by Young
Little did I suspect a lurking snooper nearby when faint rustling sounds, muffled by the careening wind, tantalized the stillness of the night.
Chapter Forty-Two
Rotten Apples
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.“
Epictetus
1968
At Tutorials
“We’ll be discussing the similarities and differences between four monotheistic religions this morning,” our newly appointed professor articulated. “Do any of you know the meaning of ‘monotheistic?’”
Narnia chirped, “It is the belief that there is only one God.”
Señor Triqueros evinced, “Clever girl. Judaism, Christianity and Islam share several common elements. They are referred to as Abrahamic religions because they trace their origins to a common prophet, Abraham.”
Just as our teacher was about to continue, in burst two Arab teenagers. They stood superciliously at the entrance as if class shouldn’t have begun without their presence. The boys plonked themselves between Narnia and Albert without apologies for their tardiness.
Señor Victor glared at them for their excuses. None came. Instead, they sniggered as if they had every right to be late for class.
“Haalib and Azil, will you please explain why you are late for class?” the teacher reprimanded.
In protest to Señor Triqueros’ admonishment, they both pushed their chairs back forcefully causing them to fall to the floor with loud bangs.
The teenagers stood waiting to see what the Señor would do. This stirred our professor to greater exasperation. “Boys! I’m going to say this one more time: please explain why you are late.”
Before the boys could answer, Triqueros vociferated with indignation, “It is extremely bad manners to disrupt class when we are in the midst of a lesson. I’ll be having a word with your father after class.”
Only then did they abate, muttering a lame excuse for their lateness.
Haalib and Azil were fidgeting in their seats when the Señor finally resumed our tutorial.
Victor continued, “Judaism started as the religion of the ancient Hebrew civilization, when the Jewish population was held captive by the Egyptians.
“On the other hand, Christianity began as a radical offshoot of Judaism during the 1st century AD, when Judea was a province of the Roman Empire.” He paused before adding, “In regards to the Islamic faith, it started when the prophet Mohammed gathered followers in Mecca, and its followers are called Muslims.
“Zoroastrianism, a post-polytheistic religion of ancient Persia, appeared after Judaism, before Christianity or Islam. Hence, it plays an important role in the development of both faiths.”
As soon as the professor’s back was turned, both brothers, acting like immature delinquents, made funny faces at him, prompting Narnia and Albert to chuckle incessantly.
Seemingly oblivious to their buffoonery, Señor Triqueros continued, “Although each religion names God differently, all the names translate as ‘God.’ The Jews name their god Yahweh or Jehovah. The Christians refer to their almighty as Jehovah, or just God, while Muslims call god Allah. And last but not least, the Zoroastrians refer to their Supreme Being as Ahura Mazda. All these names refer to a single divine being - God.
“As each religion refers their divinity by a different name, similarly, the evil entity or nemesis takes various names – except in Judaism, which primarily has no evil being.
“Christians call their evil entity Satan or ‘the Devil,’ which is like calling Santa Claus ‘the Toymaker.’ It is descriptive but not a name.
“Muslims refer to their evil one as Shaitaan or Iblis. Zoroastrians name god’s arch enemy Ahriman, or Aura Mainyu.
“Although this evil entity is not equivalent to God or Allah, it is a fallen being jealous of the attention lavished upon humans by the Supreme Power.”
The two doofuses, having garnered Narnia and Albert’s attention, winked and gesticulated lewdly at them when the professor wasn’t looking. Narnia reciprocated with mischievous air-kisses, Albert with obscene gestures. Before long, I was targeted by the four as I looked on with distaste.
Paper airplanes with pugnacious messages flew my way, provoking me to partake in their misdemeanor. Instead, I listened attentively to Señor Victor, paying no attention to their childishness.
Our tutor vociferated, “The main prophets in Judaism were Abraham and Moses. The Jewish faith does not recognize Jesus or Mohammed as proclaimers of God’s will.
“Christians recognize all pre-Christian Jewish prophets, especially Abraham and Moses. The physical manifestation of the word of God is culminated in Jesus. But Christianity does not acknowledge the prophet Mohammed.
“Furthermore, Christianity adheres to the belief that Jesus is God’s son, sent to Earth to be borne of a virgin female as their savior. Neither Judaism nor Islam recognize this aspect of Jesus’ life.
“Yet, the Islamic faith celebrates all four prophets - Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the last prophet, Mohammed.
“This brings us to the founder of Zoroastrianism, the prophet Zoroaster. Like Moses and Jesus, Zoroaster wandered alone in the desert until God imparted the truth to him, which he spread to the Indo-Iranians, otherwise known as Aryans.
“In Judaism, Moses conferred solely to the Jewish population.”
Haalib and Azil rocked back and forth on the hind legs of their chairs, paying no attention to Señor Triquero.
The professor expressed, “You see, boys and girl, the Torah is the holy book of Judaism, and it comprises the first 5 books of the Christian Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
“Although the Torah is considered the word of God, Jews also study the Talmud, a collection of oral interpretations of the Torah that were recorded by scholars in later years.
“As you are aware, the holy book of Christianity is the Bible, and it consists of two parts. Judaism accepts the Old Testament but not the New. Although many translations and interpretations exist of the Holy Book, no other manuals are accepted by the Christians except the Holy Bible.
“Muslims revere the Koran or Quran, though Islam recognizes the Torah, the book of Psalms, and a book called the Gospel, which chronicles Jesus’ life as a prophet, not the son of God. This Islamic Gospel contains God’s messages bestowed to and taught specifically by the prophet Jesus.
“Now, when it comes to Zoroastrianism - Zend Avesta is their sacred scripture. Christians and Muslims will find this text familiar because it describes angels, demons, saviors, messiahs, heaven, hell, rituals, penance, burial rites, festivals, so on and so forth. Therefore, it’s irrefutable that Christianity and Islam are heavily influenced by Zoroastrianism.”
Throughout the lesson, both boys had become more audacious. Haalib smooched mischievously with Narnia while Azil groped Albert. I tried desperately to concentrate on the Señor’s words when he asserted, “Both Christianity and Islam descry that Jesus was the Messiah and will one day return to earth to judge all humanity. Those who are saved will go to Heaven or Jannah, the Islamic equivalent to Paradise. Those who are damned will be cast into Hell or Jahannam, Islam’s parallel to Hell.
“In Judaism, on Judgment Day, the saved will proceed to Olam Haba, which loosely translates to ‘world to come’ while resurrection will be rebuffed for the condemned. Unlike Christianity or Islam, there is no Hell or its equivalent in Judaism or Zoroastrianism.
“Zoroastrians believe that their God, Ahura Mazda, is the source of all ‘Good,’ while Ahriman, God’s nemesis, is the source of all ‘Evil.’
“Humans are given free will to choose between Good or Evil, and their souls hang in the balance between them. If the believer is fifty-one percent ‘Good’, then he or she will spend his/her afterlife in ‘Elysium’ or ‘the Elysian Fields,’ and otherwise, in eternal damnation.”
I questioned, “What is Elysium or the Elysian Fields?”
“In Gree
k mythology, it is the final abode of the blessed after death,” Victor explained.
Just as he finished his elucidation, a loud rumpus was heard. Haalib had loss balance and fallen backwards when balancing his chair on its hind legs. The nitwit was squealing in pain from a twisted ankle.
Azil, Albert and Narnia chuckled at the boy’s mishap, until our professor chastised their childishness. When the boy’s bodyguards burst into the room to see what had transpired, they stopped sniggering and took the matter seriously.
Haalib’s bratty screeching horrified our group. An ambulance was summoned posthaste to cart the heir apparent to the local hospital, where he received premier treatment. The royal physician was convoked to attend to the boy and ensure there were no broken bones or internal injuries.
Needless to say, the heir presumptive, fuming with indignation, was looking for someone to blame for his calamity. Unfortunately for him, we, the eyewitnesses, were on hand to confirm that the misfortune was of his own doing. To his chagrin, he was bandaged and on crutches for a week.
Cautionary Advice
After Haalib, Azil and the two bodyguards left with the ambulance, Señor Triqueros gathered his three remaining students, saying, “A person’s actions will tell you everything you need to know. It is up to you to make what you will of this incident.
“My advice: tread with caution. Associate with the virtuous. Bite not the rotten apples, for the worms will wiggle into you when you least expect it.”
Narnia paid no heed to the Señor’s advice.
Albert turned a deaf ear to Victor’s counsel.
I, the teacher’s pet (appropriated by my fellow classmates) pronounced what had transpired to my Valet.
“Young man, you’re here to be educated and to learn the ways of the world. Appropriation, intuition and discretion - exercise these three, and they’ll aid you through trying times,” Andy postulated.
Chapter Forty-Three
Courtly Propositions
“When I’m good,
I’m very good,
But when I’m bad,
I’m better.”
Mae West
Boxing Day 2012
Continuation of my Message to Andy (part 3)
You already know, Andy, many S. E. Asian countries, with the exception of countries within the Golden Triangle and Japan (which are predominantly Buddhist), are fairly priggish about homosexuality. Since the emergence of Europeans, Western ideology – especially that of Christian doctrines – has penetrated the East, making what was once sociologically acceptable nefariously immoral.
Since Malaysia and Singapore were once British colonies, austere Victorian dogmas continued to prevail to this day, especially with the advent of Islam.
Singapore, being a homophobic democratic socialist society, acquired a legal system modelled after the Great Empire. The colonial system criminalised sodomy under Singapore’s Penal Code - section 377. These laws reinforced the values of the ruling British elite, which set the tone for other classes and ethnicities. Over time, and to appear ‘civilised,’ many Asians disavowed their longstanding cultural tolerance for sexual minorities.
When the Japanese invaded Singapore during World War II, Japanese laws replaced colonial ordinances. Gay sex had never been criminalized in Japan and would have been technically legal in Singapore. However, given the lack of human rights and rule of law under the Japanese occupation, this change in statute was a technical and historical quirk – a reflection of a different legal tradition, rather than an expansion of equal rights for the GLBT community.
Anecdotally, gay ’cruising‘ continued in post-war Singapore within back alleys, public parks and toilets. For the most part, this was ignored by the police, and no one was charged.
Meanwhile, transvestite prostitution in Bugis Street (a sleazy ‘cruising’ area in the heart of this Merlion city) became increasingly prominent. Initially the State and mainstream society accepted it as a vaguely undesirable but inevitable vice, in harmony with the pragmatic and worldly attitudes towards prostitution in this cosmopolitan city-port.
The transvestites of Bugis Street became a tourist attraction, drawing local and foreign visitors nightly. Much as transgendered people had been in traditional Malay society, Bugis Street and its associated transgender community was the most visible face of sexual minorities in post-war Singapore. The major difference was that the community was now more public, urban and multi-ethnic. Prostitution and interaction with international visitors also added a new dimension to the life of this community.
Another arena in which GLBT issues were being played out was the Singapore National Service. Compulsory uniformed (often military) service was implemented in 1967. All 18-year-old Singaporean males were obligated to train for two or two and a half years, depending on their level of education. Homosexuality and transsexuality were listed as conditions in a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) ‘Directory of Diseases’ (disease code 302).
Prior to enlistment, all enlistees underwent a medical examination, during which they were asked to declare their homosexuality and/or transgender status (the medics conducting the examination had little awareness of the difference between the two). New recruits who came out were deployed to non-combat, non-sensitive vocations. They were generally downgraded to a Public Employment Status and assigned only light clerical duties.
Although the SAF was concerned for the safety of ‘out’ gay and transgender males living and working in close proximity with straight servicemen, this government organization was also reluctant to exempt them from National Service.
These circumstance governed my brief quedarse at OBSS. Neither Jules nor Kim had envisioned that their tide would turn by the time we concluded our twenty-one days at the training camp.
An Unexpected Revelation
A couple of days after my tryst with Jules, our group, under the auspices of our Portuguese-French instructor, went on a biking expedition. Kim fell alongside my bike when we were trailing behind our group. I detected his intention when he spoke, “How’s it going with you-know-who?”
“Who?” I reprised.
“You know who.”
“No, I don’t.” I feigned ignorance.
“What happened the other night?” the boy responded smirkingly.
“What happened?” I continued my pretense.
“In the forest with Jules,” he muttered.
“We talked.”
He continued to press. “Come on, do tell?”
At that moment, our leader appeared next to us. Jules had turned his bike around to steer us forward. “Tell you what?” he questioned.
“Kim wants to know what happened when we went for a stroll the other night,” I chirped.
Both of their faces turned red by my pronouncement. An awkward silence followed before Jules stuttered, “I… err… was asking Young about his English school education…” he trailed off before motioning us to catch up with the group.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Kim reproached, “How can you say that?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted to know? You may as well hear it from the horse’s mouth,” I sniggered winningly.
“It’s so embarrassing. Now I won’t be able to look him in the eye.”
“Why not? The two of you haven’t done anything unseemly… what’s with these cat and mouse games?” I tittered. “Why don’t you go after him if you want him so badly?”
The boy exclaimed, “He’ll think I’m a slut. My reputation will be ruined.”
“Are you going to pine for his affection or make a move? The ball is in your court, now that he has an inkling.”
The boy rode ahead, ignoring my sentiment. I shrugged and rejoined the cyclists.
Misadventure
As I turned my bike round a corner, a loud screeching sound was heard down the country lane. Kim tumbled down the rutty slope when he lost balance riding over a mound. His bicycle had fallen into a ditch when one of the tires bounced downhill, disappearing into a r
avine.
Our numero uno instructor came to his rescue. Apart from some minor scratches and bruises, Kim was able to hobble about when he balanced on the Caucasian.
Jules bid us to ride ahead, to solicit assistance from the first aid division while he waited with Kim for the ambulance. We did as told. I couldn’t help but wonder if this mishap had been instigated on purpose, or whether it was Mother Nature’s way to shepherd the closeted gays together. I didn’t have long to wait before the truth was revealed.
1968
Within the Royal Chamber
Aziz and Mario had left hefty rewards for me and my two chaperones after our saturnalian photo sessions. Both photographers seemed confident we had done a more than amicable job, even though I hadn’t seen the pictures. They would show us the photos when we met in Acapulco for Sheik Fahrib’s sailing competition.
The doctor was aware of the tryst, since his private secretary was one of the participants in Aziz’s orgiastic liaison.
I was summoned to the sheik’s chamber on the third evening of our stay at Assalamu Alaikum. As was his habit, I found him playing a melancholy refrain on his fiddle while consuming a bottle of red wine. As was often the case with this saudade sufferer, I found myself reaching out to this dysphoric man of few words. Pensive tears glistened in the corners of my eyes as I listened attentively to his musical mastery. My master’s despondency had a way of burrowing into my heartstrings as I capitulated with compassionate reverie.
I wasn’t sure whether I was falling for this man or whether commiserating with his angst. For now, no verbal comfort was needed, only my presence to ease his inner turmoil, if only for a brief moment in time.
By the time he finished the last note of Chopin Nocturne No. 2, my head was resting on his furry chest. He lifted my face and planted a passionate kiss on my tender lips. He caressed my hair as if reminiscing the intimate moments spent with his beloved prince. His succulent tongue probed open my willing mouth, exploring the deepest recesses of my proffering hollow. My sensual reciprocation had stirred him to a posthumous rejuvenation.