Something Good Comes In
Mum drifted in and out of consciousness, no thanks to the necessary good - morphine. And once the novelty of holding her hand and peering at her sleeping face wore off for the moment, which was like by lunchtime, I popped over to the hospital's inhouse KOPITIAM for a bite.
While contemplating over the dessert signboard, a figure cutting a slightly awkward gait beside me caught my eye. The hair, the glasses and that voice (he was ordering fruits) were a tad too familiar to be ignored. Was the person my 2I classmate who sat beside me? Whom again, I have not seen for > 5 years?
I considered sprouting "Excuse me, but are you my secondary school friend?", but the sheer embarrassment of it being mistaken for a lame pick-up line if I were wrong was too alarming. But I did ask something else when he moved towards the cash register where I was (the fruit and dessert stalls somehow share one together): Er...are you from DHS?
I'm very glad I made the attempt to acknowledge him, cos he went: Are you Angeline?
Yay! It's Eric, Kah Beng ala Hu-Hu Beng (some silly leftover nickname the class christened him that got stuck)! I was right!
It was really a pleasant surprise to see him again, and there, of all places strange, in the hospital eatery, when I'm all alone, and was just wishing for some company.
You din change at all! Looks the same. Said he.
And you have the same hairstyle still! Said me.
We sat down and started chatting (I bought a banana split in the end). I learnt that he graduated from Sheffield, UK last year and is now serving in the army ('cos of scholarly disruption). Updated him similarly on myself. Enjoyed some mutually good-natured ribbing for our study majors, gender divide and the likes.
It was really nice to see him again and to have the conversation flow easily and naturally. He harks from an innocent time during which I was very young, very happy and life was a lot more simple, fun and whole. Meeting and talking with him today makes me feel good in the deja vu sense.
His grandma has contracted end stage cancer too. Hence, his presence here (the fruits were for her, I think). Shared with him my saga as well.
I don't know if I will see him again, but it is rather gratifying and assuring to know that a friend is only a block away, facing similar battles for a loved one.
Eric is as super nice as ever (I'm inclined to think most things and people don't ever change). After we had said our goodbyes and I walked in the opposite direction, I heard him calling. Turning, I saw him beam and he said how it is really nice to see me again. With absolute, genuine sincerity.
Indeed, Kah Beng, this must be one of those rare happy moments that actually occur in the hospital. Like you said, it's totally surreal but it's such a blast to see each other again!
This kinda made my day, even though my mum was still too drowsy to talk much. A long-lost friend!!!
While contemplating over the dessert signboard, a figure cutting a slightly awkward gait beside me caught my eye. The hair, the glasses and that voice (he was ordering fruits) were a tad too familiar to be ignored. Was the person my 2I classmate who sat beside me? Whom again, I have not seen for > 5 years?
I considered sprouting "Excuse me, but are you my secondary school friend?", but the sheer embarrassment of it being mistaken for a lame pick-up line if I were wrong was too alarming. But I did ask something else when he moved towards the cash register where I was (the fruit and dessert stalls somehow share one together): Er...are you from DHS?
I'm very glad I made the attempt to acknowledge him, cos he went: Are you Angeline?
Yay! It's Eric, Kah Beng ala Hu-Hu Beng (some silly leftover nickname the class christened him that got stuck)! I was right!
It was really a pleasant surprise to see him again, and there, of all places strange, in the hospital eatery, when I'm all alone, and was just wishing for some company.
You din change at all! Looks the same. Said he.
And you have the same hairstyle still! Said me.
We sat down and started chatting (I bought a banana split in the end). I learnt that he graduated from Sheffield, UK last year and is now serving in the army ('cos of scholarly disruption). Updated him similarly on myself. Enjoyed some mutually good-natured ribbing for our study majors, gender divide and the likes.
It was really nice to see him again and to have the conversation flow easily and naturally. He harks from an innocent time during which I was very young, very happy and life was a lot more simple, fun and whole. Meeting and talking with him today makes me feel good in the deja vu sense.
His grandma has contracted end stage cancer too. Hence, his presence here (the fruits were for her, I think). Shared with him my saga as well.
I don't know if I will see him again, but it is rather gratifying and assuring to know that a friend is only a block away, facing similar battles for a loved one.
Eric is as super nice as ever (I'm inclined to think most things and people don't ever change). After we had said our goodbyes and I walked in the opposite direction, I heard him calling. Turning, I saw him beam and he said how it is really nice to see me again. With absolute, genuine sincerity.
Indeed, Kah Beng, this must be one of those rare happy moments that actually occur in the hospital. Like you said, it's totally surreal but it's such a blast to see each other again!
This kinda made my day, even though my mum was still too drowsy to talk much. A long-lost friend!!!
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