novel
Another story about my mom and me
Down on memory lane, I recalled having high fever at the age of nine. Mom tried keeping the temperature down by using a straw fan. That was close to midnight, the lights was off but her hand was still moving. The cool breeze did not stop my heart from moving too. I told mom, “It’s alright, I’m fine, don’t have to worry about me..”
I saw tears welling in her eyes, even though the room was dark, but I could feel her sobbing in the darkness.
Till today, I can recalled the moment we touched each others heart so much. So much so that the offer of her un-returnable warm light keeps beaming. Just like the rising sun, giving us warm without asking for any returns. Treat your mother well; treat mother’s nature well.
Happy Mother’s day!
A road where a $10 memories are left behind – A gift for all mothers
This is an ordinary road behind my old house next to Canossian Eduplex.
I grow up here since I was an infant. When I was young, my family was not so well-off as my dad was the only sole breadwinner of the family. He worked as a carpenter to sustain a family of eight, this is tough with no further explanations.
For this reason, my mom had to do part time jobs to make ends meet. She did this by fetching and sending neighbour’s kids to schools. Getting a side income of $20 per month is better than nothing.
One day, she gave me $10 out of her precious $20. I was told that was my pocket money. Without much words, I saw an angel full of wriggles stand right in front of me!
It has been more than 30 years. Since then, this ordinary road has never been an ordinary road to me. Till to-date, my angel mom still leave me with so many memories that is priceless.
Today, I step on this gentle ground, seeing things remain unchanged. The rows of landed property; the roadside concrete drain that are over flow with wild plants; an authentic sport ground and most importantly and yearns for my beloved mom. For some, hearts and feelings may have changed. To me, my affection for that moment will forever remained.
Mother’s Day is around the corner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all mothers. You are the greatest person in the world! Thank you for being the angel shading over your loveable kids with infinite love.
5) Stairway to Office!
A company enforces a rule for employees reporting late for work. For that reason, they have to climb flight of steps to their office on the 19th floor. This takes them for about 15mins to reach ‘heaven’.
This is happening in a country in Asia. Employee, Jessica told the press that her office enforces a new rule for latecomers. Instead of fining them for reporting late at work, they would have to climb stairs!
After a month after the rule takes place, no employee report work late!
“For those who report late, please report to the counter!” This is a daily pop-out message on their PC screen. If you happened to be the one, please help yourself to the counter at 1st floor and greet morning to the flight of stairs within 15mins! Someone will be on the 19th floor counter to erase your bad record!
On Oct 22, Jessica happened to be the late one. She lamented that there was no chance to cheat, there will always be someone guarding over the stairway at every alternate floor. Instead of paying a fine of about S$20/=, after a few practices, they managed to finish the test in a joyful way. After all, no fine are fine to them.
One month after the rule has been set, there is tremendous improvement.
The numbers of latecomers has decreased from 3 to 1. And till now, not a single staff turned up late at all!
3) Stairway to Heaven
A true story of 1950s happened in Chongqing, China. A 20-year old villager Liu Guojiang fell in love for a widow, Xu ZhaoQing who is 10years older than him. In order to avoid gossips from other villagers, they eloped to Jiangjin, a town 1500metres above sea level, deep in the woods, build a home of their own.
Liu Guojiang spent 50 years alone, chipping over 20 over chisels to carve 6000 over steps of stairway for his wife. This extra ordinary kind gesture of love is to facilitate his wife daily ascending and descending from their mountain habitat.
They live off their life in the forest by picking wild walnuts, dates and have a few vegetable farms. The couple raise 7 children with whatever they have and spent half a century living in the mountains.
In 2006, media make a shooting of the 6000 steps and couldn’t find a single moss on the stairway. They discovered that Liu Guojiang clean up the moss daily so that his wife will not slip and fall along the steps.
Unfortunately, in 2007, the 72-year old Liu Guojiang died of cerebrovascular disease. The sudden death left his wife, Xu Zhaoqing devastated and despondent. Due to her failing health, one of her son relocated her from the mountains. She remained forlorn and passed on few days ago at the age of 87.
Xu Zhaoqing left a note before her death that she wanted to be buried next to her beloved husband, as she wish to continue walking hand in hand with her husband on their Love Ladder in another world.
Well, I guess the loving couple wouldn’t mind though the Stairways in Heaven are now clogged with moss.
11) The Lost (1)
No one ever knew what had actually happened to Ken other than himself.
It was till 7.00pm that Ken’s parents began to worry about his return from school. His dad call up the school and was told he left after his extracurricular activities around 3.00pm.
Where could Ken been? Usual days, he’ll be sitting in front of the TV set watching his favorite series by 7.00pm. Ken is a well-behave and smart boy at his age. Though he is still naïve, but his self-discipline and good conduct has never worry his parents.
As the sky gets darker, Ken’s parents loses their patient and decided to drive out to look for Ken.
But they are not sure where to start off. Ken’s dad drove towards the direction of his school hoping to see him there, but the school gate was locked and the vicinity was in total darkness. Then, a strong instinct led them to a park nearby Ken’s school. This is a park where Ken had fond memories of his childhood. He loves to drop by feeling the flora and fauna and look up for his playmates at times.
By this point of time, Ken’s parents were very anxious as there isn’t a clue down the path. The dim lighted, quiet park added a sense of mystery to their lost son. After a few laps walking around the cul-de-sac of the park, they were drained and was about to call the police for help. Suddenly, they saw movement in the bushes not far from the pavillion. Curiously, step-by-step in trepidation they move towards the bushes 3 metre away.
At this point of time, the weeping sound heartened Ken’s dad to poke the bushes with a vigorous rush. To their shock, they saw Ken’s trembling with both fear and shock.
“Why are you hiding here?” Ken’s dad spoke with a reproachful tone.
“I can’t find my way home” Ken spoke with a look of grievances.
“I don’t get you…?” Ken’s dad was puzzled.
“I don’t know!” Since noon after I came here, I have been trying to walk out of this park, but I just can’t find the exit.
“You can easily follow anyone here to get to the exit” Ken’s dad felt that he is silly.
“Yes I did!” Ken felt that he was wronged.
“I followed those people, but those people…”
“And what now?” Parents were tensed at this moment.
“They all walked into the bushes..”
“Oh, come on…Ken” Both parents rebuke.
“Yeah…While I followed everyone walked into the bushes, I just can’t find a way out from it tile the sunset. I was too afraid and I have hide here till rescue come to me” Ken’s dad felt something is obviously not right and they hurried off home.
In the car, dad recalled an incident…
He wanted to know the reason of Ken’s visit to the park
Ken felt hesitant to answer his dad.
His pursue with the question as he knew what had happened today is rather unusual.
Ken pick up his courage and explained that he dreamt of cousin Wei last night.
“But Wei was killed in an accident last month” Both parents repeated.
“I knew he is dead, but the dream last night was spot-on, Wei dated me to meet up at the park, he wanted to show me something, I can’t reject him as we are both so close to each other” Ken argued.
“Moreover…”
“Besides what…?” Mom asked.
“He said he won’t have a chance to see me after this meet up” Ken looked on reluctantly.
Ken’s parents stared at each other with disbelieve. Ken’s dad subconsciously tapped on the car accelerator and they sped off. Promise never to return to the park anymore.
Friend (20) – FOC Tea / 朋友 -清茶
Brew a pot of tea with three Friends – Fragrance, Optimistic and Clarity. Looking at each other speechless beats a thousand words.
My friend is FRAGRANCE, she came up with a surge of faint fragrance and gently caressed my nose, clearing my nose, and finally hook up with my mouth leaving my lips upturn and marks at the curve.
Your OPTIMISTIC persona makes me more certain that happiness is inevitable being your friend. Your gentle body has the ability to bring one to another realm. There is no doubt I am affected by your pure and optimistic nature.
Staring at each other, distinguish the precision between us. Both our CLARITY reflections mirrored on our pupils. The longer we stare, the more apparent the lucidity. Till the tea sediment descended thus laid the meaning of Friends.
On the path to tea appreciation, I met my three Friends, they are on the FOC and yet they lead me to the course to good health, what can be more superior?
沏一壶茶，跟三位朋友；清香, 清乐, 清澈无言对望，胜过千言万语。
朋友清香,弄出一股幽幽茶香轻柔地抚摸我的鼻子,然后再清洗我的鼻腔,最后在我的嘴角边一勾,让他微微上扬,最终在我的嘴角上留下痕迹。
你乐观的样子，让我更肯定和你做朋友的人必然开心。你那轻轻的身体还能把人带去另一种境界，肯定是被你那清纯乐观的性格所影响。
我们互相对望，同时看到对方清澈的一面，对方的眼瞳里都出现对方的倒影。看得越久，看得更透，直到茶叶沉淀也奠定了朋友的意义。
一条品茶的路上竟然遇上三位朋友，不止免费,还赠送养生之道,何乐不为呢？
6) Life – The Last Kampong
Recently visited Singapore’s last Kampong – The Surau Kampong. The Kampong is located in Buangkok, nearby the old Woodbridge Hospital which is now known as Institute of Mental Health.
“Kampong” in Malay literally means village. In olden days, Kampong is the main building form before the reinforcement of concrete technology is established.
The common scene in Kampongs during rainy seasons is fun and memorable. Villagers chasing after ducks and chickens, hastening to bring in clothes from their clothes lines to keep away from flood and rain, whilst barefooted kids and dogs hastily fleeing to find their own shelters. Sadly, this amusing scene is a memory of the past in Singapore with the exception for this little last Kampong.
Kampong houses are usually constructed with zinc roofs and timber walls with windows and doors. Floors are usually laid with cement screed and it feels chilling whenever you step on the floor day or night. Leaving each other’s door open is a common sight in a Kampong. That was the trust and camaraderie the villagers had for each other.
Wind charms, tree houses, birds, chicken, ducks, dogs, cats, fruit trees, flowers, make-shift fencing, stand alone post box, shabby toilets, raw and unpolished nature 
landscapes are the elements of Kampongs.
Smells of chicken poo floating in the air; gecko’s calling; mosquitoes whizzing in your ears; lizards clicking on the wall; cricket’s chirping with their dance; dogs bucking in the night; frogs singing with their 
orchestra are just part of the calling soul of a Kampong.
The Surau Kampong currently houses 28 families – 10 Malays and 18 Chinese. In time to come, it may not be able to protect its own boundary. As life is impermanent, more than ever in this fast changing Lion City. Before Singapore gobbles up its last village, let’s step in more often to this carefree and slower pace of life as compared to the urban contemporaries.
Friend (18) – Nature
AddGrainOnEarth 