从小贩到作家

"呜…"船来了。 当时只有14岁的杨宝泉(同安会馆副文教股长)跟随父亲登船， 将热腾腾的咖啡、茶、面包、饼干等卖给船员和乘客。 这是1952年的事。 当时正值朝鲜半岛内战。 支援南方的美国船只，载了军人前往朝鲜半岛，在新加坡短暂停留。 宝泉和父亲就当起了海上小贩， 也就是马来语中的Jaja。 海上小贩售卖日用品、文具、食物给船员， 因为顾客来自五湖四海，所以还得懂得换算不同国家的货币。他们可说是靠船吃饭的一群。 海上小贩工作辛苦， 一年后， 宝泉和父亲就换到陆地上工作，当起了流动小贩。

The ship sounded her horn as she sailed into the harbour. A 14 year-old Yeo Poh Chuan (The current Deputy Head, Culture and Education, Tung Ann District Guild) boarded the ship with his dad, peddling coffee, bread and biscuits to the crew and passengers. This was in 1952 when the Korean Civil War broke out. The ship carrying US soldiers was making a stop in Singapore enroute to the Korea Pennisula, where the US was fighting North Koreans. Mr Yeo and his dad were 'floating hawkers' , also known as 'jaja' in Malay. Besides food, they sold stationery and other daily necessities on the vessels. They were also required to do fast and accurate currency conversions as their customers hailed from various countries. It was all hard work. A year later, the father and son decided to move on.