REX Cinema

.:Rex Cinema in the 50's:.

.:My dad's stall with Uncle Dean, Zack, my mum and Suzie Che's dad:.

My childhood memoir revolves around a cinema because my parents used to run a movie snack stall next to the cinema. Until now, I can still remember bits and pieces of the sweet and bitter things that happened over the years. The cinema was officially shut down when I was in primary 4 '10 years old' and I remember watching the last movie shown that night. It was devastating and being so young, I sense sadness in the eyes of everyone. I'm going to list down what I can recall before I forget them.

The People
1. Ah Moi Ee - The ticket counter (i remember she bought me a bracelette)
2. Another untie who are slimmer and more fierce. I was afraid of her
3. Ah Lau - The ticket collector who also sleeps in the lobby of the cinema. I used to see him every morning when we walk to the breakfast place.
4. The Fat drink stall tauke at the food court behind the cinema. (This was where Ellen told me story about the most work in a company is office boy but usually he is first to go if economy is bad).
5. The Rex Cucur tauke - My aunt used to work for him and then she opens her own stall
6. Michael - The boy i played with and his mum can make 'Kueh Sepit' aka 'Love Letter' and he is staying behind the cinema next tot he super smelly toilet. I went to their house alot too.
7. The chines girl - I remember her mum opens hawker stall at the food court but i have no idea what her name is until now.
8. The sugarcanne family - his son was my classmate in kindergarden and form 4 and 5.
9. Ah Hia - owner of another hawker stall opposite the sugarcanne family.
10. The stall operator inside the cinema premise - I can't remember him much coz my dad prevent us to play inside the cinema premise much.
11. Ah Kheng - Her family lives somewhere next to Dr Chan clinic and they moved to KMC flat after they got the placement from MBKS.

The Sweet & Bitter Memories
1. Self made singing competition - It was with my cousin Diana and the chinese girl. We will win a drawing painted by the chinese girl. We used the side entrance of the cinema where there's staircase that made it looks like a stage.
2. The Reservoir Park stroll - I have always been going to the park with my cousin and his brother. It's without my dad's permission. We just kinda found our way there and I get to call these 2 old couple at the corner of the demolished role of shop in front of the demolished prison opposite Borneo Hotel and they will give me 10 cent. :D
3. Watching Free movies - Sometimes Ah Lau made me sing a song first.
4. Playing with the daughter of the tailor shop owner 'American Tailor'. I can't recall what we usually do but I remember I've always gone to their shop.
5. Playing with Ah Kheng - We do meet sometimes in the shopping mall as she works as a promoter now and happily married.
6. I stepped on a lot of dead caterpillar that caused me walking like handicap for at least 2 months. I got it when I was washing my leg at the side of the drain opposite dad's stall. I have to blame my dad for throwing the caterpillars there after he had killed them. He should throw right into the drain and not leaving it on the road!
7. Broke a horlick bottle on the way back after buying it with my brother at Ting & Ting Supermarket. My late 3rd aunt was furious...
8. Spitting activities with some boys and my cousins. We were scolding each other and spitting on each other. To think about it, that's when I start learning how to roll my eyes when meeting people that I don't like.
9. My eldest brother told me that the crystal like sugar is used by the Japanese to make bombs. His attention was so that i do not disturb the sugar bottle.. I felt like an idiot after i asked my dad couple years back.
10. I saw a sanitary pad with blood in the toilet thinking that the toilet is haunted coz I thought I saw a bloody flesh in the toilet bowl.
11. Believed that there's an old man died in the cinema stuck on the gate because of heart attack. (Untill now, I'm not sure if it's real)

and many more which I can't think of now....