My Longkang

I have been very busy as I will be going outstation next week. Nolah I am not going to New York or Bombay or anything of that sort. Nothing glamorous. That is only for the rich folk. I will be going to Kuching on some official business. So there is a lot of work I got to do before I leave in preparation for the days I will be absent from work. It is very stressful and the pace is hectic.

So in my haste, I rushed to buy some take away chicken rice from the Singapore Chicken Rice outlet in Jalan Pedada. I left the engine running as there was no parking space and I was illegally parked. ” Two packets please and jia la ci. The lady looked at me with amazement in her eyes. Suddenly every body seemed to be looking at me. Benghui laughed and said, ” Jia la jiao“. There was a giggle or two and suddenly we heard guffaws here and there

For those not familiar with Mandarin jia la ji means add rubbish and jia la jiao means add more chilli. I took the packets and rushed off. Well another day has passed and I will make sure I won’t go again very soon to the same place in the near future. It was very embarrassing.

To make it worse, Benghui rushed in the door when we reached home and immediately blurted it out to Mrs Bengbeng who laughed hysterically

Sigh, sigh ;(

Have you ever had the feeling that you have taken the wrong turn and wanting to turn back and start all over again. Unfortunately in life, it is not always possible.

I had an opportunity to meet a very dear old friend recently. After receiving a text message saying, ” I am coming”, I couldn’t sleep thinking of the coming encounter. So many years down the road. I no longer wear yesteryear’s jeans and the long thick permed hair have thinned like a garden lawn without regular applications of fertilizer. Even the Honda CB 100 has long been relegated to the scrapheap of time. i would be the laughing stock of the town if I wear the high heels of my youth.

How would she look? Would she have changed and by how much? The time arrived. Nervously we sat across a table. Making polite small talk. She hadn’t changed much. Could even be said she was more beautiful now, more mature and confident now. Put on weight a little. I wished deep inside me I had been as well preserved as her. I hoped she was not too disappointed.

There was much polite conversation. One cannot be too forward nor too familiar. This is difficult, unfamiliar ground. The table kept us apart. barely three feet across but it seemed like a mile. This time, the situation was different. Both of us were married and we had kids. We smiled, made polite banter and mostly just looked at each other.

I asked myself what would have happened if i had married her? Our thingy had stopped due to a small matter which in our youth had seemed so big an issue. Anyway once we get on a bus, we continue on to our next destination. No looking back. In our Asian culture, marriage is mainly for keeps.

I almost choked when she asked me if I was happy. She then put into words thoughts that were swirling around in my mind. She then told me she had often wondered what would have happened if our destiny had got entangled. She said if she had the option, she would turn back the clock and continue from where we stopped. She wasn’t happy in her marriage.

We exchanged more pleasantries and she inquired if Mrs BB knew i would be meeting her. I told her yes. And soon as much time had passed, we couldn’t sit together any longer or it would seem odd. We parted. What if things had been different? What if..what if… I then told myself it was a pointless question. We had already chosen our paths. Divorce or separation is still not readily accepted or the norm in Sibu society. So young people who are in love. Think carefully two time, three times and a million times if you have found the right mate before coming to a decision. It will be the biggest decision of your life.

Update : foongpci wrote this a few days ago but I had forgotten to post it Thanks for the reminder

Sometimes in life there are good days and sometimes there are bad days. Yesterday was a so-so day. What made it unusual was the cooking gas cylinder delivery man. He noticed my dog, Oopi was a small dog and teased Oopi. In a way he taunted Oopi although he did not realize it.

He lifted the gas cylinder over to his shoulder. The dog took it as an act of aggression. Oopi suddenly became vicious. Another possible factor could be that the man walked in the gate without calling me first. I heard sounds and dashed out. The dog was furious and on attack mode. I rushed to avert my dog from biting the man and got bitten instead. There was some bleeding. The dog suddenly realizing it had bitten me, rushed into its cage and waited in a subservient manner.

I thought it was nothing to worry about but two hours later, I had developed a slight rise in temperature and my fore arm was swollen. I wasn’t too worried as it was my own dog and therefore not a rabid dog but to play safe I went to see a doctor. Ooh the injection was painful. Being a man, like all man, we just smile through the procedure but pain is pain. My hand hurt for an hour after that.

I went home and there was Benghui asking me to send him to the clinic. He was sick he said. A sore throat, cough and flu. I was hesitant because of the negative publicity due to cowsackie but he was sick and I had no choice. The first thing the doctor did was to check his hands, feet and mouth. I think it is an auto thingy with him for all kids Benghui’s age and below. He said Benghui was free of cowsackie which was a tremendous relief to me.

Then when I reached home, I received a text message. It read simply, “ I am coming”. Emotions… joy..sadness, loneliness… all kinds of unexpected feelings washed over me. I didn’t quite know how to feel. Visions of a beautiful fresh country side girl with dimples flitted through my mind. Where had all the years gone?

I will be meeting her in a few minutes from now.