[Friday, 29 September, 2006]
Pink is the man!
My projected ORD (Operation Ready Date) date is 30th September, 2006, which was brought forward since it was a Saturday.
I was limping still but I took this great courage to travel alone all the way to Choa Chu Kang by public transport – train. Then, Hong Kiat was supposed to pick me up from there. Waking up at around 0700h, I was supposed to meet him at 0900h but I reached at 0820h instead.
I was not so crazy for my pink I/C (identification card) because I simply had no special feeling over it; perhaps, problems like my leg and money were more important issues somehow, which had neglected my freedom’s mood. Anyway, I had been idling at home since after this year’s National Day (9th August, 2006).
Most people would definitely take a cab down directly but for me, I wanted to save money and test my limit. My main purpose to fetch my I/C so quickly instead of waiting for a better recovery was none other than to show Protein my condition; at least this would give her an impression of how I had been suffering for more than a year. Next reason was of course to have companion of Hong Kiat.
We went to the Terrestrial store immediately to get back our clearance forms. I was surprised but glad that almost all the empty slots had been signed; the CSOs were nice guys. Then, Hong Kiat drove me over to the HG SIG building to get his last two important signatures signed, which he failed to find the last person. Then, we went to return our camp pass first.
He drove back to the parade square and I went up to the AVA room to visit my buddies. They rearranged the furniture again. It was a disappointment that Yuqing was on leave. I got to chat with some of them before going up to room #3-1 to see the new “office”, which was kind of a heaven since not many people knew that room was in operation already. I stayed there to surf the net for a while before Hong Kiat called and we proceeded on with our last two stations.
I walked all the way down and across the road to the main building. I proceeded directly to the TRMS office and got Protein to sign my clearance. The only good thing I liked about her was her attitude when talking face to face. She did try to get information about what I was doing back then before clearing leave and she sounded it like putting a signaller at AVA was waste of manpower. I told her the requirement and could have said more if my leg was not hurting me tremendously.
As I got my plaque and certificate, and was leaving the office, I finally got to see Shep. She was impressed with my looks now though I was always the same. It hurt me somehow when she repeated her assumption that I hated her. She had always being motherly to me and I had only hated her for a few days when we first worked together as she doubted my words that the seniors were abusing their powers; I could not really blame as well since I did not want to mention the individual evil-doing as to not hurt anyone.
As Hong Kiat and I got to the administration office, our final station, Gary told me I had to get a copy of the Dental FFI status slip, which the medical centre had given me the wrong piece (they gave me Hong Kiat’s medical FFI status slip instead). Hong Kiat helped me to go over to the medical centre after I gave them a call. Everything was done after that and my long lost I/C was retrieved; surprisingly I had no special feeling still.
My legs were almost wrecked by then; my left leg was numb whereas my right ankle seemed to be smashed as I had been depending on it too much. I met Kengster and Yuwei just as Hong Kiat drove his car up so that I needed not travel for long distance. He dropped me at Choa Chu Kang MRT.
That was this great disappointment that I did not get to see my “sister”, who stopped replying me suddenly as usual. I wanted to take a picture with her or even had lunch together but she only replied me when I was halfway home.
Singaporeans had once again given me a bad impression again for I had to stand all the way with my crutches; none of the passengers was kind. A couple who boarded at Dover flirted right in front of me, which was unbearable as I had to look out of the windows all the while.
After alighting at TG Pagar MRT station, I almost collapsed. It always took less than five minutes for me to reach the void deck of my house but this time it was near half an hour. Even my arms were too tired to move the crutches and each step was so small. My left leg was near total numbness and I was helpless totally.
I could not help but to imagine myself as Zhang Qian in the Han Dynasty, who travelled long distance in the desert in the show of Han Wu Da Di (http://sillydumb.blogspot.com/2006/09/han-wu-da-di.html). The shabbiness and pains turned me pale. However, the soon arriving Vivi lighted me up a bit.
I survived. It was an impressive effort and determination, which I would never try again.