Tuan Haji Ridzman Dzafir (b.1927) is now largely retired from his long career as a civil servant and citizen-volunteer. In this autobiography he tells of his childhood in fairly humble circumstances in Singapore and steady progress in education to his 1952 appointment in the Customs Service. Insights are offered into Singapore's development in the early years of independence and later when Haji Ridzman was administrator and diplomat and then the head of the Trade Development Board, roving ambassador in South America, held responsibilities in ASEAN, was Deputy Chancellor of NUS and influential in several Muslim and other service organisations. The author's experiences and views indicate how Singapore administration has worked over the years.