Colours of wild canaries

 I need to repaint the interior of my restaurant. I need a colour that is bright and cheerful. When I
bought over the business, the previous proprietor had the shop painted in two contrasting colours. Rusted red and egg yolk yellow. Then I was in love with the colours. I found it rustic but the problem with it, was the people identified it with the previous proprietor. No, no, not good for me. I need my 'brand', my own colours for the restaurant. I sat in my restaurant for days looking up and around thinking and imagining the colours. I played with colours on a drawing block. I matched the colour pencils in pairs and threes. I tried remembering the things that I love during my growing years. I love the sea, hills, waterfalls, forests, sky, birds and many more. Birds, oh yes, the canaries.


When I was 9 years old staying in Johor Bahru, we had canaries as pets. My father built a birdhouse using wire mesh and pieces of wood. I watched father built the birdhouse, helping him with the nails and hammer. Eagerly giving him a hand when needed. It was on stilts about three feet above the ground. Rectangular in shape with a small swing and pieces of branches in it for the birds to perch. I was given the duty to clean the birds and their house. I dutifully cleaned the bowls and filled them with birdseeds and water. I enjoyed spraying the birds with water. The canaries were green and yellow......The colours of wild canaries became the new colours for the restaurant. The canaries that reminded me so much of my childhood. The canaries that reminded me of my father's talent with wood work. The canaries that gave me so much joy taking care of them. The yellow and green gives so much energy and calmness to the restaurant. My customers find the colours very refreshing.....

Now when sitting at my table in my restaurant sipping my drinks or reading, I would occasionally gaze around the shop. Gazing at the colours brought back pictures of my days at that moment. It is like a movie. The fun father and  I had together building the birdhouse. The three tier stilts ( tangga ayam ) father made for mother's many pots of plants. The big bush of pink roses I adored very much. Father hung a hammock made from raffia on the only tree, a pink frangipani in the compound. I would laze in the hammock in the noons because that was the only time possible. My brother and sister would be having their naps then. Once a week I brushed the drains clean. The house came with a big compound. Father has green fingers, the garden was filled with hedges of shrubs as borders, rows of daisies, morning glory on the fence, tomato, chilli plants. There were more which I do not know the names....The green and yellow colours of the canaries is part of me.