One and two

I’ve lost two friends, both being taken away by two girls.

One of them had been with me since secondary school days, when we went through dirt and bruises together. It wasn’t the happiest period of my life, but at least I wasn’t alone.

He was the first to leave, straying away from out outings and trainings. Often, he didn’t even pick up our calls or reply to our messages.

Next was someone who I got to know during my JC days. He was full of craps and often helped to organise our outings and trainings.

One man alone wouldn’t make much difference, but his absence had actually made the group quieter, and somehow caused our disperse slowly.

These holes are challenges, which I must fill up, before everything falls apart.

It's his day

He never realised he was creating so much entertainment. He knew he want it but he showed so much sensation that he didn’t need to go. Then he turned 180 degrees in just a moment later, stating he should go as to exercise, which he usually would walk and not run.

I knew it he would make a mess. He hadn’t thought about others’ feeling and when they were busy, he hid around. He knew nothing much of the agony, and of course not the full details he needed to know.

Not a fool would stand in for him. Let him rot. I could see the fears he had, the first time I witnessed how his signature look like, but a dog would never kick his habits. Sometimes, he just left his vacation unattended, showing no fear at all. I didn’t know how lucky he could get, until his loophole was exposed.

He still managed to escape from work in the end, to somewhere he would shed less sweat, where he could laze around. I couldn’t be bothered as long as I had done my part.

It's me again, haha, Jonathan

It was me again and I stayed back. I should have left two hours earlier, right after flag lowering. It was crap, for Ivan had allowed the last minute request to change the classrooms.

I don’t know why it’s Tuesday again. Ivan said it was the last time he would allow last minute change. The fact was that Shep had already promised to ban this since weeks ago.

I didn’t know who’s to be blame, because Ivan couldn’t have done it on purpose. But why could the request for the next few days be denied and not today’s?

Two weeks ago, I had suffered 3 consecutive nights, and that someone owed me a duty to cover. There wasn’t night lesson for the IKC2 week and he offered to return, when he was supposed to stay anyway for it. I was soft-hearted then, but obviously not a fool except for being nice.

The IKC2 week of course was rubbish as well. I was placed inside the office to do more shit than those sitting around at the parade square, even could hide away from the tentage to slack. I had medical appointments on the last 2 days, but the 3 other shitty days inside the office was totally ignored. Some people loved to show off their OFFs.

I didn’t mind staying back as long as there’re fairness, television set and the Internet, however, I was going to be the only one staying for this week. Nobody would take into account. This planning of duty was obviously imperfect.

For the whole morning, I was so busy, and repeatedly sent out of the office. Some people were just slacking around, laughing about and playing computer games for most of the time.

With the facts that I couldn’t carry any heavy load and that Shep had promised and announced I shouldn’t be doing it, I was still involved in the shifting of all the pathetic old, rusty, bulky and heavy radio equipments. I hated them as much as the phobia I had for them, yet somehow, someone was trying to push the responsibility to me.

I hated myself for having the injuries. In the past when I tried all my means to help carry things, nobody had rewarded or even praised me. Since I had bad injuries, so many people added on agony when I was already feeling so low for my incapability. Even moving of a projector from the cupboard caused so much aching to my back.

When I checked back at the keypress book, there were so many missing signatures. Sometimes, human would make mistake and forget to sign, but I knew well nobody except me would check the rooms, that was why nobody dared to sign when they issue or receive the keys, except me – they feared something would go wrong.

If anyone were to check the keypress book, more than half of the signatures when I was present should be mine, unless someone filled the blanks after a day or week or even months. In the end, when things cocked up, it was only me bearing responsibility for rooms I had signed for, while the other rooms would be shared.

And suddenly I noticed, my name would be mentioned sometimes when I wasn’t responsible for things. Somehow, everyone was so afraid of getting blamed, hoping my poor memory would make me admit to save them.

I was so unlucky that the SPECS MESS burger was sold out after the flag lowering. But the auntie was so sweet to sell me a chicken bread for a dollar and gave me an extra poh pia. That helped me delay my gastric pain.

Before I left for home, I sent Shep a message as instructed by Chen De. I included “please don’t worry”, which caused a debate over my mind throughout the journey. Would she really care for me or it was just her responsibility to ensure I was safe when I was inside the camp?

Why should I care and be so afraid to bother others? I didn’t want to message her in the first place.

Causal remarks

When I was asked if there was any fixed medical appointment for the next month and I told him about the one at SGH.

“Wah, you can even ‘chao geng’ with gastric pain!” – in Chinese.

Though that might be a joke, it isn’t nice at all.

How simple-minded can people be? The x-ray result for my back is out, proving my statement and the little swollen on my right knee due to the Asgood-Schlatter disease is quite obvious. They cover their eyes and casual remarks.

Now that this gastric pain problem which starts since young can’t be visualised, it’s more difficult to testify. I’ve cancelled an appointment during my Signaller course to avoid missing any lesson; nobody values the efforts. And due to the irregular dining hours causes by my current unit, my condition has worsened.

It’s too foolish to take in remarks from people who don’t care for you. Some people make accusation because they’ve been doing the actual things. Why bother?

I need to rectify all problems in a year’s time.

Thank specialists

They say it’s very common case; they say I’m still young so it’s okay. So I’ve to live with it, till I get older and it worsens, they’d attend to me cautiously.

Right now they aren’t doing anything for me. Since I’ve suffered for more than 5 years, they think I should continue to wait for another half year before they’d me for a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) screening.

They say I’ve Osgood Schlatter (http://www.osgood-schlatter.com) disease for my knee, yet they say it’s so common and unimportant. The x-ray shows nothing and I can’t ask for more.

I’m given plasters, painkillers and medicine to stop gastric pain caused by the painkillers.

I ask if I’d recover, and they say only until after ORD. Why don’t they just recommend me PES F then?

Without the MRI for my back, the MO can’t recommend me for downgrade, in case the medical board would close my case if it fails.

Little efforts worth nothing

Since young, I’ve come across elderly who teaches me about facts of life.

When I was in secondary school, Mr Yip, who stayed 2 blocks away from me talked to me about girls when we were strolling to school in the early morning. He was a psychology student. He asked me about my relationship life and I told him shamefully about my failures. I was enlightened by him that even though I had done so much and all was useless; all the efforts I spent were probably down the drain. For so many tiny sweet things I could do, they couldn’t be compared to a major thing other guys would do.

For example, you love a girl so much that you think about her every now and then. You worry so much for her, care about her health and her moods. She knows about it. Another guy buys 99 stalks of flowers for her. The impact is a big difference.

As time passes by, I begin to realise the same concept applies to most of the things in life. I know clearly how things go, but I refuse to apply the rules. I love to do things quietly for others, not expecting any reward; if they ever find out, I just hope for some appreciation. But little things are too insignificant.

It just happens too frequently, cunning people know how to put on acts in front of superiors, and then they sleep their ways through the day. Whereas for those who strife hard are never seen or thought of, so belittled by the big shots.

Sometimes I blame myself for not adapting to the circumstances and being stubborn. At least I know my self conscience is clear, which gives me less fears in life. If only I’d a choice, I wouldn’t have stayed in a place where only obvious fakery contribution can be recognised.

If you say life isn’t about unfairness, you’re probably deceiving yourself.

The power of DIY

Often, when you ask someone to do something, it’ll never be done; no one knows how important it is other than you and no one is so stupid to sacrifice like you.

I see the need to do things by myself. Over the years, I’ve experienced and seen many successful stories. I’m being taught the importance of overseeing everything by myself.

It’s not that I don’t trust, but people keep failing me. It’s also my responsibility to spot mistakes.

But I’ve been on my own. Problems befall daily and it’s more than a challenge to being able to handle them. Sometimes I do get tired. I try to close my eyes and leave everything for reliable people; nothing seems to work out right.

Must I really handle everything on my own? I’m a man, not a million; I’ve a pair of hands, not a thousand. I’m a man, not a saint; not an influence to everyone to get things done.

Be alone

Five years of relationship – would you just give it up?

How pathetic it is when all the causes are due to differences in religions and national slavery?

What’s religion? It’s just something that makes you do good deeds and feel being protected. There’re monks who are supposed to stay away from the worldly affairs using high technology electronic devices; there’re priests who squanders donation money. So which’s the best and which’s the existing one?

Nobody can get the answer. Why bother then? A clear self conscience would do. I’ll never want to get too near someone who’s over-religious; the mindset would scare me off even if she’s a babe.

What’s national slavery? A responsibility to protect the country, in the state of being manipulated by cunning officials, depriving you of your freedom, and causes break-ups of couples.

I don’t know what to say to him. It’s really not nice to say something wrongly at this point of time. If something can change a person’s mind so easily, why bother about her?

Next time perhaps

I’ve drunk so much tonight. Not any alcoholic drinks, but the pool water. It has been long since I drop into the swimming pool and stretch myself inside. Maybe due to my lack of practising that I’ve forgotten how to swim, or the physiotherapy session earlier on is quite painful, I’ve swallowed so much water. I’m drunk.

Anyway, I had gone for physiotherapy in the afternoon, rushed home to get changed and then went out to meet Anqi w-i-t-h-o-u-t bathing. She changed location and was late for so long just because she was playing mahjong with her friends. It was okay if she didn’t lose money.

I met Laixing at Queensway again at the Yonnex shop. I couldn’t remember his face because he had changed so much. Sad thing was that I had met him quite a few times since years ago already.

It was carrot’s 21st birthday celebration! I mean Mikeller. I met up with Mingfa to go to Jimmy’s place. Tanglin View was so beautiful, excluding Jimmy’s house, which wasn’t that neat. Carrot was still as cute as before. Whereas her pretty sister reminded Mingfa and I of Huiyi and the way she spoke sounded like Karin.

It wasn’t very nice when I didn’t know most of her friends. Jimmy was there of course, and then I met Stephanie and Daphne. It was good that she didn’t forget to ask Mingfa and I to join in the photo taking session. Anyway I had taken the first photo with her up at Jimmy’s house. My hand should be up at her shoulder. Oh well, next time perhaps.

I didn’t even take much food. Mingfa had to leave early and we left without taking the cake. I could have stayed to help clear up the place but I didn’t want to be the odd one out loner there. I stayed so near but, well, next time perhaps.

等着你的消息

这一夜他又发呆。手机有不平凡的平静。看这时间渐渐地流失,心中不仅有一股股的辛酸。夜晚似乎很漫长,却安静得不寻常。

他看出窗外的那片宁静,月光下的景物平浪得很不自在。因为他心中的失望让期待特别难受,等着更有痛苦的滋味。

毕竟这一不是第一次。你让这一夜又失望地离去。他躺着躺着,心里只有万千个参想与猜测。一只呆着,让时间的流失换取细小的解脱,让他的梦想越离越远。

你不说他怎知道?一句留言也没有。是拒绝太尴尬,还是他分文不值?难道没有消息就是最好的消息?