Tag Archives: SS Lakemba

34. Singapore

by in Painting A Life's Canvas and tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pressure to get along in my quest came to shove, it was October and I now possessed booked passage on an Italian ship (asia.jpg) to … you’re not going to believe it, Singapore.  Didn’t my mausa just invite me on similar journey?    Timing I suppose.

daddy's ship passage 1956 to Singapore BLURI would spend 10 days there and so it was only natural to visit as much as I could.  After this layover I would move along, still forward as far as I was concerned, to Australia.  Broome, Australia to be exact …at least as a starting point.

Parwez back at the Bombay travel agency had arranged my hotel accommodations as well as everything else to do with my itinerary to the very ending point of my travels.  I stayed in a nice and clean of course, 3-story, centrally located hotel in the heart of the city.

I was wide-eyed at the action of the hotel owners; they sent beautiful girls my way meant to escort me around the city, dine with me and keep me company.  Definitely not something I would’ve imagined, in spite of the Bombay parties I attended.

I guess I was still an amateur in the world.  I politely sat with a few of the girls in the hotel snack bar, enjoyed a coffee and a little conversation and I literally left it at that.  This was not for me.  After all I have a wife waiting for me in Fiji.   

Interestingly enough for I don’t wish to judge it as suspicious but to all the letters I wrote to Hemma from India I never, not once, received reply.

Well, anyway here is another part of my 1st encounter with Singapore.  I remember some guys walking around with pythons draped around their necks offering to drape them around any passerby’s neck for a photo opportunity at the rate of a couple of Singapore dollars.  There was always something.

Singapore consisted of many delightful and unusual eateries.  I found my way to an area of the city which was an Indian community.  It has existed since the 1800’s and for a moment there I thought I was back in Bombay.  Anymore I cannot remember what it was called but that’s all right.  

The food was good and you know me by now, that’s what I was looking for.  Oh the coconut-cream cooked curries and the fish dishes were especially yummy!  I don’t know how I remained as skinny as a stick.

I also found myself in a parking lot that was converted for the evening eateries.  Food vendors opened up their cafes after the day’s use of the lots by automobiles and served up the most delicious varieties of Indonesian cuisine.  

Make sure you don’t litter, I was warned by a few helpful people.  There are covered disposal containers for your rubbish when you are through eating.  No one cleans up after you, this you must do and be certain to do it properly, or else!  

Singapore I have to say is refreshingly clean.  Littering in any shape or form is severely punishable by their law … just don’t do it!  It really has got to be the cleanest, used by people, place in the world.  It was without question very beautiful.

I visited a gorgeous place called (if I remember correctly) the Tiger Balm Gardens.  I loved it so much I made a point to return to it again before leaving Singapore.  I called this place the Buddha Gardens due to all the statues depicting various translations of Buddha.

All fun things must come to a halt at some point and besides the next destination was calling.  My travel accommodations would be a bit different this time.  The ship for starters would be more like traveling on the SS Lakemba and my off-point was not so glamorous.

 
|||

 

6. 🤷🏽‍♂️ Tailoring My Way Off the Island – part 2

by in Painting A Life's Canvas and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

June 1953.  I am now 18 years … and 2 months to the good.

Oh, the ol’ friend of a friend routine, eh?

From days gone by I had a friend who knew a man working as an agent under W.R. Carpenters Group (SS freighter ship owners among many other prosperous business ventures) which regularly came into the Port of Suva.

In turn he had a friend who worked on the SS Lakemba as a waiter who was most often in personal service of the captain by order of the chief steward and having been aboard for quite sometime, earned his trustworthy status.  My friend’s friend, called upon his friend.

It was easily decided between us; just as soon as an opening came up on the SS Lakemba, it could be mine.  That wasn’t so hard right?  There were a few other Indian nationals on the kitchen and dining room staff and so, in this new life’s adventure I could find a comfort in the workspace accompanied by sheer bliss of the open sea!

The freighter ships would enter the port about every 3 months and I was all but on board.  It was to the customs office where I would go to sign-up for employment on this ship.  And so with the confidence of a well-learned trade, an excellent letter of reference and the respected recommendation of a senior captain’s boy, I was ready for my life’s next chapter.

One afternoon while still at work in the tailoring shop, I heard from the Carpenters Group agent who called to inform me that my current future’s balloon had been popped!  Sadly, another chap unexpectedly took the position.

Even the agent was baffled at the thought of how someone else could’ve taken this spot as we were all but certain it would be mine for the taking.  I went home that afternoon with a splitting headache, restless, cranky and fevered.  I took some aspirin and fell asleep.  Little did I know my stars were lying in wait just over the horizon with some pretty serious plans for me.

The accepted candidate who should have come in to sign his paperwork and be officially entered on the payroll, never showed.  The slightly distraught Skipper then said to the senior waiter, “So where’s this guy you told me about before, is he still available?”

Right away Sir!  This young man -the agent’s friend- immediately caught a cab and came directly to my house.  He frantically pounded at my door and when my mother opened the door, she was greeted with, “Where is he?!”

She told him I was asleep and asked for the reason of his hurried inquiry.  He very quickly relayed there was an opening on his ship and I was to be brought immediately to the ship’s office for processing!  “Please wake him now!”

She left him at the porch, more than a bit suspicious of what her dear young son may have going on and she woke me.  She carefully asked me if I knew why there was an anxious man at our doorstep, asking for me and babbling on about taking me to a ship.

I popped up right away with a few thoughts of my own which were soon confirmed as I walked towards the door.  When he saw me his words were immediate and to the effect, something like, ‘We have to go right now, they’re waiting for you!  The job is yours!’

You can imagine my surprise … I knew also then -and in my excitement, left it alone for the time being- that my mother’s heart was being torn right out of her body.  “I have the taxi outside.  We must go to the office straight away!”

I quickly straightened my locks and locks of soft, wavy hair just a bit as I dashed past my mother with a smile, stopping only for a brief moment outside to splash my face with cool water and then climbing into the taxi.

We had arrived at the customs office in moments flat.  I was officially accepted for employment on the SS Lakemba that evening.  I couldn’t believe it!  I went home to begin packing, have my dinner and say my goodbyes.

I had to report back to the ship very early the next morning to begin my new position, my new life.  My mother cried … a lot.  I didn’t want her to hurt but I also knew that I had to go the way my heart was guiding me.  The next night would be my last night at home, this time.

⚓️ Once on board, my uniforms were assigned to me, the how-to of things to do were laid out and practiced and I received my cabin assignment, there were four to a cabin.  I found I needed no time to adjust, I knew I was already at home on the ship.  🏝 On the 3rd day, we sailed and I left my Suva behind for the first time in my life … my little tropical paradise was disappearing into the horizon.  Yes, that horizon.

|||

________________________________________________________________

AND by the way, that bit about the locks & locks of soft, wavy hair is actually true, also … as everything else in these chronicles.  It’s just that today, Little Blue Masala still goes on about all the hair he used to have and well, I couldn’t resist the entry!

6. 🤷🏽‍♂️ Tailoring My Way Off the Island – part 1

by in Painting A Life's Canvas and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I was 17 years of age when, with the goal of getting accepted on the SS Lakemba freighter ship, I set off to get certified as a waiter in order to be considered for employment.  That was a good starting point.

I acquired employment in the personal home of one of Morris Hedstrom’s department+ store owners. The household chef was our family friend and so brought me into the fold.  The Mr. & Mrs. had a wonderful estate there in Suva and it was definitely a great place to learn the service trade.

I perfected formal service with the frequent business meetings held there in the home.  These often included luncheons, cocktail hour and many a dinner presented in precise style.  Equally important were the slightly informal meals (yet still proper to be sure) when serving their warm and wonderful family of four.

🚲 I would ride a bicycle from home everyday, talk about fit and trim!  There was no classroom environment here; it was immediate ‘hands-on’ training.  I maintained employment as a waiter in this private home for about 6 months, learning everything there is to know regarding formal dining room service.

With my father gone and my brother fully running the household, I always shared my salary with him, with the family – pounds and shillings, it was my contribution. 💷

This kind Mr. & Mrs. who employed me knew that I would be a temporary part of their household staff; I was there to be trained so I could work on the ships and yet we equally grew fond of one another, working together very well.

The family was more than happy to give this 17-year young man a chance and make certain I learned well.  With the very full business responsibilities of the Mr., the Mrs. ran the household beautifully and I could see all the employees loved working for her.

The time had come for me to move forward.  The Mr. had a beautiful document of reference drafted up for me on Morris Hedstrom’s letterhead, providing this to me upon my departure from the position; albeit with a heavy heart unquestionably on both sides.

I left the job feeling ready as ever to board my first ship as a full-time staff member.  Well laugh if you will, it’s okay because I didn’t discover right away that I also had to be eighteen years of age at the least, in order to work where travel into foreign countries was a must.   That part was sort of missed.

Here’s the way I handled things at that time; you tell me I have do that or learn the how and why of a thing or I must get this, then that’s what I would do as just another step to my advancement.  The age requirement simply hadn’t come up at that point.  Oh brother!

So to keep me employed my maternal uncle helped me get a job as a tailoring apprentice within a Gujarat family owned store called C & A Kalyan, Ladies Tailor, phone #758, while waiting to turn of legal age in order to work aboard a ship.  I actually tailored so well I found myself making dresses for the Fiji governor’s wife & daughter; point of interest!

My time with fabrics and all that fun ran about a year’s stretch; I did enjoy being able to create that way but not as content as I could be and not always patiently awaiting my break that would carry me out to sea; gotta go – I need to go!

|||

+  a retail organization serving the Fiji Islands since 1868

Good morning really; it’s now 2:45a – ugh! it’s been a real long night but fortunately I get my new computer (at long last) this coming week!!   So it would seem that I missed Sunday night post time (again), “Missed it by that much!” -as one of my childhood favorite secret agents, Maxwell Smart always used to say.  LOL

I want to say thank you for returning to the story and keeping the faith in the Little Blue Masala!  Have a great week ahead and the very best of the holiday season –which ever ones those may be for you– to you and yours!