There is nothing like using humour and cartoon to strip falsehood and pretences down to naked truths. Both are simple in form, yet sophisticated in depth. They are certainly good enough to grace critical columns of newspapers and journals, and a good standup comedian is a perfect caricature of both -- performed live. Of course, live performances do not come free. It is good though, if we can afford it, to pay up and support comedians like Kumar and gang. However, any free comic relief is a relief anytime anywhere. One such act dropped unexpectedly in on an otherwise serious meeting, held at a tiny joint in a quiet corner of the redlight district of Geylang (where proverbially, I was born in 1959 and gangsters were chasing each other with huge cleavers!).

There were no gangsters at the meeting, of course; only good-natured and hardworking ugly * Fritos who are too humble to call themselves marine conservationists though they are so passionate about the survival of marine life in Singapore. The only widely-publicized marine-conservationists-apparent at the meeting were the Noahmen. And it was Noah-in-Chief who brought the whole house down with a much-needed comic relief.

All it took were three simple words -- 'Are you Siva?'!

The laughter that ensued was deafening. It rang across the tiny room, and for what seemed like eternity for the Noahmen, all the Fritos were doubling up and fiddling with their funny bones unashamedly!

By the time the laughter finally subsided to a snigger or two and a few disbelieving * wah-laus, the Fritos fraternity were greatly enlivened for more rigorous debate with the Noahmen whom, I must say, were quite SHELL-shocked by then.

The buck of the joke was the mis-identification of a fellow Frito named Anand who got the attention of the Noah-in-Chief when he brought up a point during the meeting.

For the Fritos, it was unbelievably hilarious. How could anyone mistaken anyone for Siva (Sivasothi), let alone skinny Anand? Anyone worthy of claiming the slightest involvement or interest in nature education and conservation in Singapore would have undoubtedly known this man Siva. He is BIG in both, and considering his actual size, he is HUGE !! (and ugly because, like us, he is a Frito too).

You should have been there; the naked truth was stark.

The joke literally stripped Noah-in-Chief to his flimsy trunk which appeared poker-dotted with holes. And leaking seriously from these was his legitimacy to an earlier claim that he had consulted Raffles Museum regarding NOAH. It could not have been the case. Sivasothi is the alfa-beta-omega frontman of Raffles Museum. You simply can't enter the narrow gate of the museum without brushing against this huge man. Impossible!

The meeting went riot into the night. The Noahmen paled and the Fritos frothed by the hour. In the end, the score was: NOAH's presentation = No(AH!) substance.

When it finally ended, the Noahmen were quickly ushered out as if they were being chased by paparazzi. It was quite the opposite for the Fritos though. They were 'possessed' with new enlightenment. Their merriment spilled into the dark streets of Geylang and into the coffeeshop nearby. They were happily doing Mexican Waves to celebrate Noah-in-Chief's own goal. Frito Ria was particularly loud with her heinous * hantu-laughter.

Well, it could have been worse for the Noahmen and Geylang had it been cross-dressing comedian Kumar instead of Anand. The mis-identification would have been doubly damaging. For this, we have to thank Siva who could not be present at the meeting that night. Not being there has made all the difference -- ironically.

However, there was a significant 'presence' at the meeting which is particularly gratifying for all nature-loving Fritos. Sitting beside me was a nice young man who appeared to have come directly from his college (National Junior College) to attend the meeting. He was still in his uniform (a good trait as Fritos are not only ugly but dirty fellows).

So young and so interested in the welfare of Nature, I thought. His presense is definitely the real promise for nature conservation unlike the 'bright yonder' offered by Noah-in-Chief.

The lesson learnt here is that no one can claim legitimacy (and networking) overnight, and out of the blue, convince others of sincerity -- at least, not here in Singapore. There are too many Fritos around and they know legitimacy can only grow with hard and dirty work accomplished together on the ground, little by little, and unglamour-like most times. Another important lesson for Fritos is that they must not be afraid to dream. However, always remember this: Dream comes before Work only in the dictionary.

* Legend: Frito -- Ring-bearer in Bored of the Rings; wah-lau -- an exclamation of disbelief in Hokkien, a chinese dialect; hantu -- ghost, in the Malay language.

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