30 Jun 2008 was my last day in The Little Red Dot. I was so much under controlled (not crying buckets) I got shocked myself.
My department organised a luncheon at Tower Club and i was asked to give a speech, the one i wont forget for a long time, as i said "this is not the end but a beginning to many good things to come in the future". All my bosses gave me some wonderful words of encouragement and as i looked at each one of my colleagues in that lavish private room, overlooking Esplanade, under the bluest sky in The Little Red Dot, I captured the vibes of those special moments - closeness, kinship, sincerity, joy and sadness - in my heart. I am thankful to Allah for giving me this golden opportunity to know and to work with them.
As I auto-piloted myself to be super-cheerful that fateful day, I cannot help but feel a deep sorrow - SY was not in today. The last time i saw him on my way out of the lift on friday 27 Jun 2008, he was smiling handsomely and waving at me. I confided in L that he looked like a japanese prosperity cat 'maneki neko' waving at me. That was another special moment that i treasure. Somehow, i know i wont be seeing him on monday. A week before, i spent many nights crying for him, praying that he will always be protected. Till today, i miss seeing him walking by my place, i miss seeing him in deep thoughts and i miss seeing his eyes watching me.
I gave my last hug to J as the train approaching Tao Payoh. That was the first time i shed tears that day. I miss so many moments we share, i miss listening to her telling her stories about things she said she wont tell share with others, i miss our weekly herbal soup lunch, i miss someone who is caring enough to check on me and bring over biscuits and things to my place during the office hours as she knows my tummy will grumble vocally by 10.30 a.m. I miss her presence.
The rain fell so heavily as i walked to the bus stop and that night, J text me that the rain is pouring just like her heart. Indeed, i feel the same way too.
That night, my landlord R happened to walk by my room and he said that the room looks so empty as i have packed almost everything. A week before, i was told by him that one of housemates' friend was interested of my room and she will be moving in by mid Jul 2008. Alhamdullilah, as R doesnt have to advertise to find a tenant after me and being a friend to an existing tenant, I am sure he is comfortable with her. I can see sadness in his eyes. He was persistently asking me to push my HR to extend my stay for another year and he will reduce my rent by SGD50. He also keep telling me that they will be hungry once im not around (hmm...i dont really cook that often). R is the greatest landlord Ive ever known. He allows us to use every single things in his beautiful house, he gives selflessly, he shares abundantly. I will definitely miss him bringing me food to my room whenever i said i havent taken my dinner. He is such a great big brother that i grow fond of in a matter of a year.
I dont know how i manage with one30-kg luggage and numbers of hand luggages. I guess that 1 Jul 2008 is my lucky day. I left the house at 7am without waking up my landlord. I dont want to cry and I dont want him to cry too as i saw him with puffy eyes on several mornings a week before i left. A chinese guy helped me carrying my heavy luggage to the taxi. I dont know how would i survive without him. The cab driver was friendly and helpful and he put on old those oldies songs i loved so much and those songs befit the mood i was in that morning. I might not be able to say the words out loud to those people i care about in The Little Red Dot but I hope they will sink in their hearts eventually.
My checked-in luggage was 15 kg overweight. Oh my! I was asked to remove around 2.5 kg as the loader wont be able to carry if it is more than 32 kg - Changi's rule. Ok, fine. Soon after, i have even more hand luggages to hold on to. As i was about to pay my excesses, Junaidah, the kind frontliner, told me that she will charge me for only 5 kg (fair enough as i am sure there are not many carrying heavy luggages like me for SG-KL short trip). Yippe! I thanked her profusely.
I had my nasi lemak (minus the sambal and all) plus kopi O at Wang's Cafe for SGD3.20. I bet i wont get that price at KLIA before cruising through the shops. I bought myself a set of dangling earrings, necklace and pendant with SG orchid in them.So sweet.
I told Y-san that i will find my butterfly before leaving The Little Red Dot as a symbol of good luck. But i was sick through the weekend that i couldnt visit Botanic Garden for one last walk and its wonderful that i found my butterfly at Changi Airport.
My seat was 20A. With all those hand luggages, i am a disaster to anyone who has seated at 20B and 20C. An indian guy was kind enough to help me with my stuffs and i slumped my tired body and picked the inflight magazine. A chinese guy came and sit next to me. Suddenly, i heard someone calling my name. Gosh. what now! The frontline personnel asked for my ticket snub. She gave a new one with seat no. 1D. She asked me to move to my new seat. I asked her why. The chinese guy smiling asked me whether i complained that now i was upgraded to the business class. I said (hell) no. Then he asked me to enjoy myself there. As much as i was delighted, I dreaded to trouble those gentlemen with my hand luggages. I arrived at 1D with quite a big suitcase strapped to the seat. The gentleman was asked to remove it so i could sit there. Huiyooo... how often do you get a rich gentleman to give up something for an ordinary lady like me? Thats priceless.
As the plane was about to take off, it was drizzling and my tears rushing down my cheeks. I saw faces of people i long to be with in The Little Red Dot. I missed them already ever so much. After the take-off, the stewardess came over to me and asked if im ok. Perhaps, she thought i was scared of the take-off. As i told Mr Chuck before, i love pilots (because they are always seem under controlled) and Captain for that flight was superb. His take-off and landing was so smooth.
Sayonara...may we meet again...that morning, i know i was blessed with many kind prayers and that is why i am so lucky!
