Colour Pencils

Sweet memories of my Kirin 36 colour pencils in its pink cardboard printed box were evoked the day Girl had Wobblies removed. 

Caution: This is going to be a long post about colour pencils so please leave now before a voluntary write-up on stationery item induces your yawn.

Now you may proceed at your own risk.

I had worked fairly hard for my final term assessment in Standard 3 Raya to secure a place in the first and "express" class of Standard 4 Mawar. 

My reward was a box of Made in Japan colour pencils I had admired and wished for. I chose the printed cardboard casing because it was cheaper than the printed stainless steel casing to ease whatever financial stress my parent must have felt at such an expensive request in 1985.

I had no clear idea of the financial crisis that year, currency exchange rate was just an item on the RTM2 English news at prime time 8 pm. But, I was considerate and willing to negotiate then even at age 9. I guess growing up with a single parent had that effect on me.

I stood at a supermarket in Butterworth that evening after dinner and carefully chose the best box of 36. I remember the sweet smell of the box and its newness to this day. 

36 new colours that were not part of my old 12, such as lilac, lavender, cerulean, peacock, vermillion, ochre, Prussia, teal and silver. Powder pink, lemon, emerald and magenta. The elation and empowerment I felt within was akin to being able to score better in my next assessment, and I did! I went on the score straight As with the armour of 36, hahaha.

The coming of age when colours are not just light green and dark green but lime, olive, forest, emerald and pine. Oh!

So, I know the feeling too well, of wanting the jumbo box that comes with all its wonderful possibilities and magic.

Girl decided to keep her Frozen trolley school bag for now but she wanted a new jumbo box of colour pencils to start the new academic year. 

This is what I got her from a bookstore near our dentist's office: 48 sticks filled with shades and hues exactly so enchantingly captivating, promising transformation of sketches into works of watercolour maestro just by the stroke of a wet brush.

Sadly, names of colours are no longer printed on each colour pencil (I hope other brands still do, but not our Faber-Castell set).

Girl, she reminds me so much of myself sometimes. We both stared at the new colour pencils for a long, long time. Silently enjoyed our moment. Sweet sigh.