The Stories Of Six Women

They lived in the Solitary Durian vicinity, sandwiched between New Hill and Bear Hill, and flanked by a chapel and a small kampung. Their white and red bungalow sat proudly on a generous slice of land, complete with rows of various coloured hibiscus, a vegetable patch, pots of roses and bougainvilleas, vines of morning glory and a throng of fruit trees. They lived in that red and white house, with its sunny kitchen, sprawling living room and three cosy bedrooms. A long time ago, three dogs and five children frolicked in and around the red and white house but the dogs have since died and the children have moved to the city, frequently returning to visit the original eight inhabitants of the house. And each time they returned, they were rewarded with another crumb of insight into the eight lives that existed before theirs.

The Old Man
An estate owner, and a proud and stern man with a legendary temper. So feared was he among his six daughters that they only spoke to him when necessary. If they needed money for school fees or books, he would find a little note strategically placed on the dining table in the morning. By sundown, the note would be gone and the exact sum left in its place. Time and age eventually tore down the barriers between him and his girls, allowing them to enjoy his sunset years together. When his time was up, his girls were heartbroken to see the man who once stood tall and erect, lying curled and crumpled in a hospital cot.

The Old Lady
She was her husband’s invisible pillar of strength. Of her six children, she only brought up the eldest, who is now her faithful companion. Her five grandchildren love her, but none of them know her name. To them, she’s just ‘Grandma’. Time has made her weary and slow on her feet, but her children make sure she always gets through another day.

First Daughter
Her illiteracy has cut her off from the rest of the world. The only place she knows is the red and white house and the only people she knows are the seven others who co-exist with her. The Old Man once brought her a suitor but she cried so hard, he never attempted it again. Perhaps her life would have been different had the old man allowed her to go to school, but it’s too late for such dreams.

Second Daughter
Her children believe she was destined to marry a crass, obscenely rich, Chinese foreman but she somehow wound up with a Portuguese postal clerk. Nevertheless, she has remained firmly rooted in the Chinese way of life, dabbling in feng shui and delighting in gold, 4D and Chinese superstition.

Third Sister
A devout Taoist, she declared to never marry after seeing her friends being made fools of by their men. Her cynicism manifested itself in her sharp tongue and bad-temper which belies the kind heart underneath.

Fourth Sister
A born daydreamer, her nightmare began when she fell in love with a married man who reciprocated her love. But his wife, who had no use for him anymore, refused to retract her claws from his arm. Their relationship was fraught with heartache but love still conquers all and after 15 years of waiting for each other, they were finally united.

Fifth Sister
She was walking home from school when the May 13th riots erupted. Taking shelter in a schoolmate’s house, she feared the worst for her family until The Old Man appeared at the doorstep. Her family was safe but she never forgot what she saw.

Sixth Sister
Fiercely independent, happy and lonely. The man she loved broke her heart when he turned out to be a fraud and a womanizer. From then on, she closed her heart to romance, throwing herself into family, religion and friendship instead.

These are the stories of the women who live in the red and white house. These are the stories of the women who live, love and laugh through their joys, sorrow, triumphs and defeats. These are the stories of the women in my family.