The greatest mystery of my life

Something happened years ago that have always boggled me. No, it's not one of those macabre mysteries that somebody got killed or decapitated but sometime so trivial that you don't think about but has been with you ever since. Till today, I am still unable to figure out what and why it happened and I hope all you smart alexes and alexiss out there will be able to help me shed some light on it.

Back in the sixties, life was definitely not like what it is today. Televisions were showing Malays consuming liqour in bars surrounded by bargirls whom today are referred to as the politically-correct term of Guest Relations Officer (GRO) (...ahh a rose by any other name would still be a rose, so said Shakespeare). Movies were allowed to show x-rated movies but women are still generally not allowed to go out on dates! Life was as ironic then as it is now.

On one particular afternoon when I was just 9 years old, my father, for no apparent reason, took me to see a movie. Just when the show was about to start, my father suddenly told me that he has to go back to man the family business and I was left alone to watch the movie.

Like always, before the movie start, the national anthem was played and we need to stand in attention. See? We are patriotic Malaysians even from then. After that, a newsreel will be played. This was like CNN that shows news of the world (remember, TV was still not widely available then). The light then dimmed and the show began....

Then, I sensed something was wrong! On the screen, all I could see were naked dancing girls. There were bare breasted women in every scene and maybe I was too young then, I do not however recall any sexual act scenes. I thought I was suppose to see an action movie but it turned out my father has sent me to watch an x-rated movie!

Was it a mistake? It cannot be because if it was, then my father would have taken me out immediately. Was it an attempt by my father to teach me the fact of life? It can't be. I was only 9 years old and still not able to disassociate boobs from milk.

The biggest mystery is that my father do not have time to take me to a movie and he is the typical father of those days. Stern, strict and no-nonsense character. In fact, most people would pee in their pants just by looking at him! So what went through his head that day? What in the world could have made him to take me to that movie?

My father passed away 1973 and the answer died with him.

It was a trivial matter but a funny episode that defies logic and rationality but whatever his intention was, I am glad to say that I have now been able to differentiate boobs from milk. But one thing never change, the container of the milk still comes in attractive sizes.