Aunty Ruth is a part of my childhood
memories and I'm so happy that she is also a part of my children's memories.
When I was a child she always had time for me, whether to encourage me with the
piano, or to sympathise with my struggles over Chinese lessons or to let me
'help' her bathe the dogs. She introduced me to Gilbert and Sullivan's jaunty
operettas as well as to children's literature other than the ubiquitous Enid
Blyton books. As a child, Christmas would be an even more exciting occasion
because she would give my family a special lunch treat at Robinsons. I was
awestruck by the starched white table linens, the heavy cutlery and warm bread
rolls.
After she moved to Hawaii, she stayed in
regular touch and always remembered our birthdays. Aunty would come out to
visit us in Singapore once every few years. She was here for our wedding and
here when our daughter took her first steps. She flew over to meet our young
son and again to join us in welcoming the new millennium. She spent one
Christmas with us when the children were still quite small, and I remember her
shaking her head at the over-abundance of presents under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, she was one of the major contributors to the largesse over
Christmas, as each year she would send us a few boxes of carefully wrapped
presents. She kept this up even when it became an effort for her to go out
shopping, and I was touched that she did this for us, particularly when I know
she seldom indulged herself.
Aunty's friends were important to her.
Especially during her last one or two visits when she tired more easily, she
would each time resolve to 'lie low' and have a quiet, relaxing holiday so that
she could recover from the arduous plane journey. However, she would always
relent when friends called to inveigle a few hours with her. She had to see
them "just one more time" she would say. Her last visit was in July
2013. She wanted to see us "for the last time", she said. I wish I
had made more of that time
Lee Ai Leen
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