trying to remember stuff from being a kid. it feels like everything happened 'when i was 12'. i start a lot of stories with 'when i was 12'

malaysia aged 12

visited atok/nenek (granddad/grandma) in the village they lived in. he took me on his moped to a shop, which was next to a mechanic's and another shop that always had its shutters pulled down and mopeds parked out front. he would buy cigarettes or something and i would go to the freezer. the freezer had a ball of freezies stuck together. i had to climb over the edge to break off the red freezie i wanted. when i had it in my hand it felt like i was holding coral.

england aged 12

in the summer i was in the garden with my neighbour who was 12 i think. we used to catch pond skaters and put them in the grass to see what they did. i used to get thirsty and take a plastic sieve thing from the sandpit and put it over a bucket.  i poured cups of pond water through it and drank the 'filtered' water.

malaysia aged 12

lived in an apartment building called 'mi casa'. had a friend who went to the same school who was a blonde german kid. our mums were friends and they used to let us go to the swimming pool on our own. instead of going to the swimming pool once we went to the restaurant in the lobby. we sat at a table. my friend said we should get fries. i agreed. a waiter came over and took our order. i asked my friend how we were going to pay. he showed me an american express. i asked him where he got it from. he told me he cut it out of a leaflet from american express. i asked if that would work. he said it would. after we ate our fries the waiter brought over a leather booklet with a bill. my friend slapped down his card. i think they had to call our mums.