Nathan's Happening

Everything You Need to Know About Nathan Hartono. Well, Almost.

- Hannah Choo

He is 30 minutes late. As I squish the last ant that snuck up my ankle, I start to see a lean figure run towards me. In his white Beatles T-shirt and cuffed black pants, he waves. Having stood in this afternoon heat and waited on an empty stomach, I’m a bit pissed. But what the hell, we all have a job to do. And hey, there’s famous Nathan Hartono here on his busy schedule to meet unfamous me.

“I’m so sorry. I ran into a combination of roadworks and an accident on Farrer Road,” he apologises. I say it’s ok and before this interview can begin, there’s the old security guard stopping us in our tracks.

“We’re old students,” I say.

“Uh huh. Here for what purpose?”

“We are here to, uh, visit our music teacher,” I lie, real badly.

“Call her. It’s the March holidays and I can’t just let anyone in.”

“We are here for the choir practice,” says Nathan to the rescue, pointing to a building on the left. “They are practicing there.” 

“You’re sure? Don’t get me in trouble,” the old guard relents and proceeds to sign us in.

Back to school

We are here at Anglo-Chinese Junior College and I haven’t been back in 10 years. I wouldn’t have still, if not for Nathan Hartono who studied here right after I graduated. It was 2008, I believe. We climb five stories up a wing and arrive at a breezy corner overlooking the track and field. “You know I barely made it in?” he shares. “I never used to know the concept of studying until junior college. It kind of woke me up. So this is where most of my time was spent. If you were lucky, you could get a spot before anyone else after school. It’s quiet, outdoors and free from distraction.”