Happy Birthday
[Date: 27 September 1991, Friday.]
I WAS very happy that morning, because Mei Ying passed me a birthday card
first thing in the morning, together with another little card hand-drawn
by her brother and sister. "They drew this picture together", Mei Ying
told me, "Oh, you look much prettier than that," she added, with a big
smile. I opened the hand-made card to reveal a portrait of myself,
looking straight ahead and smiling heartily away with a dimple each at
the corners of my mouth (but I don't have dimples!). Two lines of large
colourful Chinese characters were scribbled across the card below the
picture: "Zhu4 Xin1 Yi2 Jie3 Jie3 Sheng1 Ri4 Kuai4 Le4, Shen1 Ti3 Jian4
Kang1, Yong3 Yuan3 Mei3 Li4!" (Happy Birthday to Xin Yi sister, may you
be healthy and beautiful forever!)
When I logged onto the VAX machine, I was shocked to receive a good
number of greeting e-mails, most of which were humourously written and
hilariously entertaining. I got a real good laugh out of reading them.
But despite all these kind gestures which have livened up the day,
something was amiss. I soon found out the reason: Bowen's e-mail was
nowhere to be seen in my mailbox. Somehow I found myself yearning
eagerly for a note from him. I knew he would send it; it was just a
matter of time. And it was still early in the morning, so he had plenty
of opportunity to pass it to me later that day. But still, not receiving
his greeting first thing in the morning just made me feel kind of void.
I didn't know why.
I attended the morning tutorial as usual, and I met Bowen and Kim there,
finally. Both extended their warm well wishes to me immediately.
Naturally, I was destined to be the butt of the teasing and jokes from
the gang on this day, especially my attire which drew quite a lot of
hoo-haas. Actually there was nothing so funny about it; I was merely a
little more well-dressed than usual. Dalvin wasn't around, but I had
expected that, because he had informed me earlier. We had plan later
that afternoon.
With the close of the last tutorial of the day, Bowen approached me and
stuffed an envelope into my hand.
"Happy birthday again, Franc. Well, I'm sure you are going to have a
wonderful celebration. Enjoy yourself!"
"Thanks again, Bowen."
"Don't look at the card until you reach home, okay? Promise me?" Bowen
tilted his head a little sideway and begged me with his eyes.
"Wah, so mysterious. What did you write?" I was dying to know but Bowen
simply shook his head, smiled and refused to disclose a thing, "Okay lor,
I promise!" I gave him my assurance.
DALVIN told me he would be driving his father's car instead of his own
Honda that day. The BMW, in its eye-catching glossy lilac finish, was
hard to miss, even from a distance. Somehow, I had yet got used to the
idea of being seen with Dalvin by too many friends in the public, so I
had asked Dalvin to wait for me at the SRC car park. Dalvin felt that I
was a little too shy and conservative, but he complied nonetheless.
There he stood, leaning his back against the front door of his car,
daintily clad in a cobalt blue velvet blazer over a taupe sandwashed
silk-band collar shirt, and a pair of matching black velvet pants. His
face beamed upon seeing me with such a radiant smile I thought it could
easily melt the frigidest of hearts.
"Lo and behold! You are handsome!" he gasped in awe.
"You are beautiful!" I exclaimed in no less enthrallment, returning the
compliment.
We both rolled into laughter.
"Sweet nineteen!" Dalvin took out a rose he was hiding behind his back
and handed it to me.
"Oh! Thanks!" I took it in my hand. "You are dressed to kill! Out to
overshine me huh? How dare you!" I kidded.
"Oh, how could I ever overshine this handsome lady here? I'm just
sticking to our theme today."
"What's it?"
"Rhapsody in Blue." He winked. "Ready to go?"
I nodded. Together we got into the car and off we went.
I HAD never been to a high-tea before.
We were led to a table near the man-made waterfall. As I sat down, the
waiter handed me a rose and greeted me happy birthday.
"Sweet nineteen." Dalvin, who was pulling the chair behind me, leaned
over to add.
The waiter walked away and appeared a second time, this time bringing
along a mini blueberry mousse cake.
Never had I been showered with such lavish attention before.
"You said you need to go back to celebrate your birthday with your
parents, so we don't have much time left. And since you are having your
meal at home, I guess pastries and desserts should serve the purpose. Is
it fine with you?"
"Of course, sure, it's fine! I think these things can be pretty filling
too. Thanks, Dalvin!"
WE had our fill after a few servings. While I was taking a sip of the
tea, Dalvin took out the box he had been carrying since he left the car
and put it down onto the table.
"For you." He pushed it gently towards me.
"What's it?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Guess?"
I took it up and placed it on my palm, trying to deduce the identity of
the hidden object from its size and weight.
"No idea." I gave up.
"Open it," he smiled slyly, "but don't scream, else everybody will look
at you."
"Wait, a booby trap?" I asked, "Don't scare me leh."
"Don't tell you. Open it yourself." He smirked.
I unwrapped the box slowly, peeking at Dalvin every now and then, trying
to gather some hints from his expression. But he just gave me that
deadpan I-won't-tell-you-anything look. Cautiously, I opened the box,
alerting myself against any jack-in-the-box trick.
"Take it out," Dalvin urged.
Wow! Beautiful! It was a musical box. Not the kind you can find in
the common souvenir shops. The dancing couple were skillfully crafted
out of glittering crystals in painstaking details. Below is a mini
pull-out compartment on which my name was inscribed.
"Turn the spring on," Dalvin urged again.
I did as instructed. I listened intensely as a familiar piece of music
flowed out from the box, filled the air and flew right into my heart.
"It's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'! How do you know I like this song?" I
was pleasantly surprised.
"You always hum it, don't you know? I tried to look for one with the
right combination, but either I got the right design with the wrong
music, or the right music but the wrong design. So in the end I had to
enlist my uncle's help to swap the music, just specially for you. Sweet
nineteen." He took out another stalk of rose, this time from the pocket
of his blazer and handed it to me.
I was touched.
"Come, Franc. I bring you to somewhere."
"Where?"
"Just follow me." He winked.
We left the hotel and got into the car again. The radio was airing 'A
Groovy Kind of Love' on the way.
WE arrived at a condominium. Dalvin led me into the spacious living room
on the ground floor. The decor was stylishly done in a luscious
combination of scandinavian flavour with an oriental twist. The marble
floor was sparkling reflective, and the crystal lamp glitters in the
lustre of the natural light shining through the tall windows. What caught
my eyes was the grand piano.
"Sweet nineteen, Franc." This time he handed me a bouquet of roses.
"Wow! So many of them," I counted the stalks, "one... two... three...
sixteen?"
"Yes," Dalvin smiled, "plus the other three, it's nineteen, just nice."
"Thanks, Dalvin!"
Dalvin held me by the hand and led me to the grand piano. He sat down
while I stood by the side, and he turned and gave me a smile before he
ran his fingers over the keys.
A 'Moonlight Sonata' set off the tranquillo mood with its soft crooning
melody that soothed the heart, preparing it for the sentience that has
forgathered in the air. Almost like magic, the fluttering curtains
transformed themselves into swaying trees with leaves rustling in the
cool refreshing breeze, grass sprouted from the marble floor below,
while at the top, the hanging lamp warped into the shape of a luminous
heavenly body partially concealed behind a lump of nebulous cloud. The
room has metamorphosed into a tropical garden.
But a garden is barren without life. 'Tennessee Waltz' took on to supply
this life, and more — romance. The dancing couple on the musical box
came alive, dancing to the tune. I stole a glance at Dalvin. His
dreamy eyes were fixed on mine, while his fingers were gracefully making
dulcet and heavenly music. For the first time, I noticed how dashing he
looks.
With his nimble fingers fleeting over the keyboard, making and shaping
the passion that were eluding freely from it, he moved on to the mellow
'Feeling', touching the heart of the sole audience with a gentle reminder
of the power to feel, and the fervour to love.
By the time the notes of 'More' filled the air, I was totally immersed in
the fantasy and was humming away. Without stopping the music, Dalvin
stretched his hand out and grasped mine, pulling me gently over to sit by
his side. The tempo quickened as he progressed to the lively second part
of the piece, and so was my heartbeat.
Dalvin played 'More' over and over again. I leaned my head against his
shoulder, closing my eyes, indulging in the sensation of the silken touch
as he rumpled my tresses tenderly with his fingers, once in a while
giving me a light teasing chuck. I could smell the manly scent emitting
from his body. Everything was so beautiful, just like a dream. But this
was real.
All of a sudden, the music stopped, rather abruptly. How I wished it
hadn't stopped, for I wanted this moment to go on forever and ever.
When the music came off again, I realised it was just a ploy of Dalvin.
He wanted to catch my attention, because I recognised the piece the very
next moment. Yes. Bridge Over Troubled Water.
G C G C
When you're weary, feeling small
F C G C
When tears are in your eyes
G C G C G
I'll dry them all
D Em D D7 G
I'm on your side, oh when times get rough
G7 G9 C A D
And friends just can't be found
G7 G9 C G E9 E7
Like a bridge over troubled water
C B7 Em
I will lay me down
G C G E7
Like a bridge over troubled water
C D7 G
I will lay me down ...
Dalvin wrapped his arm around my waist, hugging me tightly and
affectionately, and I grew feeble as I snuggled in his cuddle. We hummed
the tune together. The music stopped, once again. We continue humming
without the music, until our lips met...
When you're down and out
When you're on the streets
When evening falls so hard I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down ...
WHEN I reached home, it was almost 9 pm. I was late, considering the
fact that I told mom I would be back by 7 pm. But mom and dad didn't
complain, as it was my birthday. Dad had specially taken a day off to
celebrate the birthday with me.
"Xin Yi, Kim came here just now, and waited for almost 2 hours, and left.
You har, made her wait." My mom called from the kitchen. She was
preparing the soup. We like sizzling hot soup, and my mom, like many
Cantonese housewives, makes good sizzling hot soup.
"Alamak! I forgot!" I saw a wrapped gift on the table. I knew it must
be from Kim. I opened it to find a teddy bear, and a little pendant
around its neck. There was a note on the wrapper:
My dearest and sweetest Franc,
You, naughty already. So late then come back.
I'll sure give you a good scolding tomorrow.
Hope you like the present. I'm sure you've had a
fabulous time just now, right? *grin*
Happy 19th birthday! *smooch!*
With lots of luv,
Kim
I spent the rest of the night with dad and mom, narrating to them all the
fun I went through that day, except of course, the part about my first
kiss. Mom knitted me a sweater, because she had earlier gathered from me
that the terminal rooms in campus could be rather cold, and dad bought me
a new calculator. Dad is a night-shift taxi driver, so I didn't have
much chance to see him around at night. They love me very much. I love
them very much too.
As I climbed onto my bed, I put the sweater, the calculator, Mei Ying's
card, the card from her siblings, Kim's bear, and Dalvin's musical box
all onto my bed-side table, side by side. It was a wonderful day. I
felt so fortunate. I felt so loved. I must be the happiest person in
the whole world. I tuned on the musical box, and closed my eyes,
luxuriating in the wonderment of love and passion...
A distant rumbling of thunder woke me up from the hypnotised state. I
suddenly recalled something. How could I have forgotten about Bowen's
present? Without wasting another second, I rummaged through my bag in
search of the envelope. I found it. I opened up the envelope immediately
and took out a hand-made card. Accompanying the card were a bookmark and
a few sheets of paper. I unfolded the papers to reveal some writing in
Chinese. Bowen once told me that he could express himself more
eloquently in Chinese.
As I hold the note and guided my eyes from line to line, tears welled up
in my eyes, and soon they were streaming down the cheeks. I was moved,
very moved. The feeling at that moment simply transcended words. I had
heard before that people could cry out of joy, and I was experiencing it
right at that moment. Never had I seen anyone so unpretentious, so
honest, so true. By the time I had finished reading the 7-page letter, I
was totally mesmerised. I picked up the bookmark and held it close to my
heart. By then, the music from the musical box had stopped, and in its
place was Bowen's whispering breaths emanating from the bookmark.
I opened my blue diary, placed the bookmark on today's page, and closed
the diary gently. Then I held the diary close to me, as if making a
pledge that I would keep all of these things: the bookmark, the words,
the memory, with me forever...
Sail on silver girl sail on by
Your time has come to shine
And your dreams are on their way
See how they shine, oh if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind ...
|
[translated: small]..." Kim was obviously
a little carried away.
? [translated: careful]" Sunny made
a wild guess.
? [translated: sister-in-law]" Sunny tried
again.
:
, with
, and
."
(meaning that if you like a person, you
will also take a liking on the people or things related to that person).
She just didn't want me to be in a difficult position, if she continued
to be at loggerhead with Dalvin.
[translated: little sweet potato]?"