeting. Tyng is vain as she has described herself and loves things aesthetic. To make her happy, I take extra pain to dress up. Now I know if I had no time to wrap up my presents, I must at least put them in nice, paper bags. My experience as a teacher has put me in good stead, as I am always a ready listener to her worries and apprehension. I am sure my nieces and nephews have taught me a lot and enhanced my life just as I have been a little influence to them. Tyng is glad I have a blog because she can pass the articles to her children next time so that her kids will know about her grandparents and grand aunties and uncles.

Ganchau