Saturday, December 31, 2005

A year ago today

A year ago today, I was at home.

A year ago this very afternoon, I was sitting with 慧 at my room window. 慧 was going through a phase where she enjoyed looking out of my room window. That afternoon, she was pointing out to me the "bird bird"s, the "red stop green go"s (traffic lights), the "blink blink"s (blinking lights on top of smokestacks to warn off low-flying planes), the rain (yes, I even remember it was raining last New Year's eve)... I suppose she has long outgrown this phase.

And when she tired of the scenary outside, we switched to playing
Tetris. She enjoyed looking at the falling shapes and egging the program to confer upon me that "straight" piece (I shall not use its other name here). I think she particularly likes the mini-kick you get from killing four lines at one go too.

Recently, she has taken to asking me this directly on the phone,

“Gu gu, 你幾時囘
。。。?”

A year ago this very evening, I was in town with a pal. I usually spent my New Year's eve at home. But not last year. I just felt like being out and about last New Year's eve after 慧 was brought home, no disrespect to my parents. So I called up an old friend, 麗, was surprised she had nothing planned for that evening, and off we went. We caught that excellent Japanese movie,
Nobody Knows. I was to be surprised for the second time that day because tickets for it were actually still available.

Then we took a stroll around town and chatted along the way. I told her a lot. Maybe
too much. I only realised my possible mistake when I noticed her demeanor change. I saw her home shortly after midnight and by then, even her goodbye was pretty curt.


I went to bed that night feeling stupid and a little guilty.

Le Tissier was to later chide me over my actions.

"What else do you expect when you ask a single woman of that age range out on a one-on-one date?"

He always had that "hot knife through butter" way of putting things, whether you like it or not. In this case, I suppose there is a little truth in his comment.

Over the next few months, I made it a point to keep in touch with 麗, like I do for all my pals. I think she realised I was sincere about keeping our friendship and she reciprocated after a while. I am glad to say that the friendship is still going strong at the end of 2005.

A year ago today, I was looking upon 2005 with apprehension. Even before it was here, I was already hoping it will be over soon and that 2006 will arrive ASAP. 2005 for me was a "let's get it over with" year, a make-or-break year, an away from home year.
And that was how it turned out to be.

But I think I did just enough to "make" it. Barely so. *Phew*

So, g
oodbye now, 2005.

Actually, more like good riddance.

90 days to go.

P.S. A happy new year to all, especially to my one regular reader. *Grin*

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