old acquaintances

Bumped randomly into Cheah Poh Teen today on the way to lunch – she’s not teaching in RI anymore but has been posted to the MOE (to do something or another which I didn’t catch). She remembers me, which is much more than can be said of a certain Mr. Evans who reportedly did not recall who I was even after my name was mentioned (harumph.) Also, a whole brigade of ex-Rafflesians who have all ended up in this part of the island for one reason or another – becoming teachers or engineers or what have you.

The image of ball bearings in a funnel comes to mind. You can start off with as much momentum as you like, even circle the lip of the funnel for quite a while, but in the end, gravity and centrifugal (centripetal? I don’t even know the difference any more) force will get you every time. Then, it’s down the chute and, well, you know the rest.

Currently reading:
Dusklands – J.M. Coetzee.