Present memory
Shots in flashes. Ready. Begin.
*snap* The buzzling crowd.
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| (Photo from "http://farm4.static.flickr.com") |
*snap* Bugis.
Pause and play. The most uncommon sight of an old lady, with permed white hair, dressed in purple flora shirt and brown stretch pants. There she stood, amongst the flow of perspiration-moist people. As though she was a twig, rooted on the riverbed, as human flow passed her. The evening time had came to a halt, the matrix effect launched but it didn't deter my eyes from filming this perfect sight.
The scene rolled on. As if it was all part of a script, the old lady moved the walking-stick a quarter-meter ahead of her before moving her feet toward her only means of support. Just when you though she would move again, her soft eyes glazed gently toward the snack-store, filled with another buzzling crowd. Had you been in my shoes, could anyone not feel your heart dissolved. My conscience sang a chorus, repeating an idea to approach her without prejudice, without guard, without skepticism, without harm to offer all you had to assist that old person.
Despite my thoughts, a lightening-span dilemma hesitated my offer. I thought to myself: "There's no way this old lady would be alone. If she were, she wouldn't have choose to be in the mainstream crowd.". I thought so, and rapidly regretted not having tried to ask. But I couldn't stop. Doing so would only jam up the narrow passageway. Not that it couldn't get any narrower.
And I thought, what if the old lady couldn't find her way through the annoying crowd if she's genuinely alone. I looked back to see if the old lady continued to walk alone to confirm my doubts. There was no sight of her. Which derived me relieve - her family members must be with her.
Way finding could be tough when you're alone. The better out of this? You'll come out brave when you find your own exit. I certainly never find myself occupied with Sunday plans until my abrupt acceptance to LW's message. This acceptance to go out in plain T-shirt, berms, my vintage 6 year old slippers and loyal braun wallet led me further to unimagined long hours spent having a whole new virgin experience lunching, a midshift dessert affair at a nostalgic place and detoured encounter with Cluedo over coffee.
My two-years-less-a-decade good friend LW lived up to his promise to take us to lunch with his first week's pay. Silly guy. What didn't occurred to me was to lunch at Muthu's, consuming dough and curry fish-head in the afternoon. Curry without rice, without using eating utensils, without the fear of table etiquette because touching your food with your hands, in a restaurant, was permitted.
The three "usual" us came equipped with deflated guts. We walked down to Ah Chew under the hot weather and treated ourselves with desserts. This place really brings back memories. It was as though it was yesterday Chin Yu and I were sipping the same sago during our pre-ORD lau-period.
We were bored and out of ideas after aimless walks around Bugis. Was on the verge of taking a train home when my company called me to tell me they were still outside the toilet where I went 5 minutes ago. LW said he needed coffee. Without warming my seat at the train platform, I found myself tapping out of the control station and reunite with them. Bought a Cluedo and walked all the way to TCC, to play, chill and laughed the remains of our Sunday away.
The big-time entertainer award for the day had to go to Clara who amazed us continuously during our Cluedo sessions. In case you need a refresher-course, Cluedo is a detective game. It's about drawing conclusions with the limited information you owe, make accusations to solve a fictional murder case. The winner is the one who reveal correctly the murderer, weapon commit the murder and where the murder occurred. Our amusing friend, "Cocker-nathan-Clara" made our jaws drop with the following:
1) She made a wrong accusation with the clue which she was holding on to. Ya, she only realised when she opened the confidential cards.
2) She made a silly four steps move, hoovering around the murder venue of which she had deciphered. Obvious gaveaway to LW who was actually clueless before he spotted her folly.
3) She took her turn when it wasn't her turn. O.M.G.
To all good things come an end, and so did our impromptu meet. We bid goodbye with partial memories of laughter, partial relieve it's a public holiday the morning after and partial anticipation to our next meetup soon.
