After nearly 2 months of toiling at work, I took a day off today. Dad and mum brought me to Penang to pay respect to my late grandma, whose funeral I was unable to attend a year ago.
There's something about Penang food. The unique flavour brings up a whirl of memories in my mind. It's like we're reminded about past events while listening to songs. When I ate that plate of kuey teow th'ng this morning, it stirred up things that happened two decades ago. When grandpa was still with us. He loved the crowd and noise and food every festive season. His laughter still ringing in my ears.
Back at the house, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Pots of blooming flowers lined the road in front of me. Grandma was checking on the eggs the hens had laid. Uncle Peng was harvesting bamboo shoots for the night's dinner. On rooftop was Uncle Keat, carrying zinc sheets up the roof to repair the awning. Mum and Dad were busy carrying our luggages out of the car.
Then something caught my eye. A grasshopper sprung itself up into the air, then landed on a scrawny strand of grass. Swinging my hand up into the air in an attempt to catch it, I was interrupted by my mum.
"David, wanna go eat some char kuey teow?"
I turned around. Everything looked different. Broken porcelain laid the ground where I stood on. I could only see stumps of the bamboo trees chopped off years ago. The house was locked up and paint was peeling off its walls. What used to be the garage was torn down and served as parking lots for the neighbors, most of whom I don't recognize anymore. Grandpa, grandma and both my uncles have already reunited in their eternal place of rest.
Tailing behind my dad and mum, both with gray hair and walking with a hunch, I shook my head in disbelief thinking of what that could happen in a matter of just a few years.
Life has changed so much. Things that used to be so familiar to me now feels so strange. I meet new people everyday but I don't recognize the people whom I used to know anymore. I've forgotten about things that had happened and the impact it had on me.
I will one day forget someone I met today. Similarly, I might forget the lesson which I've learnt today in the future. And this is what blogging is about to me. To reflect on things and to keep some valuable feelings and poignant occasions for reference in the future.
Dad used to drive hours to get us back to kelantan or penang. Now I'm in control of the steering wheel. It's time I grew up already.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
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