Page 126 - A Life Well-Lived Is a Beautiful Memory

Father and Son:

Tik and Ton

Nopadon (Ton) Nidhiprabha
16 February 2024 Young Poh Tik and young Ton, 1986

My Father, My Hero

In May 1991, my father took me to register for the new school year at Suandek School. We
walked up to the 4th-grade classroom. Inside, there were two teachers: one taught handicrafts
who was the strictest in the school, and another teacher who taught maths. After my father and

I signed my name and received my new textbooks, the handicraft teacher said, “Your son didn’t
submit any P.O. crafts last year.” I felt like a rock was stuck in my throat. I stood frozen, unable
to move.
Suddenly, a big hand came over my little shoulder. “That’s great, son,” my father said with

a big smile. The other teacher tried to hold back his laughter. As my father drove me home, I felt
so relieved.

To me, my father is a true hero.

Always With Me
When I was in elementary school, my dad would always play Nuvo songs in the car when
he drove me to school in the morning, picked me up from school in the afternoon, or took me

anywhere. We listened to Nuvo since their first album. We would sing along together.
My dad would sing his heart out, especially his favorite songs: “Mai Pen Rai Ley,” “บอก
อย่่างง้�นอย่่างง้�เลย่,” “โง่งมงาย่,” “กวี้บทเก่า,” “สั้ญญาปากเปล่า,” and “ไม่เข้้าใจ.” When the song ended,
he would always ask me to rewind it. We would listen to it again, and he would sing along as

loud as before. After the second time, he would turn to me and say, “Ton, rewind it. I love this
song.” Sometimes he would ask me to rewind the tape three times. He would sing along happily
each time.
Sometimes I didn’t understand the lyrics. I would ask him questions while he was driving.

“What does ‘เย็นเหม่อนแอลกอฮอล์ใสุเบา’ mean, Dad?” “What is ‘ถ่่านไฟท้�ม้นเก่า’?” “What does ‘สั้ญญา
ปากเปล่า’ mean?” He would scratch his head and think of an answer before explaining it.

126 A Life Well-Lived Is a Beautiful Memory