My Dad operated a chicken rice stall at the coffee shop in Katong. During the mid-60s, gas cylinders were not popular. So everything was cooked with charcoal.There were two types of charcoal – a slow burning type made with knotty smaller, more condensed branches and a fast burning type made from the a lighter density plank-like wood. Dad taught me how to use the appropriate type for different foods. For example, the slow-burning charcoal could only be used for our Satay grill. (Satay is barbeque meats stringed together on a coconut spine). This was used also for cooking chicken rice. The fast burning ones were used for cooking chicken and boiling soups fast.
The supplier of our charcoal was a skinny young man whose name no body knew. He was known as “Ore Ngeow”. In the Chinese dialect, Hokkien, his nickname means ‘Black Cat’. It was pretty obvious why he received that nickname – every time when he arrived with his load of charcoal, he was as black as his goods. Black Cat was a gregarious person with a ready smile. I had never seen him frown… no, not once.
After Black Cat had stored his load of charcoal in our depository, an old small wooden cupboard which was also used to support the Satay grill, he would pay a visit to every stall owner and also make fun of all the young stall helpers. For that half-hour that he was in the coffee shop, it was like a party. Everybody brightened up and there was laughter every where. Even the grumpy coffee stall assistant smiled his reluctant smile.
Black Cat was also the brunt of many jokes and pranks. It was common to see him on the floor because someone had just pulled the chair under him. He however had his reward too. From time to time, he would secure a free piece of chicken
Like all young men, Black Cat had eyes for beautiful women… well, honestly, even to my young teenage eyes, not all his targets were that beautiful. At one time, while he was depositing the charcoal into our cupboard, he suddenly jumped up. I thought he was bitten by a rat but that was not the case. He began walking side way, with his neck stretched out to the left. Black Cat had spotted a young girl in mini skirt. He was so engrossed with the sight that he kept walking side way like a crab. The girl was walking away out of his view and he had to stare at her. The inevitable happened – Black Cat landed in the open drain that was between our row of shops and the road.
Everybody ran out and cheered. After being rescued from his wet quarry, he was still looking at the direction where the girl had disappeared. His smile never left him. After everybody had a good laugh, Black Cat went back to complete his task of filling up our cupboard.
Albert Kang
Albert Connect 