My Longkang

Another day is almost over. I was up late mulling over some issues with Mrs Bengbeng. The day has been uneventful. Take it as an issue of faith, the power of prayer , the resilience of the human spirit or simply the strength inherent in a human being to survive. The crisis in which I find myself a reluctant and unwilling participant would have resolved itself by tomorrow and I am keeping my fingers crossed it will have a positive conclusion.

With the passing of hours, life and its perception does seem less murky. Comfort zone is still far but the panic button is no longer within ‘must reach zone’. Thanks be to God for his comforting presence in our time of need and the help of brothers and sisters in the faith. The family is safe as always and within its cocoon. I can ask for nothing more.

It has made me realize the priorities in life. For me, it should always be family first. That is the primary role of a husband and a father. The sacrifices necessary to be borne must be borne. Once we are allied with another partner, it is for keeps. It is like playing masak-masak as a child except it is for keeps. Mrs BB has been a rock behind me in this temporary crisis/hiccup in our lives. Our marriage has not been a mistake.

Years ago when my father died, and I had to do the run-around reporting his death, applying for a burial permit, looking for a grave site, purchasing a coffin etc etc etc she was all alone at the funeral wake entertaining fellow mourners moving from table to table keeping pots of noodles and coffee flowing. A friend commented lo ka ee ( the tall one ) is a very strong woman. The relative is not wrong.

All the years together, she has always ensured our house is filled with the essentials, the cooking oil, the never ending packets of noodles, vegetables, chickens and ducks. The cleanliness of the home has never reached the standard which she set due to Benghui and me and our selfish ways

It is not that we intend to make the house untidy but sometimes we prefer to eat the chicken skin, too lazy to use filtered water for cooking and washing etc etc etc in other words, our standards are far below hers. Her vegetables are soaked for hours before she cooks it. I am too lazy to wait or act at the last moment so I never soak my vegetables for hours before cooking.

Today, my dog Oopi found a bag of cement and littered the whole compound with cement powder. She spent an hour cleaning up. I knew I should have helped her other than scold Oopi but I was just too tired and fell asleep after work. Not a word of complaint. Oopi was after all my idea, brought home against her wishes.

I remember I once commented ‘generally’ that I hate being nagged. That is true but it is eons better than returning to an empty home or facing the world all alone. It is comforting knowing some one somewhere is concerned for our well being..