72
FIRSTPERSON
SINGAPORE
I landedatChangiAirportona
one-way ticket inJanuary2011. I
hadnotset footon the islandsince
1989.DrivingdownEastCoast
Parkway thatfirstmorningpast
meticulouslyprunedrain treesand
bloomingbougainvilleashrubs, I felt
acomfortingprickleof familiarity.
In theUK,my lifehadbeenalmost
hermeticallysealed from thesadness
of losingmy father. Iwasready to face
themusicbyreturning toplaceswith
hisfingerprintsallover them.
Whenmy taxipassedasign for
anow-defunctwaterpark inEast
CoastPark, Isawmy fatherstanding
on theserviceroad lookingbackat
me impatiently,handsonhips, in the
springof1987.Ourhotelwas less
thanamile fromBigSplashbutmy
short legsand thesuffocatingheat
made it feelmuch farther. Iregret
complainingabouthisreluctance to
haila taxi. Inhindsight,havinghis
undividedattention for theafternoon
in thepark’ssandy-bottomedpoolsand
“NowI feltreadyto face
themusicbyreturning
toplaceswithhis
fingerprintsalloverthem”
