....and then came Philips!

Who the heck is Philips?

It isn't a who. It's a what.

What is this Philips?

It's a radio! A top brand radio.... but what can it do?

...Dad was considering and about to buy our very own radio since everyone's not allowed to mess around with tua-kor's gadget anymore. There was a big big complaint about my unsafe horseplays with her radio! That was the excuse.

Nick-named Lau Hor (Tiger), andaffectionately as Hor Pek (Uncle Tiger), dad's a gentle giant actually, hardly gets angry. The mere sight of him gives anyone who doesn't know him the shivers. Weighing 240 lbs with a towering six feet frame to match, dad however, melts like chocolate in your closed palms when you need help.

An ever generous man who will go all out to help anyone, yes anyone who needed his help. He's also the great philosopher of the family, and I took after him. So did brother cheecheng.

I remember an occassion during chinese new year, the fujian new year when beggars by the droves came begging for alms as prayers to the God of Heaven (Thnee Kong) were being offered on the five-foot ways. I was crying not because of their coming but because my chums next door like "Tooboh" (mother pig), "Ayam" (chicken), "Thiklookoo" (botak) and "Ah Phong" (the swollen one) were wearing new shoes and I was not. My new shoes bought during last chinese new year was still good, that's what mama said; but I thought that shedding a few tears will melt dad's heart.

"Ah Seng, come look at this man", dad directed as he dipped his right hand into his pocket to pick up a few 1-cent coins as alms for a dishevelled beggar in clutches.

"Look, he's got both feet amputated and he's not crying for shoes. You're lucky to have your legs." The beggar smiled and said, "Kam siah!"

It stopped my crying, but it had Tooboh, Ayam, Thilookoo, and Ah Phong laughing crazily! Wahahaha...this time it's on me, and tua-kor couldn't help but join in the laughter with sniggers. Arrghhhh!!!!!...but deep down I know dad's heart will melt. Sure it did.

"I'll make sure you get a good pair of "batu" shoes next new year, when you can wax and polish it so hard and 'kilat' that you can see your mirror image on the shoes"

That's just one.

He allowed his little ware-house in Beach Street to be partially converted as residence for the family of his more unfortunate younger brother's family. Rent-free, bills-free, and full subsidy for the education of his nephews; my cousins that is. Dad's more than an education foundation, and he's not a rich man.

It went on for years, until my cousins made good but never made it a point to come visit dad and us. Dad was never sore, "One can only help, but one must never interfere in how other families wish to lead their lives. I'll help again if it is necessary for me to."

Very philosophcal, and that's two.

Cheekiat and I were to later develop a great liking for outdoor sports like football, and we saved, 5-cents each per day. After 2 months, we got our very own football from Cheng Lee, a sports and music store not far away in Penang Road. Soon we were having fun on the streets, and kicking it around with other kids we don't know on a small playground outside Penang Youth Center, a sports center along Acheen Street.

In a matter of days our football was taken away by dad, and donated to another poor family. Ughhh!...what is this!

"It's dangerous and not safe playing football on the roads, and at the Center, there are lots of bad hats! I don't want both of you to mix around with those bad company!". Fujian lingo is very strange, gangsters are referred to as 'leather buttons", -phuay liuwah, when literally translated.

That's three, and I can go on like forever with what my dad did.

Now as I turn this story's dial backwards, dad has finally bought that Philips! Time to help the family! It's got everything! ..........AM, MW & SW buttons to tune in! ...and it has that extra push button for that extra thump to the bass!

Like a soldier in a bunker turning the dials on the communication radio, I soon get in frequency and discovered Voice of America, the BBC, the Communist Party of China's Broadcasts and other stations of Australia, Albania, Thailand, and those propaganda of "confrontation" from Radio Djarkarta. I was learning fast. My english improved tremendously, and I began reading the Straits Echo ( a Penang daily) & Straits Times everyday.

The radio introduced me to the world of pop music of the early 60's, liking every pop song.... initially every singer like Gene Pitney, Helen Shapiro, Connie Francis, Elvis, Cliff Richard, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee, Johnnny Tillotson, Neil Sedaka, Brian Poole, Sam the Sham, Simon & Garfunkel and many, many others.

Then bands like The Shadows, The Ventures (yup, nice guitars), Freddie & The Dreamers, Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits, The Supremes, the temptations, The Rolling Stones, and nothing beat my all time favourite, The Beatles!

I had my ears glued to the radio at all times at home.

Today, I'm grateful for that cent-sible purchase by dad, a radio that set me on a journey to learn new things about what's happening, about music, about the arts and even technical issues on how tune in for a good reception.

Just a Philips radio, and see what a heck lot of things it did to inspire me. Thanks Dad.