Gooly jatuh kolam

This is what the newspaper clipping said:

At approximately 5.32pm, a boy was sighted running toward the Bridge at a high class residence, 50 km away from Bangkok metropolitan. He was drenched from head to toe, with a shoe missing. As he ran, he was shouting, "I fell into the pond!"

The Mahmee, aged 20 was reported to be calm and composed. "I reckoned that being panicky will not help the situation," she said.

"I have to admit I was speechless for a while. And I kept checking if he had any injuries. Luckily the pond wasn't very deep."

Upon further investigation, a few eye-witnesses said that the boy, named Gooly was trying to retrieve his best friend's wallet which fell into the pond.

His best friend, Ada, also aged 4 was visibly upset and refused to give any comments.

"I was only trying to save Ada's wallet. I fell into the pond. I wasn't scared. I was wet and I lost my shoe!" Gooly said at the end of the interview at the posh lobby of the residence.

For his bravery and selfless-ness act, Gooly will be awarded the Scout Honour Award at the upcoming Pesta Tanglung Festival scheduled in September. He will also be nominated for the Mascot role for Sukanneka 2010.

***

The above report is only half true. :P You go figure which is which.

Peeps! I am one proud mahmee. He was so helpful! Yes, my heart broke into pieces seeing his pitiful drenched look with one shoe missing... But at the same time it swelled with pride at his self-less act.

When he came to me, his major concern was still about the float-away wallet, not about his injury nor his drenched attire. For one whole day, the image of him running toward me with tears streaming down his cheeks and one shoe missing kept repeating in my mind. It will be one image etch in my heart forever.

Ada, his best friend here was very guilty and heart broken as well at his mishap. She thinks it's her fault. Poor thing. I assured her and her mom that it was only an accident.

It was sweet that her mom vowed to treasure the wallet in this life. Well, the wallet was given to her by Gooly, you see.

I'm trying not to romanticize the whole thing. But, how many of us, have such a childhood tale to tell, I ask you?

I'm sure Ada will remember Gooly, who fell into the pond in an attempt to rescue her wallet, forever!

Wow, that's something. My son, a hero : )

But dunno why, sumhow...like Misti said, my heart sng sng, remembering the drenched image of him.. Sigh. Poor boy jatuh kolam.

My First Lie

I remember weird things about the past. When I said past, I meant at least 30 years of history. I have a very clear recollection about my childhood.

What people said.. What people did... My first encounter with a Cantonese friend.. My first period - they are all right here on my hard disk. *tap tap temple*

So now the truth - the first lie that I remember.

I was in standard 1. And to ease the congested traffic, the school had implemented a new system whereby buses could only go to back gate while students whose parents came with poot-poot car could wait at the front gate.

I, of course traveled in style a.k.a via the Bas Sekolah. My bus driver was a very stubborn man who gave very little respect to laws and regulations. He refused to wait at the designated area, because it would be jammed up with other heavy vehicles like his. So smarty pants decided to just park at the front gate, blatantly abusing the school rules.

The class teacher knew each and every child's mode of transportation, and thus ensured that we go to the 'right' gate. I don't know how the other students cheated, but the distance from the back gate to the front gate was quite monumental for my short pudgy legs.

So everyday I would run with all my might to catch my bus. And everyday I was the last to clamber on. Uncle bus would TSK loudly while the other riders looked gleeful as though they had bet correctly on, "Who will be last AGAIN today.."

One day, I have had enough! I decided not to be last! When the bell rang, I made a forward leap toward the front gate, and Mrs Rama (gosh! I remember her name!) shouted, "Hey you! You take the bus, go to the back gate!"


SHIT!

I turned around and said, "My daddy is coming today."

There were two lies there. The obvious is my daddy ain't no coming. And the second? I don't call my father daddy.

Right then, I could feel my cheeks redden. I was about to faint cos I reckoned the daddy part was a bit fake. Then she nodded her head, looking slightly suspicious.

I quickly ran for it. A sly grin spread across my perspired face. Cool, I am quite a natural, I thought.

When I climbed on the bus, Uncle was surprised, and gave me a thumbs up, and muttered something about, "About time you learn..."

I took a seat, sweating profusely, with a mixture feelings of awe, happiness, and guilt.

Strange I can remember, huh? Do you, of yours?

Oh, and the following year, I framed a boy. I fell into the longkang myself and accused him of pushing me down.

Wakakakakak. Not funny meh? Evil but funny..

Leaves from Heaven

Do you look at leaves? Like really study their different colours and hues and structures and shapes?

I used not to have time for that. *chuckles*

Ok, fine.. I just didn't notice them.

But with a child, you tend to look at world's finer things i.e fluffy clouds and fallen leaves.

Yesterday, while strolling with his friend, Gooly picked up a leave, and with his head looking UP, he said," A leaf. It's from Heaven."

Look..heaven and sky, hell and die, aren't exactly famous topics between us. When he said it, he sounded tenderly sweet. I was curious why he said that.

The best time to discuss it was of course before bedtime. I fluffed up his pillow, and he plopped down comfortably. And I began..."Why did you say the leaf is from Heaven?"

"Because God made trees and God made leaves for everyone so we can breathe oxygen. God made them in Heaven."

So there is a little Science and a little religion thrown in together. It's good that he combines them both. Something like 'matter, anti-matter' theory (from Angels and Demons fiction).

I don't know.. amidst the craziness in the world, it's comforting to know my child believes and knows there is Heaven and God, and knows how to find logic in his own way.

Kids are innocent, non-skeptic, pro-believer. What happened to us? You...YOU ESPECIALLY!! :P

Killing Brain Cells #100

That number is fictional. But I think it's not too outrageous to say that he had killed 99 brain cells in his four years of living with me 24/7.

"Why are armpits ticklish?"

a. how I know?
b. ticklish lah! What you mean why?
c. because you will be scared of you wife
d. go watch tv.

Unless you have an (e), I would have to choose one from the above.

Today no mood to google.

Even though I know I will get crap answers from you.

But I so need the laugh. And Biology and Body Nerves are too boring for us..

First day of class

Your pencil case is here...

And you tumbler here...

Pencil and eraser this compartment ok?

If you need to go toilet, tell the teacher. Know how to unzip your pants or not?

Yada yada yada... and kancheong-ness from me.

Meanwhile, he was very 'selamba'. Nodded his head a few times - don't know he was listening or not.

It was his first mandarin class. A trial, actually. He picked his own pair of socks. A striking blue pair which neither quite match his shoes nor pants nor shirts nor bag. But because he said, " I am a big boy now, let me decide," I relented.

He crossed over his 'yauyingdoesei' skull bag and announced, "I'm ready."

There goes my little boy! Off to school... sniff sniff! (It's not a school, Mahmee.. it's only a two hour class!*roll eyes*)..But but but...that's my baby... crossing the bridge to the big bad world outside! Be brrrrave, my child!

*hold white handkerchief and wave wave* Bubye! Gooly!...Remember to drink water! Buhbye! (actually looking forward to two hours FREE TIME of.. massages? mahjung? coffee? whatever laa!)

Alas, he failed his trial class. Hahahaha! Actually the teacher only speaks Thai and Mandarin, and he, neither.. So he can't join the class. What a pity!(esp. for me!)

But on that morning, I thought to myself..

Oh my.. when he really goes to school, I would be so proud and lonely. What a weird combo.

Eh, why so happy? Class finished so fast geh? What did teacher say? Oh, you got kicked out ka? Ok, never mind. Jom balik...

250709

Whose birthday? You asking? Nobody's. Shhhhhhhh~ *wink wink papah*

Gooly saujanjan. But I like the rustic feel.

Looney Balooney Clan. Only I am normal.

Hamyu Steamboat. Yum!

Tsunami-that-never-came, I hate you! If not for you, we'd have been here, like last year.

Eh, play time is that?

Pada suatu hari, I met with an acquaintance who told me the most preposterous erm.. uh... ahm.. what word should I substitute here? Ok, I tell you what she had to do, and you tell what adjective to describe the scenario here.

Ok, before that.. a lil background of meself.

During my kindergarten year and babyhood, we stayed in this bungalow with a huge compound with other cousins and their families. After school, we ran around in circles till I threw up or on some really bored-shit day, someone would organize a Hari Sukan, filling up 7 up bottles with water, which I was never allowed to partake, cos apparently I slowed down the actions. Durh! I never wanted to play those stupid nincompoop games anyways! *do wateva sign*

Later on, my family moved out on our own. Then, my daily after-school routine consisted of dropping off my bag, and cyling to house no. 99 down the road. Sometimes it got eventful where Dungeons or Dragons was on TV and we got to watch it together while munching packets of Mamee. Other days, we just mucked around.

Ah... sweet sweet childhood of tuition-less days.


So many times I have been told, things are not the same anymore. We can't possibly raise our kids the same way as before. And can I say:

WHY NOT?????????

I hate toys. Especially battery operated ones. When I say, Gooly, go play, I mean go downstairs, run around in circles, catch a tadpole, kick a cat , throw slippers, etc. You know, anything impromptu? Making up games? Getting into mischief?

..which brings us to the story about my 'friend' (not very close) who organizes play -time for her daughter. Usually she invites three other girls. So, there will be 4 of them. Yay! Can play mahjung...

Of course not. It's a very organized weekly programme. Very professionally done, where the itinerary includes structured role-playing of princesses, fairies and ... *gasp* (I don't know what girls play lah) And..deng deng deng deng....the kengchau thing is because there are 4 of them, she will have to buy 4 sets of everything whenever she goes shopping:

4 dolls
4 doll houses
4 princess dresses
4 wands
4 napek feathery bags
..and other 4s.

And all the items must be identical because *listen to my droning voice and look at my eyes rolling* the girls wouldn't share, and always want the same things.

So she gave birth to one daughter but ended up spending money like she had quadruplets.

Tell me, is that:
a. preposterous

OR

b. you want to shut me up becos "goolymama, you don't have a daughter, you have no right to say anything. You don't know how girls behave becos you have a modicum amount of male chromosomes in you."

Fine. I will shut up.

One last thing, if you bring your kids to my place, there are no toys. I can give you empty boxes. Go build a castle. I don't care.

Stop giving me that look. Gooly is fine~ He is happy.... he will be a grown man, with good memories of his childhood of Transformer Box Costume, and Toilet Roll Rocket.

...erm..right?