1.The One-Liner That Remains Etched In Memory

Chinese New Year festive snacks

Chinese New Year was always a highlight during our school days in Taiping. In 1969, when I was 16, a few of us went to visit a classmate at his home for the festive season. It was around 11:30 in the morning when we arrived.

His father welcomed us warmly and, in true Taiping fashion, served some festive snacks and traditional Chinese kueh. While his mother was about to bring out bottles of Coke and orange for us, the boy’s father suddenly turned to us with a mischievous smile and asked:“Would you boys like to have some beer?”

We were stunned. The thought of drinking beer sounded daring and exciting, but at that age, we were far too shy to say yes. So, we just sat there, quiet and awkward.

Noticing our hesitation, he repeated his offer, even more warmly:  “If you like, you can have beer instead of Coke and orange.”

That’s when I couldn’t help myself - I blurted out a one-liner that instantly broke the silence and later became a small legend back in school:  “If you insist and persist, we can’t resist.”

Everyone burst into laughter, and we ended up sipping the beer. The memory of that cheeky line has stayed with me ever since.

Raja Sekaran A

7th September 2025