See-Saws
Never knew the joy of riding a see-saw until the pre-'A's period when my group of friends (Linda, Meicen, Shuzhen, Magdalene, Victoria, Daohui, Lin Guang, Zhenxiang, etc) gathered at the study room at Teck Whye to prepare for our exams. We found a playground with some see-saws nearby, and this was an ecstatic discovery for my group of friends who happened to be see-saw lovers. I have always thought that only girls and children would ride a see-saw (yea, I am a sexist, and I think everybody is: girls have to admit they still prefer guys to hold the doors for them and guys have to confess that they want a gentle girlfriend), but I began to love the experience when I was finally convinced by them to take a ride on the "childish/girly thing" and as they taught me to master the skill of "seesawology".
It was thrilling - the feeling of flying, of floating in the air, with your surrounding swirling past all around you; the sensation of freedom, of being thrown into the opposing air - almost gravity-defying... all these were never felt before. Girls may imagine themselves as the liberated Rose in Titanic (only there isn't a Jack hugging from behind you), and guys may think themselves going on a challenging bungie ride (only this is safer). It is probably a deprived-childhood thing, I can't recall riding a see-saw when I was young.
At that time, we went to the see-saws every day before and after our study sessions at the study room. We cheered for each other and hoped to be the one to break the record of the "highest rider". Nobody laughed at us. Our group was dressed quite ah-beng/lian-ly and that was the time when a single innocent stare would have led to a meaningless fight. No one really wanted to be beaten up for nothing. Thus we indulged in the joy of see-saws for a brief period before the exams separated us and we never gathered for a competition on the see-saws ever again.
Passed by the see-saws at the park six times when I went jogging six rounds today. But I never had the courage to go ride it. It's a sexist world afterall.
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