Hor-lan..

I just finished reading Neil Humphrey's book. I had wanted to comment on this book for some time now, and pull some quotes from there. Well, I dun have the time now to quote all that I want. But I just read this part and it really made me laughed. I needed to control myself to not roll on the floor. It all sounds too familiar, esp. for guys who did NS. Here goes:

[Start]
I embarked upon the long walk along Rifle Range Link and Rifle Range Road. Perhaps understandably, I met a lot of young men carrying weapons. National Servicemen were dotted all over the place: under tents, at checkpoint barriers or marching in single file through the forest in their camouflaged uniforms. To make a rather obvious point, the soldiers were so young. They were just kids. I know it is not politically correct, but I will never be comfortable enough with teenagers brandishing guns. They should be out chasing young women at Zouk, not chasing inanimate objects in the jungle. When I was their age, I felt uneasy with a pint of cider and blackcurrant in my hand, let alone an assault rifle. They looked bored, too. I knew the way to Nukit Timah Nature Reserve but, to make conversation, I asked one lonely serviceman for directions. He sat alone in the middle of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and fiddled with his cable. He probably was not the first soldier to do so, of course.

"Hey man, how's it going?" I asked enthusiastically. "Am I going the right way for Bt Timah?"
"No, you want to go back that way," he replied, gesturing in the opposite direction.
"Are you sure? That's MacRitchie. I've just been there. Bukit Timah should be this way."
"Ah, okay, if you're sure. But I really think Bukit Timah is the other way."
"Well, I'll soon find out. What kind of exercise are you doing out here anyway?"
"Navigation."

I had to look away and cover my mouth. With navigation experts like that in the SAF, who needs an enemy?" [end]

Wa piang.. I could imagine the situation exactly!! Haha. That guy was probably doing Gypsy (if he was from SISPEC, like me) and he probably is going to end up hor-lan.. Like what a lot of us do in navigation exercises anyway. haha..