Miss Quek

Today during my ride home a yellow faded sign with the words "Quek and Co." caught my attention. My memories got transported to time when I was in standard 3 in St. Thomas primary school. There is an incident that happened to me during my younger days that has always stuck with me.

Miss Quek is my class teacher during my 3 year in primary school. She is a stocky lady with a round face and sharp eye brows and boomy voice. She would be what many would consider the stereotypical dragon lady type. One day there was a few education auditors that was coming to visit our class. Before the auditors came she "prepped" us up by telling all of us to hold up our hands during any of the Question and Answer session to give an overall impression of good interactive participation from the class. During those days, we would be what you call a rebellious lot often giving her a hard time. What was surprising during that day is that all of us participated and gave her version of "good" participation. I still remembered we were promised rewards of stamps from her private collection if we obeyed.

What struck me was that after the class, the auditors took her aside and gave her a few words. From the back of the class I could make out that Miss Quek was trying to hold back some tears as the auditors talked to her. That moment of tenderness from this woman that all of us considered the iron dragon lady stuck with me and till this day I do not know what transpired between the auditor and her that day. After the whole episode she dismissed us with few words and nothing else was spoken of it. Out of all my memories from my younger day this particular memory has stuck with me most vividly. It's almost like yesterday I am the young boy at the back of the class wondering why my teacher was trying to hold back her tears.