Skin, Bones and 50 Years

If you had asked me to blog about Merdeka on 31st Aug, I’d have just balked at how cliché that would’ve been. Not that I’m putting down the significance of our country turning youthful 50, cos if it matters, I did my share of contemplation and have vowed to become a better Malaysian. There you are, happy? On the other hand, this isn’t really an entry about Merdeka per se.

 

I was at a friend’s place on Merdeka eve for dinner, good company, merlot, single malt whiskey, and lotsa beer. As a background to the evening, we had Foo Fighters’ Skin & Bones DVD playing. Now this was a DVD that I bought awhile back, played it once on my crappy TV with cracked speakers and never bothered again. But now, I was watching it again in all its HD & 5.1 goodness. And I figured, there couldn’t have been a better concert to pick to celebrate the country’s 50 years. Check out the DVD and tell me that the acoustic versions of stuff like “My Hero”, “Next Year” and “See You” don’t bring out images of role models, new beginnings and festivities in good ol’ rocked out fashion.

“Times Like These” and “Best of You” came up about 20 minutes after the stroke of midnight when we were done singing “Negaraku” at the top of our lungs on a balcony at the highest point in PJ, catching fireworks from 7 different places. (yup, I could still count!) Now those songs brought old memory racing back in my head (or was it the single malt?), and left me with a weird sense of optimism and hope that things are gonna be okay. And why not? I looked around me and all the major cultures of Malaysia were in the living room, exchanging hopes and aspirations without prejudice and just having an awesome kick-ass time. Here’s to the next 50 years!!

September 4, 2007 | Filed Under Talking Cock 

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