By Allan Yap & Nigel A. Skelchy

The Wicked Pitches get their TV break!

Richard Gardner of Gardner & Wife fame invited us to participate in an RTM Christmas special and the shoot was scheduled for Sunday, 19 Oct morning. Like 7am in the morning. It was tough getting up let me tell you. But well worth it. I really do have fun singing with the Pitches and am really grateful I'm a part of that. It hasn't always been a bed of roses but it has been something worthwhile that we've built together.

In any case, we got the shoot done by 10am and Richard bought us breakfast at Coffee Bean which was much appreciated. Coddled eggs and Panini bread. The shi shi style of half boiled eggs and Chinese bread with kaya.

In the evening, we finally got ALL the Pitches together again. The main reason was really to give Chris, our performance "lau ser" his cheque and to celebrate 2 birthdays but only the latter was fulfilled, the former being put off again because Chris basically forgot, thinking it was next weekend. Oh well! We'll just have to hand him the cheque without the rest of the group there.

Quite a few of the Pitches had never been to Chekers before, so I think that was a really good start for them in terms of getting to know the restaurant. Uncle Tan was at his best as usual and almost everyone ordered the Porky's Best ribs. Allan had the Knuckle, Serena the sausages, and I had the steak. With an addition of Tempura Prawns for the centre, the meal was fab as usual.

After lazing around for almost all of Sunday and hunting for a very important document (which I did not end up finding) it was nice to unwind...some more.

Yue Ling had planned to go to, as she called it, the "PCP" or Post Concert Party of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor. NOT to be confused with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

The "PCP" was in Damansara so along we went.

From the outside it sounded like a frat house/halls of residence party. Screaming, wet things were running around in relatively skimpy (this is Malaysia, so we don't usually wear too much anyway) outfits, dripping. Either that or they were bumping and grinding on a makeshift dance floor by the pool area. If you haven't figured it out yet, they had just leapt out of the pool.

Shame on you for thinking anything else!

Right! where was I...oh yes...bumping and grinding. Got a few sweaty hugs and had to surreptitiously wipe it off my cheek so as not to offend. And then I bumped into this girl again. The one who had shrieked "OMIGODit'snigelskelchy" at a rehearsal the Pitches attended to promote Funkappella. Exactly as I wrote it. In one breath.

Unsurprisingly, she's been teased about that but very surprisingly she's taking it rather well. Now, I find it hard still to accept compliments or possible crushes with any great degree of equanimity. Frankly, they make me somewhat uncomfortable.

Especially in light of the fact that Allan and I are open about our relationship and I thought everyone in the Phil knew about it. If they do and no one has told her, I'm just afraid that it could be extremely embarassing for her when she does find out.

Sigh!

She did not help matters when she sang this song from "Lady & The Tramp" and kept on looking at me the WHOLE time! I complimented her but must admit to being disconcerted. Nicole did not help matters when she came over and added to the teasing.

Hmmm...

The good thing was that we did get to chat with Danny and Soon Yoon more. Allan and I did get to start a friendship with Soon Yoon, who I think is one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time. He's someone who seems extremely loveable and huggable. And has a huge passion for performing. We're going to try and catch him in Viva Voce II at Actors Studio in early November.