The Singapore Necklace: A Secret Love Across Two CulturesTHE SINGAPORE NECKLACE Storyline The narrative took place in 1914 Singapore in a span of ten months. A part of the British Straits Settlements finding itself well into the age of the industrial revolution, due to the opening of the Suez Canal and thanks to the islands unique location, Singapore grew rapidly into an important thriving trading post. The city has put itselftogether into a shipshape and organized place of commerce but also a proper place of living the infrastructure kept abreast of the business development; roads were built, electricity network replaced gas lights, water was pounded and piped to industries and residences - but also telephone, telegraph and postalservices were part daily life. The love story evolved not only in a place where western quality of living were injected catering for colonial life clubs, a horse race-course, sports grounds, and department stores sprung up besides markets, cinemas, parks, schools and churches but the account occurred in an era when Victorian morality of restraint, rigid social codes of conduct and class system has been instilled. Residential areas were separated based on race, non-europeans were barred from certain places and were discouraged from travelling first class. A love between a European and one from another culture wasnt quite tolerated then, certainly so were that bond between two men. In a historic era, just two years after the sinking of the Titanic,in the period the 1st World War unleashed in Europe and the year that the famous Singapore Sling was conceived, two young men living in Singapore - a British and a Chinese - discovered feelings for one another that they couldnt comprehend themselves. As their curiosity prevailed the mutual fondness blossomed in the midst of a tropical setting letting trams,rickshaws, cars, trains and boats transport them on their fine journeys and experiences. The sombre ending of the union was all to blame on the nasty World War spreading its negativity to the colonies. But in a twist of fate and after a long wait in limbo, the two lovers were united, free at last. |
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Page 59
... Dollah , one of the two Leong family drivers , had to maneuver the Ford - T through the throng of traffic made up of gharries and rickshaws mixed with hawkers carrying their wares on yokes and people that unsuspectingly overflowed onto ...
... Dollah , one of the two Leong family drivers , had to maneuver the Ford - T through the throng of traffic made up of gharries and rickshaws mixed with hawkers carrying their wares on yokes and people that unsuspectingly overflowed onto ...
Page 60
... Dollah to stand in the line to buy the tickets , while the two young men went to and sat at the cafeteria in the Hippodrome building next door where each had a Julius Peters fizzy orange drink . The pianist was already playing happy ...
... Dollah to stand in the line to buy the tickets , while the two young men went to and sat at the cafeteria in the Hippodrome building next door where each had a Julius Peters fizzy orange drink . The pianist was already playing happy ...
Page 61
... Dollah standing on the look - out against the flow of the crowd , Shan gave him some dinner money and told him that both Guy and he were going for a walk to Hoi How Street for supper . They walked past the Odeon Theatre in the direction ...
... Dollah standing on the look - out against the flow of the crowd , Shan gave him some dinner money and told him that both Guy and he were going for a walk to Hoi How Street for supper . They walked past the Odeon Theatre in the direction ...
Page 64
... Dollah the driver was already sitting in the car that he has driven and parked at the alley in order to be seen by Shan and Guy . Shan insisted to drive Guy all the way to the barracks . With the roof of the Ford - T folded open and ...
... Dollah the driver was already sitting in the car that he has driven and parked at the alley in order to be seen by Shan and Guy . Shan insisted to drive Guy all the way to the barracks . With the roof of the Ford - T folded open and ...
Page 65
... Dollah from seeing what was happening at the back . The effects of warm feelings felt during that ride was wonderful , especially after what they have revealed to each other on their walk on the beach ... once in a while they squeezed ...
... Dollah from seeing what was happening at the back . The effects of warm feelings felt during that ride was wonderful , especially after what they have revealed to each other on their walk on the beach ... once in a while they squeezed ...
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Common terms and phrases
afternoon Alexandra barracks already arms asked bamboo bicycle Bidadari Cemetery boats British building Ceong Chinese Christmas close clothes coloured covered dinner dishes distance Dollah dressed drinks European eyes feeling felt Ford-T friends front garden Garrison German gharries girls glass Grandma grass Guy and Shan Guy sat Guy's hand head heard Hotel Indian Ipoh kampong kissed knew ladies Leong family light Linggi River maids Malay Mandy mind moved necklace night North Bridge Road officers Passir Panjang Road peranakan Pulau Brani Raffles Hotel Raggy rendang rickshaws roof Saturday seated seemed sepoys Shan and Guy Shan looked Shan's side Singapore Singapore Sling sitting slowly smiled soldiers soon sounds started stay stood Street Sungei Ujong talempong Tanglin Tanglin barracks tikars Timpang took tram trees trying turned verandah waiting walked wooden young