2300 HRS APRIL 22ND 2007

I was 9 years old,

and an extremely avid reader.

Mummy encouraged reading,

Dad thought it was a sissy activity

for girls and not boys.

Mum would bring me

every weekend

to Lucky Bookshop

at Siglap,

no matter how poor

we were,

she would buy me

a new book.

There was once,

I was in the shop,

I chose this book,

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".

The auntie at the shop

said I cannot read this book.

It was too difficult,

and snatched the book away from me

like as though

I tried to steal that book.

I walked out of the shop

looking miserable.

Mum asked why didn't I

choose a book.

I said I did,

but auntie would not

let me buy it

because she said

it was too difficult

for me.

Mum looked at the auntie,

and asked,

which is the book,

my son wanted?

Auntie said,

that book is an American literature classic,

it is too difficult

for you son.

Mum said,

I'm buying that book.

And please don't tell my son

any book is too difficult

for him.

And so I read my first

literature classic.