Things I heard in the Kallang Roar

A conversation that did not quite happen last night after the Singapore-Thailand game.

"Anyway, we wanted to shout 'Ho Ching', but decided against it."

"'Ho Ching'? Why?"

"Cos she brought down Thailand? And wasn't even trying?"

"No shit. I guess we know who wears the Lee pants now."

"Guess so - didn't they used to say that she's a man?"

"She'd totally take out the Thai team."

"Yeah. They're all girls, anyway."

"Girls? Really?"

"They're Thai, they're all transgender - didn't you watch Iron Ladies, the one about the volleyball team?"

"Those were men pretending to be women, not the other way around."

"Yeah. Wonder if Ho Ching plays volleyball."

"Thanks, now you made me think about Ho Ching's kar-ching."



Anyway, that conversation didn't happen. But the game was fun, for reasons that had nothing to do with the game. The National Stadium's got a lot of memories for me - I remember being a performer for the SEA games, and the days spent with classmates practicing our moves and our bridge game. The way Khong Guan biscuits and 100 plus tasted (the official sponsers). The stairs that always smelled of urine, even after they cleaned it up. Blissfully caught in the rain with the one that I thought was my first true love.

The grand old pee-stained lady's going to go soon. I don't want to launch into a discussion as to whether she should be kept; architect historian that I am, I want to build and preserve at the same time.

But I was glad to be there once last time - with thousands of others, to cheer on the national team, so that we could say all the things we never say, in that one last Kallang Roar.

(And for those of you who weren't there, yes, someone led the crowd in a cheer that went *clapclapclap* SHINCORP!* A lot of things get said at the National Stadium, that we never ever say outloud. )