My humble past

Ever wondered how you began to learn how to count in mathematics?

Back in my early days when I was a 7 year old boy, I began learning the multiplication time table....

Well, this might seem nothing unusual to most of the people, however, it was a special memory of mine.

I was told to memorise the time table from 2x table till 10x table; My fifth uncle is the one who is in-charge of teaching me.

Every evening, when he came back from work, I will have to recite the time table to him in this manner, "1, 2 =2; 2, 2 =4; 3,2=6......etc" till the 10x table, standing on a stool.

Whenever I failed to recite a row correctly, I will have to raise up my palm for a cane.
Back then, my grandmother was always beside me, trying to encourage me, and hoping that I won't get a next smack on my small palm.
My eyes were filled with tears, I would not be allowed to take my dinner until a satisfactory standard in my memorisation of the time table was fulfilled.

Yes, pretty hard on a 7 year old boy (I was a tough boy! ^_^)

Well, I ain't writing this to sound out this "treatment" I got from my fifth uncle...
ya, I do admit that during that time, I was cursing and swearing at him deep inside my heart.
However, till today when I recalled this past memory, I still wanted to thank him truthfully.

My foundation was built (maths), and I think I owed this to him.

I wondered if someday, You, who is reading this, will ever take up the cane to teach your son?