WY has been most excited this year when we were informed by the school that there would be an Immersion/Learning Trip to China during the June school holidays! This is an integral segment of the BICEP which WY is in. BICEP = Bi-Cultural Education Programme, initiated and supported by SHHK.
The BICEP students from all the 5 SHHK schools would come together to form 3 Teams. One Team will head for Taipei, Taiwan whilst the other 2 Teams will head for Xi'an and Chengdu in China respectively. The students had to draw lots to see which Team they would be in; WY's turned out to be Xi'an (his favourite amongst the 3 destinations).
And so, WY has been very excited about the trip. He read up on Xi'an, checked out the various aspects of this magnificent ancient city and its rich cultural heritage, examined the city map etc.
It was quite amazing, in fact, that WY did so much homework that he was able to rattle on and on about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Big Bell Tower, the Small Bell Tower (including their dimensions!) etc (contrast: I had never even heard of these attractions before!) and also the famed Museum of Terracotta Warriors & Horses. He shared with us much information of these attractions and the history of this grand ancient city eg, that Xi'an was also called Chang'an and it had been the capital city of many dynasties in the past etc etc.
Although getting his new passport ready took us some time and effort (mainly because of the exam period and logistics challenges), we got it settled anyway. I checked with the GP on vaccinations, and immediately after his exams, we got the vaccinations settled, too.
**************************
Then suddenly, on 12 May, the Earth rocked..... There was massive loss of life and unaccountable damage suffered in the terrifying Richter 7.9 Sichuan Earthquake.................... From the media reports, this was truly a big disaster of mankind and a real tragedy for the Chinese, especially the commoners in all the various Sichuan disaster areas.....
I was rather shocked at the magnitude of the disaster - I thought, earthquakes are common in places like Taiwan, Japan and nearby Indonesia? But in China? I had never heard that the picturesque rural, mountainous places like Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan would be prone to earthquakes?? (Xi'an is the provincial city of Shaanxi, which is the Northeastern neighbour province of Sichuan.)
So, even though WY remained hopeful that the Xi'an trip would proceed as planned (because the teachers had said that in response to the Sichuan earthquake, only the Chengdu Team would now visit Xi'an on a different date), all of us adult at home were a little concerned whether WY should head for Xi'an afterall. I,myself, was quite confused; I didn't know if I should hope that the tour proceeds (so that WY will not be disappointed) or if I should hope that the trip will be postponed or changed (in case there are further earthqaukes or even aftershocks which affect Xi'an directly).
At the parents' briefing held at a sister school last Friday, the school and tour agency representatives took pains to reassure anxious parents that all would be safe. That it would be alright to go on as planned because they have verified with their contacts in the China city (including family of a teacher in WY's school who is a Xi'an native) that Xi'an has been spared from damage. They said that all there has been in Xi'an were some tremors on 12 May itself and some 'scares' amongst unnerved residents. No collapsed building, no death.
The 'conclusion' of that briefing was, in short, that it is safe and ok to proceed with the trip to Xi'an. WY was elated (very relieved!); I felt more 'reassured'.
And so, we decided to go on with the other preparation for the trip - buying a new luggage bag for WY, prepaid phone cards for him to use to call back home etc. Just yesterday, we spent the morning and a good part of the afternoon of our Vesak Day holiday packing the clothes, toiletries, medication, stationery, cameras, etc.
*************************
Just minutes ago, WY called me from home. He told me in a very upset voice, "Mama! Today, 陈老师 just told us that now even the 西安团 may have to be postponed to another date!"
"Why?" I asked.
"She said because there could really be an earthquake again!" shot his frustrated reply.
I said in a most sympathetic voice, "Oh. Then it's ok lah. We'll plan something else for the holiday and go to Xi'an at a later date, lor."
"But we all are so disappointed! Tell us only today!!!" WY said, taking a deep breath (I can almost see those hot tears welling up in his eyes). "Ok, bye!"
***************************
I hope China will recover from this disaster soon and the Chinese people will emerge a better people.
***************************
I suppose the school will be getting in touch with parents soon? They have to - it's already 20 May today.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Weeks Flown By
Woah, I didn't realise that I haven't updated this blog for over a month now! How time really slips us by when our days are packed with so many things to do!
During this time, there has been, of course, the SA1 school exams which spread over a good (ahem!) 4 weeks starting from 15 April 2008 and ending only on 9 May 2008. (How I miss my primary school days when exams never lasted anything more than 4 consecutive days, all in the same week....)
And there were also those other stuff in-between the exam weeks which had to be coordinated: my own medical appointment on 21 April, Auction (work) on 22 April, the boys' dental appointment at NUH on 23 April, R's trip to Nagoya from 24 April to 26 April, Mother's 10-day China trip from 19 April, WY's various school-driven activities + remedial lessons + supplementary lessons, all of which required him to stay-back in school on some afternoons, making a new passport for WY (we had had to squeeze in 3 trips to ICA in-between Saturday's CL lessons for this!), WY's UNSW Science Competition on 29 April, rescheduled piano lessons etc etc.....
In short, there were so many things to provide for and so many logistic arrangements to make, I think we probably put some entertainer superstar's Managers to shame. Really, it was quite amazing, no joke!
Fortunately, on some of those days where I couldn't take leave, CP was able to either reach home before 6pm to help WY in his revision or take the entire afternoon off to tutor WY. These were after Mother had come back from her China trip, so Mother was around to cook lunch for both CP and WY on those afternoons.
In the evening of the last day of exams, we brought WY to have his Typhoid vaccination. Then the following Monday evening, his Flu jab. All in readiness for the Xi'an (China) trip scheduled for 23 May to 30 May.
During this time, there has been, of course, the SA1 school exams which spread over a good (ahem!) 4 weeks starting from 15 April 2008 and ending only on 9 May 2008. (How I miss my primary school days when exams never lasted anything more than 4 consecutive days, all in the same week....)
And there were also those other stuff in-between the exam weeks which had to be coordinated: my own medical appointment on 21 April, Auction (work) on 22 April, the boys' dental appointment at NUH on 23 April, R's trip to Nagoya from 24 April to 26 April, Mother's 10-day China trip from 19 April, WY's various school-driven activities + remedial lessons + supplementary lessons, all of which required him to stay-back in school on some afternoons, making a new passport for WY (we had had to squeeze in 3 trips to ICA in-between Saturday's CL lessons for this!), WY's UNSW Science Competition on 29 April, rescheduled piano lessons etc etc.....
In short, there were so many things to provide for and so many logistic arrangements to make, I think we probably put some entertainer superstar's Managers to shame. Really, it was quite amazing, no joke!
Fortunately, on some of those days where I couldn't take leave, CP was able to either reach home before 6pm to help WY in his revision or take the entire afternoon off to tutor WY. These were after Mother had come back from her China trip, so Mother was around to cook lunch for both CP and WY on those afternoons.
In the evening of the last day of exams, we brought WY to have his Typhoid vaccination. Then the following Monday evening, his Flu jab. All in readiness for the Xi'an (China) trip scheduled for 23 May to 30 May.
Monday, April 14, 2008
2008年全国校际武术锦标赛
前个星期五，我和R请了半天假，到大巴窑的体育馆为WY打气！ 这天，WY第一次参加‘全国校际武术锦标赛’，项目是‘集体刀’。
其实，WY能在今年参加比赛，真的很难得。毕竟，他参加学校的武术队，只不过是仅仅的一年罢了，而且，之前我们大伙儿是根本从没接触过武术，对这一个活动是一窍不通，顶多是在荧光目上和漫画、卡通片，见过、看过。
所以，当WY在年头的某一天，放学回家时，跟我们提起说他被提名参加比赛，我是万分的惊喜！
比赛那一天早上，我出席了公司的常年年计讲座(Corporate Planning Seminar)。虽然讲座还挺‘有内容’的，不算太单调乏味，可是，坐在旅店大厅里的我，是心不在焉，心里一直恨不得快点儿到体育场跟WY和他的伙伴们会合！还好，讲座准时完毕，没耽误得太久。
从旅店走出来后，我便到附近的购物中心跟R会合。我们到日本馆子吃了简单的日本料理后，便匆匆忙忙地开车到大巴窑体育馆，支持WY和他的队员们，为他们打气！
一来到体育馆，我们便看到了许多学生们，站在体育馆内外。有的是全副武装待‘战’的武术参赛者，有的是他们的拉拉队，还有一些成人，穿着上班的衣服，显然是跟我们一样，特地抽空来支持孩子们的家长。体育馆和停车场的四周，都热闹非常！坐落在隔壁的体育场，似乎也同时正在进行某个学校的运动会，来来往往的学生，更是成群结队，一边喝Milo，一边有说有笑。
我和R下车后，一起推开了体育馆的一扇门，伸头进去体育馆里瞧一瞧。我们望了望，不一会儿的功夫，就看见了WY他们这一队。这几个小瓜，坐在老师和教练的不远处，样子好像挺无聊的。
我们跟老师和教练打了招呼之后，便跟WY和他的队员们一起坐了下来。那时，离他们上场的时间，还有足足的一个半小时！
过了五分钟左右，老师分给孩子们面包，吩咐他们如果需要上厕所的话，就快去快回。WY吃了面包，喝了水，就跟队员们谈天说笑。
R把WY的书包先拿到车上放着。我则拿着相机四处看看，拍了拍一些照片。 由于我对体育场是比‘陌生’还要陌生，对眼前四处的人、物， 感觉全都好像蛮新鲜的。
过了一阵子，教练摧WY和队员们去换衣服，准备到楼下的登记处报到。WY和其他那五个男孩于是把服装穿上， 系好腰带，再把鞋带绑紧，个别拿了他们的刀。其中一个队员，因为皮肤比较敏感，所以他的妈妈还为他在背上和小腿上，撒了些爽身粉。
WY准备好之后，样子看起来，还挺似模似样的。手持着刀、一脸严肃神情的他，果然有点儿‘全副武装，随时可以出战的武术高手’的风范！
教练带着大伙儿到登记处报到之后，我和R便带着我们个别的相机，到比较靠近正中的观众席，准备拍照。
我们等了等，又等了等，过了好一阵子，WY这一队，终于出场了！
其实，WY能在今年参加比赛，真的很难得。毕竟，他参加学校的武术队，只不过是仅仅的一年罢了，而且，之前我们大伙儿是根本从没接触过武术，对这一个活动是一窍不通，顶多是在荧光目上和漫画、卡通片，见过、看过。
所以，当WY在年头的某一天，放学回家时，跟我们提起说他被提名参加比赛，我是万分的惊喜！
比赛那一天早上，我出席了公司的常年年计讲座(Corporate Planning Seminar)。虽然讲座还挺‘有内容’的，不算太单调乏味，可是，坐在旅店大厅里的我，是心不在焉，心里一直恨不得快点儿到体育场跟WY和他的伙伴们会合！还好，讲座准时完毕，没耽误得太久。
从旅店走出来后，我便到附近的购物中心跟R会合。我们到日本馆子吃了简单的日本料理后，便匆匆忙忙地开车到大巴窑体育馆，支持WY和他的队员们，为他们打气！
一来到体育馆，我们便看到了许多学生们，站在体育馆内外。有的是全副武装待‘战’的武术参赛者，有的是他们的拉拉队，还有一些成人，穿着上班的衣服，显然是跟我们一样，特地抽空来支持孩子们的家长。体育馆和停车场的四周，都热闹非常！坐落在隔壁的体育场，似乎也同时正在进行某个学校的运动会，来来往往的学生，更是成群结队，一边喝Milo，一边有说有笑。
我和R下车后，一起推开了体育馆的一扇门，伸头进去体育馆里瞧一瞧。我们望了望，不一会儿的功夫，就看见了WY他们这一队。这几个小瓜，坐在老师和教练的不远处，样子好像挺无聊的。
我们跟老师和教练打了招呼之后，便跟WY和他的队员们一起坐了下来。那时，离他们上场的时间，还有足足的一个半小时！
过了五分钟左右，老师分给孩子们面包，吩咐他们如果需要上厕所的话，就快去快回。WY吃了面包，喝了水，就跟队员们谈天说笑。R把WY的书包先拿到车上放着。我则拿着相机四处看看，拍了拍一些照片。 由于我对体育场是比‘陌生’还要陌生，对眼前四处的人、物， 感觉全都好像蛮新鲜的。
过了一阵子，教练摧WY和队员们去换衣服，准备到楼下的登记处报到。WY和其他那五个男孩于是把服装穿上， 系好腰带，再把鞋带绑紧，个别拿了他们的刀。其中一个队员，因为皮肤比较敏感，所以他的妈妈还为他在背上和小腿上，撒了些爽身粉。WY准备好之后，样子看起来，还挺似模似样的。手持着刀、一脸严肃神情的他，果然有点儿‘全副武装，随时可以出战的武术高手’的风范！
教练带着大伙儿到登记处报到之后，我和R便带着我们个别的相机，到比较靠近正中的观众席，准备拍照。
我们等了等，又等了等，过了好一阵子，WY这一队，终于出场了！
WY的项目完毕后，队员们都到一旁等待评判的计分。成绩出炉时，他们还得握拳向评判们‘敬礼’，才离开。 每支队伍，都这样做，感觉上，好像大家都很有涵养、很守纪律，对评判团非常恭敬、有礼！
这时，我们也快手快脚地跑回到老师那边跟WY会合。我和R还有其他队员们的家长们，都兴高采烈地给孩子们讲些勉励的话。我对WY说，“你们都打得很好也！武步虽然比较简单，可是都非常齐，真得很不错！” 但是，因为评判只给了6.98分，WY显得很失望。
WY下了‘装’后，把服装、腰带等等收好，准备带回家洗。刀则由老师负责带回学校放好。
我们跟教练、老师和队员们道别后，便回到车上，准备去CH School把WF接回家。 一路上，我和R都继续跟WY说了又说，他和队员们的表现真的很好，不必因为只得了6.98分而感到失望、气馁。毕竟，这是他第一次参赛，经验的累积比得分更为重要！
这番话，听起来似乎只是为了安慰WY才说的。其实，它真的是我和R的肺腑之言。希望WY能再接再厉，把武术学好。下次比赛时，就能明白、体会出这番话的‘真’和道理了。
Monday, April 7, 2008
Still In Transit
I spent a good part of my 'in-between-work' time last week calling and checking on the status of the registered parcel that I had sent in January by 'Surface Mail'. The parcel was meant for tomorrow, but it looks quite sure now that it will arrive late for the Occasion. Sigh.
Contrary to what the post office staff who attended to me had earlier told me, the ETA of the parcel will now be about 27 May!!!!!
Woah, lao! If they had said so (instead of telling me that surface article takes about 3 months to arrive), then I would have opted for the 'Air Mail' which we all always choose!
So, I guess there's not much of a choice now but to wait...... I only hope that the little joy the parcel will bring to J and S when it does arrive, will be all worth it.
Meanwhile, got to make do with this 'Long Neck' poster borrowed from the web:
Contrary to what the post office staff who attended to me had earlier told me, the ETA of the parcel will now be about 27 May!!!!!Woah, lao! If they had said so (instead of telling me that surface article takes about 3 months to arrive), then I would have opted for the 'Air Mail' which we all always choose!
So, I guess there's not much of a choice now but to wait...... I only hope that the little joy the parcel will bring to J and S when it does arrive, will be all worth it.
Meanwhile, got to make do with this 'Long Neck' poster borrowed from the web:
Happy Birthday!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
School Outing
Today, WF will be visiting the HealthZone with his CH School teachers and classmates. The theme for this month has been health, nutrition and safety, so I think this outing has been planned along with the theme of the lessons. This is good.
Although the HealthZone is a commendable public-education effort by HPB, its exhibits are, I think, so-so only. Nevertheless, I hope the children will have a great afternoon there all the same. I believe WF will tell us tonight about the 'giant' food pyramid and dental models which he will see there.
By chance, I saw this in the ST this morning:
Dutch amusement park sends visitors on voyage through human body - OEGSTGEEST (Netherlands)
STRAP on 3-D glasses and watch holograms of cartoon sperm sprinting to fertilise an egg. Climb inside a gigantic nose, enjoy the smell of fresh hay, then feel the wind blast on your neck when it sneezes.
Walk across a bouncy rubber tongue complete with taste buds and realistic burping noises in the background.
This all might sound weird or flat-out gross. But the makers of 'Corpus,' a new attraction in the Netherlands, are hoping that a combination amusement park and health education museum will encourage kids to take better care of their own bodies.
Even before Corpus officially opened March 20 in Oegstgeest, 21 miles southeast of Amsterdam, it was already a local landmark. The building incorporates a 35-metre high seated human figure into its structure. But the roughhewn Corpus exterior isn't much to look at: all the detail is on the inside.
All the walls and halls are modeled with fiberglass to resemble the inside of a giant human body, giving visitors the sensation of being shrunk down to a tiny scale, like the characters of the classic science fiction film 'Fantastic Voyage.'
Visitors begin their tour via an escalator that carries them through a wound in the giant figure's calf. Once inside, they see an exhibition on what happens when a wood splinter pierces the skin.
Then it's on to the sit-down 'Uterus Theatre.' That's the one with the cartoon sperm race.
'We chose not to show sexual activity, but actually just the fertilization of the egg cell by the seed cell and how that develops' into a foetus, said Dr Tom Voute, one of a raft of physicians hired as advisers on the project.
He said the information in Corpus is medically accurate, if not always highly sophisticated.
'I think that it gives information that will give people the itch to learn more,' he said.
When the show is over, the entire theatre platform is lifted to the next floor with hydraulic pumps.
Next is a display on digestion, featuring blocks of cheese, the Dutch national treat. After visitors watch a video showing stomach acid dissolving them, the curds' progress through a hallway-size intestinal system is charted with lights and narration.
While the cheese is heading downward, visitors progress up to exhibits on the heart, lungs, mouth, nose, and ear.
Visitors reach the summit in - where else? - the brain, where they take seats around a cluster of display panels built atop model neurons, which then project images onto a larger screen at the top of the domed space, to give an impression of how consciousness might work.
The project is the dream of businessman Henri Remmers, who arranged US$31 million (S$42.7 million) in private funding and won the endorsement of the Dutch Health Ministry. The cost of entry is US$25.50 for adults, US$21 for children under 14.
Children younger than 8 are not permitted.
On the way back down, there are more displays on health and diet and games - for instance one where players attempt to knock out bacteria on a big screen display by tossing bean bags at them.
Other machines let visitors monitor their hearts while they exercise, or measure blood pressure, heart rate and body mass index.
Mr Remmers said he hoped when people learn more about the 'unique mechanism' that the human body is, 'then you'll have more respect for your own body, and possibly treat it a little more carefully.' -- AP (pictures from ST)
Wow, isn't it?! Sounds very interesting, hor?! Based on the description, though, I can imagine how the HealthZone will be a 小巫见大巫 vis-a-vis this new Dutch park.
.... erm - how much does it cost to fly to the Netherlands?
Although the HealthZone is a commendable public-education effort by HPB, its exhibits are, I think, so-so only. Nevertheless, I hope the children will have a great afternoon there all the same. I believe WF will tell us tonight about the 'giant' food pyramid and dental models which he will see there.
By chance, I saw this in the ST this morning:
Dutch amusement park sends visitors on voyage through human body - OEGSTGEEST (Netherlands)
STRAP on 3-D glasses and watch holograms of cartoon sperm sprinting to fertilise an egg. Climb inside a gigantic nose, enjoy the smell of fresh hay, then feel the wind blast on your neck when it sneezes.
Walk across a bouncy rubber tongue complete with taste buds and realistic burping noises in the background.This all might sound weird or flat-out gross. But the makers of 'Corpus,' a new attraction in the Netherlands, are hoping that a combination amusement park and health education museum will encourage kids to take better care of their own bodies.
Even before Corpus officially opened March 20 in Oegstgeest, 21 miles southeast of Amsterdam, it was already a local landmark. The building incorporates a 35-metre high seated human figure into its structure. But the roughhewn Corpus exterior isn't much to look at: all the detail is on the inside.All the walls and halls are modeled with fiberglass to resemble the inside of a giant human body, giving visitors the sensation of being shrunk down to a tiny scale, like the characters of the classic science fiction film 'Fantastic Voyage.'
Visitors begin their tour via an escalator that carries them through a wound in the giant figure's calf. Once inside, they see an exhibition on what happens when a wood splinter pierces the skin.
Then it's on to the sit-down 'Uterus Theatre.' That's the one with the cartoon sperm race.'We chose not to show sexual activity, but actually just the fertilization of the egg cell by the seed cell and how that develops' into a foetus, said Dr Tom Voute, one of a raft of physicians hired as advisers on the project.
He said the information in Corpus is medically accurate, if not always highly sophisticated.
'I think that it gives information that will give people the itch to learn more,' he said.
When the show is over, the entire theatre platform is lifted to the next floor with hydraulic pumps.
Next is a display on digestion, featuring blocks of cheese, the Dutch national treat. After visitors watch a video showing stomach acid dissolving them, the curds' progress through a hallway-size intestinal system is charted with lights and narration.While the cheese is heading downward, visitors progress up to exhibits on the heart, lungs, mouth, nose, and ear.
Visitors reach the summit in - where else? - the brain, where they take seats around a cluster of display panels built atop model neurons, which then project images onto a larger screen at the top of the domed space, to give an impression of how consciousness might work.
The project is the dream of businessman Henri Remmers, who arranged US$31 million (S$42.7 million) in private funding and won the endorsement of the Dutch Health Ministry. The cost of entry is US$25.50 for adults, US$21 for children under 14.
Children younger than 8 are not permitted.
On the way back down, there are more displays on health and diet and games - for instance one where players attempt to knock out bacteria on a big screen display by tossing bean bags at them.
Other machines let visitors monitor their hearts while they exercise, or measure blood pressure, heart rate and body mass index.
Mr Remmers said he hoped when people learn more about the 'unique mechanism' that the human body is, 'then you'll have more respect for your own body, and possibly treat it a little more carefully.' -- AP (pictures from ST)
Wow, isn't it?! Sounds very interesting, hor?! Based on the description, though, I can imagine how the HealthZone will be a 小巫见大巫 vis-a-vis this new Dutch park.
.... erm - how much does it cost to fly to the Netherlands?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Kind Man On 2 Wettest Days!
photo from STR flew to Bangkok on a working trip early morning last Tuesday.
That day, WY had to go for his Wushu training and so arrangement was made for Mother to take him to school and then bring him home after the training ended. I brought WF to CH School by taxi in the morning before going into my office.
From late morning, it started to rain cats and dogs. The rain continued through our lunch hour and the skies cleared up a little only about 4pm or so. As it later turned out, however, that this was only a brief respite because as we headed towards the MRT station after we had knocked off from work, it started to drizzle again.
I took the MRT train to the station nearest to our place. As I crossed the overhead bridge, the raindrops got bigger and bigger and finally, it started to rain again. I was very fortunate to be able to get into a cab before the rain got heavier.
The driver was an old Malay man. He was a very 'relaxed' driver and put on his brakes about 10 car-lengths from the traffic junction when the traffic lights turned amber. Then he started to talk a little about the rain, how the weather these days change - maybe this is for the better, he said, because..... 'God knows what is best for us'!!!
By the time I reached CH School, the skies had cleared and once again, it was ok to walk without the umbrella. I got WF and all his bags (on Tuesdays, he has 2 an additional bag for his Kindermusik lesson and a rather bulky musical instrument called the Dulcimer) and then we started to walk to the main street to try to hail a taxi.
No available ones came. So after standing by the road for about 10 minutes, we started to move along, turning back every now and then to watch out hopefully for any taxi that might come along.
Just then, a black Honda MPV pulled up beside us. It turned out to be one of WF's classmates called K! At K's father's invite, WF and I hopped on and hitched a ride to the bus-stop next to B125 where they stay. (Initially, K's father had offered to drive WF and I all the way back home, but I declined because that would have easily added another 10 minutes or more to their drive home. Anyway, the sky was already beginning to clear up by then and so I decided against troubling K's father.)
WF and I took a leisurely stroll back home from the bus-stop at B125. On the way, we saw that there are no more of the big, tall cranes which used to be stationed at the KPE worksite nearby. Only a handful of smaller excavators now remain on site.
WF also asked me where his classmate lived. I pointed out to him and he said, "Mama, I would like to go to K's house. Can we go next time?" Of course I said no, we haven't got any invitation! The cheeky little one replied, "Let's get K to invite us!"
Anyway, we got home before the rain came on again that evening. Shower, dinner and the other routine chores followed. R didn't call back as promised, and so WY called him instead.
The next morning, I overslept. As CP had planned to come back to give tuition to WY that morning, I let WY sleep longer. I woke WF up and got both ourselves ready for school and work. Luckily, there was no rain and we successfully flagged down a taxi relatively quickly after we reached the Boys' Club.
Almost as soon as I left CH School, it started to drizzle. I quickly got into a taxi and was soon on my way to work. The rain got heavier by the minute and stayed that way throughout the day. Even when it was time to go home, the rain refused to let up.
My colleague had wanted to go visit a friend at the hospital and so wanted to hail a taxi. Given the new rule (requiring taxis in the CBD to stop only at designated taxi stands only), she had to take a 150m walk to a new taxi stand which is located on the way to the MRT station. Despite my offer to lend her my office-umbrella, this colleague of mine decided to make do with her 'New Paper' instead of a proper umbrella. Stubborn woman, she is!
As I was headed towards the MRT station, I offered to shelter her to the taxi stand. As we trodded along, taking care to avoid as best as we could, the puddles of water that had formed by the roadside, the rain got heavier and heavier. It soon became very clear that her 'New Paper' would never do and so I had 'no choice' but to stay with her at the taxi stand until her taxi arrived. The rain started to splash onto us both as we stood by the roadside taxi stand, huddled closely under my single umbrella.
Very few taxis came by, and most of those which did, were 'on call'. After about 10 minutes, one finally pulled up at this roadside taxi stand and my colleague then went off. She was very grateful for my help, of course, and kept thanking and waving to me even after the door was closed. (She told me the following morning that the taxi driver later actually gave her a 'discount' of about $3 for her 'effort' waiting for his cab at the taxi-stand! Hahaha.)
I took to the MRT station as quickly as I could. When I reached the platform, an unsually thick crowd had already formed. I wondered why, but this became a no-brainer when I looked up and saw from the electronic-display board ahead that the next train was expected to arrive only 6 minutes later! I overheard 2 other women exclaiming to each other that the message had earlier been that it would take the next train another 7 minutes to arrive!!
Just then, I got a call on my handphone. It was WF's form teacher, who asked (rather weirdly) if I would like K's father (the one who gave us a lift home the day earlier) to pick WF up! She was barely audible because the station platform was so jam-packed with people who were getting increasingly impatient by the seconds.
"Oh, but the train is somehow delayed today, so I won't be there until about half an hour later," I had to 'shout' into my hp because I could hardly hear myself in the din. Then, I continued, "Erm, maybe if K's father is already at CH School, then perhaps he should just go ahead. It's not so nice for us to hold him back."
The teacher explained, "K is not in school today. He has gone to stay with his grandmother in Malaysia. K's father is asking whether you would like him to go and pick WF up. He says he is just nearby."
"Ha?! K is not in school but his father is offering to go into CH School specifically to pick WF up?" I thought the din at the platform must have been really bad, so bad that I must have heard wrongly.
But I told the teacher to thank K's father for his kind offer, but it wouldn't be nice for us to hold him up. So, with that, the teacher hung up the phone.
Seconds later, she called again. "Hello, WF's Mummy. K's father is suggesting that he will come to pick WF up and bring him to his house while he waits for you. When you reach the place, you can give him a call and then just pick WF up from his place. He will bring WF downstairs at his block when you arrive. Is that ok?"
"Oh, " I was a little dumbstruck, didn't know what to say, except, "Erm, ok, that will be great. Please let WF go with K's father then. I will meet them at K's block. Please thank K's father for me," I said hesitantly. After that, WF's teacher gave me K's father's hp number.
It was another 5 minutes or so before the train finally pulled in. It was so packed that I thought there wouldn't be any breathing space even if I managed to squeeze my way in. But then, I didn't have much of a choice - the crowd moved me in anyway. In fact, I think it would have been dangerous to try to remain on the platform - the impatient crowds had already started to surge forward just as the train doors were about to open!
Anyway, I tried my best to keep my balance (no poles to hold onto) amidst the sweaty people all sardined together. It was a wonder that I didn't faint from the stale stench of semi-dry clothes worn by some drenched people standing around me, and the stingingly-nauseating 'chao-sng' smell of unwashed hair of a woman standing right next to me! Yucks!
By the time I alighted from the Kallang station to catch a bus to K's block, it was already 6:25pm or so. There was no sign of the rain subsiding - in fact, if at all, it looked like the rain was going to get heavier and heavier. Sigh.
Luckily, the bus which I took was one of the newer ones which has plenty of standing space (the area meant for passengers on wheelchairs or with baby strollers etc). So this time, I could breathe better.
The walk to K's block took only about 5 minutes. When I reached the convenience shop at the void deck, I called K's father on his hp to ask which floor he is located. "1-5," he said.
WF was so happy to see me when I got up to the 15th floor. And he happily told me that like him, his friend K had Bob The Builder lego toys! After he put on his shoes, he proceeded to try out the swing at the lift lobby on this floor.
I thanked K's father profusely for his kind gesture, of course. He was very jovial and said that given the weather, he thought it would be quite unrealistic to try to get a cab today (which was what I had planned to do). I think he was right, lah. And it was really fortunate that we had him bring WF out from CH School in his car.
I am really grateful to K's father for being so considerate and kind - I mean, he didn't have to go in to the area that day because his son was away in Malaysia, but he actually 'bothered' to make that special trip because he knew from our brief conversation the day before, that R would be away till Thursday! Yes, it may well have been little trouble, but how many people would have 'bothered', right?!
Anyway, WF and I left the place after a while. We still had to use the umbrella to shelter ourselves as we made our way back home. On the way, WF told me, "Mama, you said yesterday that K had not invited us to his house. But today, K's father brought me to his house!" "yah, that's very kind of K's father," I replied.
So WF gleefully said, "So I get to see K's house. K's father showed me K's room, which was IN A MESS!!!" Hahhahaa.... this cheeky little fellow....
Incidentally, K's grandmother stays at B123. According to K's father, they have been long-time residents in this area. And from what he knows, many of the residents in B123 did not support the MUP plan for the multi-storey carpark because it was totally unnecessary. The carpark space was more than ample for our use. Also, there was a lot of concern that the increased cost of a multi-storey carpark would be an unnecessary additional burden to most users etc etc.
So, now we also hear about why that 'big, grand carpark with a big, beautiful roof-top garden' was not really completely welcomed by 'everyone' (yah, that's what they had said to us then!), lah. Heng ah.....
On Thursday morning, I received another call from K's father. He asked if I would like him to bring WF back to his house to wait for me as on Wednesday. I told him that R would be back by afternoon and so would be able to get WF in the evening. So we wouldn't need to trouble him that day.
What can I say of this man?.... Rare to come by, especially these days, hor?
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