Raffles Girls Don't Play Rubber

Maybe it's because I am a boy.

But I was surprised the other day that I found out my colleague, who went to Raffles Girls Primary, didn't know how to play "Rubber".

In fact, she didn't know what rubber was.

Well, for my more cosmopolitan friends, rubber is another word for eraser.

At least, that's what we used to call it in Monk's Hill Primary.

I happen to think "Rubber" is an amazing game. It is a very humble game. All you need is a rubber; small or big, used or brand new - it don't matter.

The rules are simple. Playing on a flat surface, with each person moving the rubber one at a time, usually with your thumb, all you need is to get your rubber over the opponent's. And winning means you get to keep the loser's rubber.

It's a great game to play to kill the time, even right under the teacher's nose. Rubbers belong on the table, unlike a stack of Snap cards or a Game and Watch game like Octopus. And it doesn't hurt if you like collecting rubbers, provided you're good at the game of course.

I used to remember those rubbers with flags of countries printed on them. It must be one of the first things I ever collected.

Damm. I should have stuck to those. Much much cheaper than anything else I have collected.

Anyway, I was surprised that Rafflesians didn't know the game. What do they do during recess, I wonder? Maybe they hang out in the library or discuss philosophy under a tree.

As for me, I remember my plate of mee rebus and a second helping of Mak Cik's extra gravy.

But then, I am a heartlander.