Remember our Former President Wee Kim Wee?

He spoke to me! Yes, he really did.

I was watching the encore telecast of NDP 08 yesterday, and this huge feeling of nostalgia swelled inside my heart.

What made my heart flutter and throbbing?

The fireworks were dazzling. The fighter jets made my jaws gapped. The songs were inspiring. The laser added vibrancy and dynamism to the event. The floating platform was a nice change.

But it wasn’t any of these that made the cut.

It was the plain, ole parade that did it. When the Parade Commander went in and sent out the command for the Guard Of Honour (GOH) to march in, the second the drum went up, so did my ego.

I mean, not really ego, but my pride.

Instantly, I went back to the time when I was also a GOH. Decked in the all-white, starched stiff and extremely smart St. Johns Ambulance Brigade uniform, with the red, black and white striped banner worn diagonally over my body, I was part of the 60-strong (if I remembered correctly) squad.

We were all brimming with pride when we put our first foot out in sync with the first beat. Months and months of preparation with bucket-fulls of perspiration and blood, loads of fatigue and tonnes of steel-will and perseverance were all for this moment.

I can’t remember what was that occasion anymore. All I know is only the champion of the Annual Footdrill Competition will qualify to be the GOH. Our school was the defending champion, and I was part of this team.

As I was petite in size, I usually stood at the front row. (We arrange positions according to height) The President of Singapore would be the Guest-of-Honour to inspect the squad. That year, 1989 or 1990, was the former President Wee Kim Wee.

We had to be in the stand-still position for as long as I could remember. Take note that the weather was hot and humid, and the glaring sun was blinding many of us. Yet, we had to endure all the discomfort and stand with chest in, stomach in and head slightly tilted up. Not too high or we would look snobbish, and not too low or we wouldn’t look smart.

To make matters worse, I was wearing glasses then. Though I had the strap on to keep it from falling off my face, it didn’t stop the glasses from slipping down a bit to the lower part of my nose. Gosh, how uncomfortable that was, you know?

Still, I had to be motionless. When President Wee was inspecting the contingent, we had changed the formation from 4 rows into 2. I was in the second row. (A bit of explanation here: that year saw a sudden change in the competition rule, and as such the squad was exceptionally large. I think we had 4 rows instead of 3. I ended up in Row 2, or so I think)

And I was there willing time to pass faster and President Wee to finish inspecting as soon as possible. When he stopped to speak to some people in the front row, I went “Oh please hurry up” in my head. And I continued to focus on this thought, as time crawled at a snail’s pace, or so I thought then.

When he was done with the first row, he came to our row. As he was approaching, I was getting more elated because finally we can move! As he walked nearer and nearer, I continued to play the tempo in my head with my single, one thought “Please hurry up”.

Then, he walked past my friend next to me, came to me, and stopped. “What! Why are you stopping?” I couldn’t scream out loud, but I did inside my head. I know, I must be crazy to entertain such thoughts, because shortly after I realised I was the envy of many others.

He turned around, looked at my name tag and started to speak to me.

“How long have you joined St. Johns?” he asked.

Gosh, he sounded so gentle. At that instant, I felt as if I was my grandfather was talking to me. Yes, he gave me that feeling instantly.

“Two years,” I replied.

Then he asked me two more questions, which I can’t recall now. I think he asked me how old I was too.

He didn’t stop smiling, and his gentility was very endearing. It made one warm up to him immediately and couldn’t help but like him as a person, an elder, a President, and someone who deserved our respect.

Seriously, call me a late-bloomer, because I was nowhere near euphoric when President Wee spoke to me. Maybe it’s because of my “nonchalance” or “non-competitiveness” with the others for a chance to speak to him, I actually did.

Boy, when the parade was over, was I swarmed with voices and looks of envious! Only then did I knew what had happened to me.

The President of Singapore (from 30 August 1985 to 30 August 1993) had spoken to me, albeit for a very short time, but would be remembered for an everlasting time.

I know, I was lucky. More so when my friend standing next to me confessed that she was hoping, wishing and yearning that she would be the fortunate one. Whereas I was hoping, wishing and yearning that he would quickly swing past, I got those few extra seconds with him. I thanked my lucky stars, really.

I also knew from the others that President Wee had a different tonality when speaking to the guys. He sounded more stern, but when he spoke to the girls, he had a softer approach. What a gentleman!

I had a photo as a keepsake. My grandmother was so proud that she showed this photo to ALL (and I meant ALL, including non-residents, aka, visitors) our neighbours.

So, when the music was playing and the GOH marched in, chest out and stomach in, I was filled with such sweet thoughts of our late President.