Mr.Robert Nicholl and Three Fives

Mr. Robert Nicholl is the most unforgetable man I have ever met.

He was my teacher, my Principal, my mentor and my friend.

One incident would always come to my mind whenever my TLS friends and I get together.

I remember Mr.Nicholl fondly as I enjoyed most of all, a great school and a great system. How did he lead a school which had no discipline problem. today this kind of school might not exist anymore, especially if we pay attention to what is written in the papers, tabloids and weeklies,or what we hear from the grapevine.

We had a school rules and we had lots of students. And we were from all walks of life,all kinds of backgrounds, and all kinds of racial groups. We were really a great kettle of different fishes and yet Mr. Nicholl had all of us in the best of behaviour.

I will tell you how he gained the respect of heavy smokers in our school and how teachers would never find a cigarette butt in the dormitories or toilets.

Mr. Nicholl announced in the school assembly that no one should smoke in the school but all the gentlemen could smoke like chimneys if they wanted, outside school.

So one day, he must have felt that he needed to teach Benjamin Angki and Gramong Juna a lesson for these two were heavy smokers.

He invited them to have a good dinner in Gymkyhna Club (GCM), then the province of white colonials and Shell White staff only. It must have been an excellent dinner,knowing the generosity of Mr.Nicholl, with Angki and Gramong all dressed up properly in their well starched shirts and navy blue trousers.

"What about a beer after dinner, Angki and Gramong? Mr. Nicholl asked the two.

"Sure, sir, that would be nice," Angki answered in his best English.

"Sure, definitely, I would like a beer. Thank you,sir," Gramong answered demurely.

So they had beer and it was quite merrry really. The after dinner small talk was quite good Angki remembered.

"Now, Angki and Gramong, how about some cigarettes?" Mr. Nicholl carefully asked the two.

Angki and GRamong almost froze with their beer in mid air. They were trapped!

"No, sir, we don't smoke!" Angki answered a little too quickly.

"For goodness sakes, Angki! I know you smoke! What's the brand that you like? Three Fives?"

Angki gave Gramong a weak smile and Gramong was not too sure what he should say. They were lost for words.

"Okay, then, barkeeper, give my two friends here a packet each of Three Fives." Mr. Nicholl ordered the barman, who soon produced two packets of Three Fives.

Very carefully the two fingered their packets of cigarettes and they looked down on the floor, crossing their legs and uncrossing their legs again. The atmosphere was electrifying.

Slowly, Mr.Nicholl tried to put them at ease.

"Smoke, as much as you want,boys. Because when you reach the school, you can't smoke any more. Remember that." Mr. Nicholl must have ended that with a chuckle.

I will always remember how Mr. Nicholl would chuckle in amusement whenever we were caught for being naughty. But he really did have a great sense of humour and a heart of gold.

Angki and GRamong told us that their embarrassment knew no end. From that time onwards, out of respect and love for Mr. Nicholl the two never smoked in the school premises anymore.

There would be lots of other anecdotes...and I can only love and respect Mr.Nicholl more. I am sure all ex tanjongers would echo that.

Yes, I can still hear that chuckle.