The year was 1988 and Mr Wong Tham Poh was a lifeguard at Big Splash water theme park.
On weekends, when thousands thronged the park, he strode the premises in a white T-shirt, red shorts and sunglasses.
He thought himself the king of safety – with a sculpted physique – who also knew how to have fun.
Whenever he was on a break, he would join in the water games that patrons were playing. How many invitations did he get a day? He did not keep count.
Mr Wong, now 53, says: “Back then, work felt like a party every day. The lifeguards – there were about 30 of us – felt like one big family.
“We were young, we got along. We loved the customers – the more, the merrier, really. Even if we were not on duty, many of us lifeguards showed up. Honestly, in those days, what else could you do with your free time?”
His nickname at the pool was “Spider” because of the way he swam freestyle.
“People said my body looked like a spider swimming – my limbs were all over the place. But at least I could swim fast,” says Mr Wong, who worked part time and full time as a lifeguard at Big Splash for 18 years.
Although he met many pretty lasses in the course of his work, he never dated any of them. His wife was a salesgirlhe met outside of his job and, ironically, she could not swim.
Mr Wong, who has two sons aged 18 and 13, says: “You could say I was pretty wild when I was young. But even when I was having fun, I kept one eye on the pool.”
He recalls going to the aid of children who unwittingly ended up at the deep end of the pool, but does not remember the details.
During the theme park’s heyday, there were occasional reports of customers injuring themselves while going down the slides.
He says: “If you followed the instructions – sit upright and hold the sides of the slide – you would have no problem. It was only when customers tried to do stunts – like stand up or jump from lane to lane while going down – that trouble arrived.”
Nowadays, he works full time as a lorry driver for a shipping company. In the evenings, he works as a kitchen hand at The Seafood International Market & Restaurant, killing crabs, lobsters and fish ordered by customers.
He says: “It is strange that my life came to revolve around Big Splash. But it is honestly not a bad place to be.”
Another former lifeguard at Big Splash, Mr Gary Lim, 40, also works at the lifestyle and dining enclave now, as a property maintenance executive.
Referring to his lifeguard days, Mr Wong says: “My life now is more mellow. As they say, all good things come to an end. Still, I am grateful I was that person once – young, fun, without a care in the world.”
This article was first published on July 24, 2016.
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