You're A Good Man, Ah Kong!

Goodbyes are never easy, I have a deep-rooted dislike for the departure halls at the airport, but this... is the final act (so to speak).

Reminiscing your every action, every response, every smile, every word does not make it any easier to pass the time. As much as we could prepare ourselves, we never expected it to be so soon and so sudden. From your cheery disposition the night before, we thought things may be looking up.

I dreaded the phone call that came at around half past noon on Monday. My heart sank when I heard the distinct ring tone that I have set for family members and the moment I saw the caller, I could only pray for the best. It was not to be...

I may not have as many memories of you as my other siblings and cousins had, but I cherish the few that I have been privileged to be a part of. I have never seen you get angry or even raise your voice up a notch. It is a trait that most of us still struggle to achieve, I know I do. You were never fussy about things, except maybe your own, but that was your comfort zone - keeping things orderly.

You were always friendly... everyone knew who you were. You cared a lot about our well being, to the extent of being a little "cheong hei" (long-winded) but that's just you. How I wish I could hear you being cheong hei to me again about crossing the road or driving carefully or not being out too late at night or keeping a tab on my belongings wherever I go.

I know I will miss the weekly jabs we give each other when we talk about the English Premier League, you being a Man U supporter and me being a Liverpool fan makes for great banter. Who will I tease when Liverpool beats Man U again next season?

I may not remember riding on your motorbike but I think I may have had a few rides when I was younger. I do remember that you have a knack for gardening. I remember visiting you back at the old house where I would always find you at the front garden, either clearing the dead leaves or trimming the branches or watering the plants.

I wish I could recall more, I wish I had pictures to remember these moments with, but most of all, I wish you were still here cracking jokes with us, laughing till your dentures peek through...

You've lived a long life, Ah Kong, and I hope you are pleased with us because we have definitely been blessed by you. See you again someday.

Diary of The Unfortunate Car Owner...

Dear Diary,

This entry is not the first but from the looks of it, it may not be the last either. And I'm trying not to curse the fate of my car here, it's just that I can't help but feel sorry, hurt, spiteful and angry - at the world; at idiotic, irresponsible, imbecilic drivers.

First, there was this:


Then, in an unprecedented error on my part, this occurred:


A few months later, this happened:


And today... Fresh off the press, newly minted, hot off the oven; as I was taking a stroll from the office to have lunch, something that was seemingly normal made a turn for the worse when my eyes caught sight of this:


As I made my way closer to the car, my heart sank below the depths of the abyss. (OK, I should turn down the drama...) It was heartbreaking to see yet another scar in the life of my car, which is only 1 year and 4 months old, by the way! Worse still, having to chase down the whodunit. As you can see, the perpetrator (whom I suspected) was still parked next to my car when the photos were taken but to get the owner to fork out repairs for my bumper... remains nonexistent.

I left a note for the driver of the other car, who did contact me, but denied any wrongdoing. There goes my pocket again! Aside from the second incident, all the others were not my fault yet I suffer the greatest. WHY?

Sigh... I am beyond boiling mad... I'm flippin' pissed!

Yours truly,
Unfortunate Car Owner

Human Nature...

It's funny how different every individual on earth is; their characteristics, their temperament, their reactions and so forth. Lately, it makes me wonder if our character as human beings are deteriorating with each passing day.

Are we less courteous now than we were a few decades ago?

Are we getting more impatient as time passes by?

Are we more "me" centered than ever before?

I question because I find it really funny how people who cut into your lane on the road can somehow stare at you or gesture at you as though you did something wrong when it was actually their fault. Or how someone can go up the no entry ramp only to stare you down because you have to give way to them even though it is your right of way.

When have we become so inconsiderate to other people by double parking on a narrow road, making it almost impossible to drive through? Or cross the street without even looking left and right to check for cars? Is the line between right and wrong completely wiped out that people still think they are right when they are actually wrong?

When have we become so ignorant, selfish, self-righteous? Is it inborn? Human nature?

Human beings are not perfect, but I choose to believe that we can work at getting at least near-perfect. I believe we can work at being more polite with one another. I believe that we can learn to be humble enough to know our mistakes and admit them. I believe that we can be more considerate of other people's needs and not just our own. I believe that we can choose to be better people.

The sad reality is, we choose not to. That's the problem.

So, I am stuck with wondering whether I should go scratch the owner's car for his wrongdoing or not.

Kidding.