Serikandi Tun Fatimah

It’s funny how when you call someone you’ve not met in 10 years and they instantaneously know that it’s you. That’s what happened today; when I finally got round to calling a long lost senior from school (thanks to Noni who made this "jejak kasih" possible). I just said hello, and she immediately recognized my voice.

What does that tell you? That I don’t sound like a mak budak.

Ehem.

On a more serious note, it is lovely to hook up with long lost friends. Especially those from the days of Tun Fatimah. I have to admit my guilt of not being so actively involved in school reunions etc..etc.. It’s just that I find these meets, sometimes, to be rather pretentious. People are more interested in the car that you drive, the position you hold, rather than the person you are today and how the years away from school has changed you or not. And for these reasons mainly I stay out of these meets. I can’t hold a fake smile on my face for too long. It’s too energy consuming. I prefer to hook up in smaller groups and engage in true heart to hearts which I find more fulfilling.

That said, school was fun, with a capital F. I mean, imagine living with friends for 5 whole years? Sharing rooms with 10 to 15 other shrieky, pimple popping teenage girls? Sharing tears and laughter together..some, even shared underwear on bad days! Then there were the “school” stuff that really made us the proud STFians we are. The brass band that toured all over the country winning competitions, the hockey team that was the reigning champions for I don’t know how many hundred years (actually it was 15 years or something like that), the inter school debates and the Piala Perdana Menteri yearly where every boarding school would meet to vie for the trophies and where in cases of all girl (or boy) schools like us; some of us would have a taste of our first cinta monyet with the guys from the Malay College or the Royal Military College etc.. Now that I think of it, it’s hard to stop myself from gagging! I mean, what were we thinking then?

Then close to heart still, are the girls I met there, those I learned to love for the lovely people they are with fantastic personalities to match and those who I know are my friends for life. Practically sisters, in fact. No matter how long we have not met, no matter how different we are now and most importantly, no matter how much weight we have gained, we’re still great friends. Those are the friends who saw you grow from a scrawny little comot 12 year old to a budding woman of seventeen. Those are the friends you ate with, slept with, shared stories, hopes and dreams with. And those are the friends who’d recognize your voice instantly, through a random unplanned phone call, even though it’s been years since you last spoke.

I suppose my absence from all these meets will make some think I have forgotten school and the five glorious years that we were there. Don’t get me wrong. There’s still a Serikandi (oh that’s what we call ourselves, for glamour, oomph and to sound like kick-*ss women) burning somewhere deep within me. She’s probably been in a comfortable slumber all these years and needs a little wake up call. This year seems appropriate indeed as the school celebrates it’s 50th anniversary. Maybe I will make that trip back to school this June and see whether I can remember how it feels to be 17 again and reaffirm to myself that much of the Serikandi spirit still burns within me. Afterall, it 's got a lot to do with the person I am today.



P/s Is it scary or is it scary? As I bloghop, I tend to find myself landed in the blogs of ex-STFians hiding behind some name or another. How interesting it would be if I could find out whether I actually know all these girls just as how I connected with Noni through this blog. Who would have thought that she was the long lost senior who stuck three fingers down our throats during choir practise so that we’d sing better, mouths opened as wide as the Batu Caves. Or so they say. I think they just found it a cheap sadistic thrill doing that to juniors. Sheeesh. (Noni, you know I sayang you and I still takut kat you as I say this.) So, just for the heck of it; those of you Serikandi’s out there..raise your hand PLEASE??