What do I do for NDP?

I get that question all the time when I am online.

" I lay lines," would be my textbook answer.

I get the feeling that some people think what I do somehow is related to chickens laying eggs somehow and seek to address that misconception. What I do has nothing what so ever with chickens. Or eggs.

Picture telephone lines in your house from the living room to your room. That is more like what I do. Except that distances are usually much larger and you don't have the problem of worrying your lines are too low and could obstruct double decker buses.

This Saturday was a typical rehearsal day for me. I was there at the padang by 7.30a.m in the morning and there was nothing to show that anything unusual was going to happen. And nothing did until about 6.30p.m.

I was at the Supreme Court and the entire spectator stands was bathed in blood red. The Primary Five students were here to watch the National Day Preview. Watching the Red Lions do their signature jump, I remember their previous jumps- rehearsals before today had gone on very well.

The commandos swirled ,red smoke trailing behind them and the entire padang erupted in cheers. Kallang waves greeted the parachuters as they neared the stadium. The commentators' voices were drowned in the high-pitch shrieks and shouts of the student body. Beside me, the corporal with the video camera zoomed in on the action. Cameras flashed their approval.

The very first red lion flew into the left side of the stadium, came especially close to the VIP stands , drawing gasps from the crowd and landing with a bump on the white padang ground, took in his parachute. The few after him were more or less uneventful, each having landed safely on the ground.

The second last parachute hovered just above the stadium and took a sharp left turn. He was about 10m from the ground and still he showed no signs of slowing. He crashed into the ground and at that moment the audience went entirely quiet. I watched as medics rushed to him, the stage obscuring my view. The last Red Lion landed safely on the ground. Gathering up their prarchutes, they went up the stage and bowed, visibly shaken by their friend's accident.

I stood mouth agap.

Somewhere a receiver was picked up and a hospital received a emergency call for an injured parachuter.

What do I do for NDP?

I would like to think that I help to save lifes.