WorLd of the Unknown

First, the decision of my overseas posting .. *drum roLLs*

.. I am seLected (subjected to medicaL) ....

ALright nothing surprising. In anyway, I appreciate that some of the cLosest peopLe to me, objected. To name a few, Mom, Guo Ann, Jaz .. Yes I wouLd be missed right? ALways knew it ..

But, Like I aLways say, to Live, you gotta Live Life to itz fuLLest, or eLse what can you teLL ur chiLdren what you have done or seen and experienced? Or your grandchiLdren when they come into your Life one day? No man .. I want them to see me as a coLourfuL Dad or Grandad, juz Like how I see mine ..

Grandpa's been bedridden for two years now I think ..

When I was LittLe about four or five, he was an enthusiastic and joviaL man, a cook and a short-stint as a coffeeshop owner in Hougang Avenue 8. Those days, every morning, we wouLd go down for a bowL of porridge and hot MiLo (iced one was disaLLowed due to my chiLdhood asthma) downstairs. Ask anyone in the neighbourhood, and they wouLd teLL u about this Loudspeaker who cant seem to keep his voLume down. When I went to Primary SchooL, he retired permanentLy .. and every day he wouLd bring me to schooL. As Mom was working, I had resided at Grandpa's pLace for most of my primary schooL days. You couLd say I was the Luckiest grandson those days .. everyday having great food for Lunch and dinner, those Hainanese-styLe soup which you wiLL never get to taste outside. I did not understand what warmth my grandparents gave me as a notorious young boy. Took everything for granted and untiL when Grandma was gone in secondary schooL things changed. Grandpa became quieter by the days, months and years.

Maybe that was why I Lost my academic exceLLence after that. I was top five for five years and scored 231 in PSLE. Secondary schooL onwards was a disaster .. poor grades Led me to arts stream in secondary three and then I sLept for two years before fLunking my O's scoring a 28 pointer and earning a year back in schooL. ALthough I finaLLy got into PoLytechnic the foLLowing year in Business, resuLts were either scraped through, or red in coLour. Thus, took four years for an average piece of DipLoma with fucked up grades.

WeLL that was aLmost two decades in aLL. Last weekend I visited my Aunt's for dinner. Grandpa was in bed. Greeted him, toLd him,

"Gong, I am Ah Long .. Ah Long ah .."

Staring at me, I gave up hope thinking he couLd recognise the current me in G.I Joe hairstyLe .. but then he mumbLed,

"I know .."

Geez, my Grandpa's stiLL strong!

.. Jaz been reminding me of him and urging me to forgo the overseas attachment. I had second thoughts for once, but not anymore.

StiLL, I Love him and respect him in my heart aLL the time, for without this man, I probabLy wouLd not have been abLe to see the worLd, the unknown.

I have to go ..

8th December ; that wouLd be the day ..