Family Politics

Yup. The general elections are around the corner yet again. There are already many blogs on Blogspot talking about the upcoming polls so I won't dwell on it, mainly because there isn't much more I can say that already has been said. This entry into my online journal is to share / document my experience during the general elections. In case you were wondering, I am not a politician now nor have I ever been. It is just that the general elections bring back fond memories of which sadly can never be re-lived.

You see, the general elections was a time for my family to get together. I recall the first general election party (when I was about 14) when my mom decided to start this tradition whereby she would get everyone together at our place, have a barbecue and when we were all done grilling meat over the red hot coal, huddle around the TV to watch the results of the contested wards to see who won, who lost and by how much. My uncles, auntie, two cousins and my grandma would actually come a few hours early to help out, much to my excitement, of course. While my mom and auntie did all the work in the kitchen, the older of my two uncles will provide the "entertainment" by cracking jokes (mostly unfit for kids our age, if you get my drift) while my younger uncle would laugh and add his take while he got the fire going in the barbecue pit. I love the smell of burning coal - especially with chicken wings over it. *slurp*

Before the TV comes on in anticipation of the election results, the latest hits from that era will be playing on the family hi-fi system with yours truly in command of the playlist. My younger uncle was quite the pop-music aficionado so he'd share some music trivia with me. Did you know the chorus in Kon Kan's club classic "I Beg Your Pardon" was sampled from Lynn Anderson's 60's hit "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden"? My uncle knew his stuff.

Then came the moment in the evening we all looked forward to. The TV came alive and we all took our places, usually very close to one another. My father hardly joined us in these gatherings for two reasons - firstly, the election results went on till the wee hours of the morning and he was a stickler for sleeping early where possible and secondly, he believed in finding out who won together with the detailed reports by political analysts from the morning papers.

The TV coverage from the different vote counting centres would begin, and so did our own commentary on who would be returned and who would be defeated. Of course, my elder uncle would generously dished out his own "colourful" commentary and it always met with stomach-cramping laughter. Then, when "the man" walked onto the podium with the results in hand, everyone went silent. "The man" usually spoke very slowly, purposefully and monotonously, much to our annoyance as it took him way too long to 'get to the point'. I guess he was trying hard not to screw up. At that moment, my heart would be in my throat, pounding wildly and my hands and feet would turn cold. To this day, I am still not sure why but I'll bet I was as excited and nervous as the candidates themselves. And then came the declaration of a winner. We would cheer loudly or slump back in our seats in utter disbelief.

Results that ended in disbelief were usually followed by more discussions and analysis. I didn't know much about politics during my teen years but I made it a point to listen to the grown-ups. But when our living room was filled with loud cheers, my younger uncle would head to our kitchen, mix a few glasses of innocent looking Ribena with an added ingredient - a dash of something with a little kick. "Don't let your mother take a sip out of your glass", he'd say as he slipped me a glass. Of course, that and the many other glasses that followed our cheers put a perpetual smile on my face all night!

The announcement of the results would end at about 5 am in the morning and we'd all just fall asleep where we sat out of sheer tiredness. After breakfast at about 10 am, everyone would start to leave. I felt sad, not because I would not see them again for a long time but I knew that the next time this would happen would be in four to five years - when the next general elections came around. And when you're anxiously waiting for something, it usually takes forever.

So, will the elections on the 6th of May this year be the same? Sadly, no. The tradition died with my mom. And somehow along the way, the family split into different camps due to misunderstandings and differences and each 'constituency' started rallying support from the independent parties, namely my cousins and myself. It was just like the elections that we used to watch together many years ago - different parties hurling accusations at each other while trying to gain support from the fence-sitters. So, who is leading in my family's polls? I guess there will never be a winner as the only thing achieved was the decimation of a wonderfully close-knit family. And for me, I think the time has come for my wife and I to start a tradition of our own. Will keep everyone posted when we figure it out.

And to the candidates in the upcoming general elections... May the best man win.