Tales for National Day: Authors reflect on Singapore at middle age

SINGAPORE - Ahead of Singapore's 57th birthday, The Sunday Times invites four local writers to pen stories responding to the nation at middle age, between recovery from Covid-19 and the resurgence of the virus. Where do we go from here?

Read their works of fiction and personal essays below.


Up In Fame

ST ILLUSTRATION: MIEL

By Nazry Bahrawi

"It was the right thing to do."

These are the words of Bryan Cheng, astronaut extraordinaire and decorated army captain who led Singapore's first space mission to Mars. The only one to return from that three-person mission.

I scrutinise his face for signs of regret, a tinge of sadness, something. But being the proper military man that he is, his face betrays no emotions as he prepares to take more questions from the select committee on outer space colony.

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The New Poet Laureate

ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA

By Yong Shu Hoong

"Once upon a time..." Rebeka begins.

"Do you remember when I was young - well, younger - my favourite story was Pinocchio?"

Artos stares back at her with expectant grey eyes. Sometimes he is a little spooky when he forgets to blink.

"Not that one - you know it by heart already. I thought I'd tell you a new story on your birthday..."

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Finding Strength In Vulnerability

ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO

By Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips

In March 2020, I had my usual appointment at the National Heart Centre Singapore.

Because of a congenital heart condition, I go back every six months so my cardiologist can keep an eye on my health.

It is all very routine.

To spice things up, I often come in with stories of how I had risked my life - handling snakes regularly, which I did when I was an education facilitator at the zoo, or running off to do an art residency in some faraway country with questionable healthcare facilities.

But this time was different.

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Staying Together In The Time Of The Pandemic

ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO

By Anitha Devi Pillai

That afternoon, I read up on all the dos and don'ts of making a good scone and watched a few videos of popular chefs demonstrating their scone-baking techniques, including how to rub cold butter into cold flour. One needed all the help one could get - it had, after all, been a long hiatus since I had stepped into the kitchen to make any kind of dish.

Life had changed almost overnight in 2020 and, for the first time in years, I had nowhere to go on National Day.

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