Wena Poon's Lions in Winter

Wena is a talented writer indeed, going by these eleven gems of compelling, affecting short stories. The characters are believable, her wit cunning and her perspective, of clockwork precision. Credit to her, if someone were to ask what it meant to be a Singaporean on the street, I'd recommend this collection for starters. And going by her stories which served as mirrors, we are still a backwater society in many ways, even though we have come a long way. Well, at least we don't eat dog meat as the protagonist proudly proclaims in "Dog Hot Pot". At times, I wondered if Wena had used a different set of criteria to judge her land of birth.

The thing is we are no United States: we don't have the geographical size, the heritage, the diversity in our society. Like a dark corner in a small alley, we don't really get to see the bustling highway and the neon-lighted downtown street - the real world outside, that is. What are already run-of-the-mill matters can be blown up into earth-shattering affairs or crimes on this side. This theme is most evidenced in my personal favourite, "Addiction", about a talented gay fashion designer refusing to come home to Singapore, knowing his family's non-acceptance of his lifestyle and so-called perversion.

There are Singaporeans who still favour a male child, and believe in the importance of throwing a traditional Chinese wedding dinner (the more the number of tables, the better) and having a formal education (so you either become a doctor or lawyer). Homosexuality and family violence are largely still taboos. There is a bit of idolisation of western societies, no matter how you see it. And understandably so, as "modelling" is but another method of development. Though, we have to be cautious of a one-size-fits-all trapdoor.

PS: Now, I am reminded of the time a table of Christians, KL's church friends, frowning at us, for watching "Brokeback Mountain" together. What a beautiful movie they missed, I thought. And you should see my mum's expression when she was first told of my brother-in-law's status as a divorcee. My sister has now three beautiful kids.