Exam, Think, Eat, Sleep

Last Saturday was one of the shortest Saturday I have ever had.

The day started early although WF didn't have music lesson that day (it was Parents-Teacher-Meeting aka waste time session which I couldn't attend anyway). WY was scheduled to take his music theory exam that morning.

So we had our breakfast at home, then got the kids to shower and get dressed. Then as we went off, I kept reminding WY to check that he had his stationery, student pass, water bottle and jacket with him. Along the way, we did our customary 'oral' revision - you know, a quiz-like Q&A on the various topics to be tested on in the exam & things to take note of (even simple things like writing clearly, erasing well before rewriting etc).

The exam venue was a 10-min drive away in Aljunied Road. CPA House. The 2 miserable lifts inside this place were jam-packed, so we didn't even have to think twice to take to the stairs. We went up to the 2nd storey, thinking that we could perhaps take the lift on its way down before it goes up to our exam room on the 5th floor. So we waited briefly at the 2nd storey, only to realise that the lift wasn't coming anyway.

WY and I exchanged glances and without having to say anything, we both just turned to the staircase once more, and walked up another 3 floors. Fortunately, we still had about 15 minutes before the scheduled exam time, so we could still even out our panting breaths before going into the room.

The invigilators ushered the children to their allocated seats. WY put on his jacket and took a sip of his water as I took out his student pass for verification etc. In no time, he was seated and all ready for the paper. I decided to wait along the corridor since I hadn't told WY where else to meet after he has handed in his paper.

As I waited along the corridor outside the room, I could hear the invigilator's instructions, "You may use either pen or pencil for your answers.....". I looked around me as I waited. There was a father, 2 other mothers, a grandmother and 3 maids also waiting along the corridor.

The father soon settled to a corner, sat on the floor cross-legged and buried himself in his newspapers. Very typical of fathers-in-waiting.

One of the mothers also sat on the floor silently - her husband was probably angmo because her daughters looked clearly eurasian. Her looks were one of nonchalance.

The other mother began to talk loudly on her handphone, discussing what sounds like office-politics issues. Very inconsiderate as she went on and on at a 'normal' volume with no attempts to lower her volume. Since there was no soundproofing provision, I was certain she could be heard by the children toiling in the exam room. >:(

The grandmother looked out of the windows while holding on to a sling water bottle. We exchanged a smile and a nod when our eyes met.

By this time, the 3 maids (who must have gotten acquainted that morning because they came separately and didn't seem to know one another earlier) had adjourned to the staircase. They just sat at the staircase landing and chatted gaily, like old friends reminiscing their 'good old days'. Amazing, hor, how they can just assemble into a clique just there and then! Ocassionally, one would open the staircase door and peep to see if her charge(s) had come out or not - the others didn't seem to care, though.

Then a question came to my mind - why were these maids being assigned to wait for their employers' kids, ha? I mean, isn't it as good as sending the kids to exam alone, as far as moral/parental support is concerned? Getting the maid to wait for the children was probably a practical thing to do lah, to make sure that the kids don't get lost after the exam has ended etc. But wouldn't it have been so much more encouraging and so much greater a morale booster to have your parent accompany you to the exam hall?! I think WY and WF are much better off than these other kids, at least in this respect....

WY handed in his paper less than an hour after it started. He reassured me readily, "Mama, the questions were very easy! I checked and checked many times already, then I handed up."

So we went to Popular at The Majestic, bought many Chinese books including a handbook on travels to China. It was very weird that this outlet no longer carries any English titles - I say weird because when this outlet 1st opened, it carried some English titles, then I think they probably weren't popular, so they did away with them. Then just some time late last year, they relaunched English titles (with a relatively good collection of children's books) and yet now, barely half a year later, the English titles are gone again. Very disturbing for customers leh - how to trust whether we can find English books the next time we want to drop by?

Anyway, after that, we went to Swensen's as promised. Food was ok though service was nothing to crow about. The manager wore such a sulky look that it actually made me wonder if he was hoping his customers would leave soon or something.

Between R, WY, WF and myself, we finished a Cookie Summit, a Double Berry and a Frosted Chocolate Malt (the last item was mainly by me alone). By the time we were done, I was so full that I almost didn't want to move an inch. So very very sinful and unhealthy. *tsk* *tsk* *tsk* :(

On our walk back to the car, we stopped by our favourite store, OG and picked up 4 working shirts for R, one outing shirt + one jacket for WY and 4 computer games collectively for R, WY and WF. Nothing for me.

When we went back home, the kids went about their shower after much nagging. After laundry was hung, I started to pack and reshuffle some stationery stock. Then, this is the funny part: as I packed and unpacked and repacked, I felt my system slowing down, little by little. I felt drowsier and drowsier.... then I gave in and took a snooze on the hard cold floor.......

As the cuckoo clock struck 5, I woke with a startle. On seeing me in such a 'state', R suggested that I go to the bed to take a 'proper nap'. So I changed and in under 3 minutes, was on the bed again.

From then till 4:30am the next day, I only remember these:

a) WY told me, "Mama, GorGor and WP are at A-Mah's place already." (I remember I just waved him off and told him to tell R to bring them to Mother's place);

b) the phone rang but I couldn't muster enough energy to get up to answer it (the caller(s) gave up after 2 tries of 4-5 rings, I think);

c) WF tried to snuggle next to me after he had changed into his pyjamas but R 'warned' him against 'disturbing' me;

d) suddenly, I remembered that I hadn't showered and hadn't brushed my teeth (but again, I couldn't muster enough energy to get up to do these).

When I woke up at 4:30am, all was quiet, so the creaks of my aching body were especially loud. As I tried to move left, the back hurt; as I attempted to move right, the back hurt even more. Aiyoh, it was so jiak-lat!!! Ouch! And Ouch!!

And so, for the 1st time in my life, I actually got up at 4:30am to do some stretching exercises! After 3 rounds of stretching-then-resting-then-stretching-again-then-resting-again...., the aches finally eased off... Not completely gone, but much better than before....

By the time the usual morning chores were done, the sun had already arisen and it was time to get the the others up for 文化艺术团....

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Actually, now that I think about it, it was quite scary to have such die-die-also-must-sleep attacks. The last time this had happened was during our trip to Titisse, after that alocohol-laden Blackforest Cake. Woah, that was another jiak-lat time. Could hear the people around me talking but just couldn't respond because too sapped to even try to say anything or move any limb.....

So, after some analyses, I told R that it must have been that sinful ice-cream meal. So to avoid another such attack, must make sure I don't 暴饮暴食 again.....

Whoever's reading this posting, don't laugh and do not try to dispense unsolicited advice, hor. I said don't laugh!