Prologue

In 1967, I was in Primary 2.

This was equivalent to the second year of school today.

Of course there was kindergarten, of 2 years before that...but in the day, that was all play.

I was at the famous Anglo Chinese School of Barker Road.

The elite school of the super rich. Then.

It was a champagne class that produced a minister and a list of whos who..today.

It was also the class, of 1b and 2b, there were a total of 4 classes a and b for the mornings and then c and d for the evenings.

It was a school that made me who I am. Good guy and monster.

Generous and envious.

totally flawed.

This camera, the Electro 35G was the state ofthe art then in 1967 when I coerced my mum and dad, who were earning barely enough to pay the bills, to buy me.

Why? I already had a Kodak Instamatic with cartridge film, and was developing stuff under the stairscase.

Because I simply had to have the best.

The best was then, to me...this thing.

Of course, no one agreed. In 1967, kids at my school had use of the Rollei and the canon and Olympus of the HIGHEST models.

But I had no money. I had "only" parents who loved me. And I really love my parents!

But I was an only son. I never knew the dynamics...but my parents are very fair...and generous.

They bought, at hte maximum of all they earnt for the month...this camera in 1967 at $160.

That is a HELLUVA lot of money. a HOUSE cost $9,000.

In spite of that, I was a laughing stock and bullied emotionally back then.

Because what I believed to be the best, because of the fact that it was the only electronically controlled exposure function that garanteed a perfect roll of film at $3.65 a roll of B&W and 25cents a picture of paper.

Was NOT the best, because at primary 2, the brain of the child, in that school said that Rollei and Leicas were the BEST.

The kids had those to play with, and I had this.

I was the only kid who knew how to develop and print the films, because I couldn't afford the shops.

I took the most pictures.

This camera remains today, with me.

Looking at it.

It is and was the begining.