The SPM exams started today.
Dad walked Justine to school this morning. She had BM Paper One at 8 am.
Picked Jus up from school after her paper ended at 10:30 am to rest at home and have lunch before dropping her off again in school for her Paper Two at 2 pm.
She would finish at 4:30pm.
After dropping Jus in school at 1:30pm, for her afternoon paper, Dad and Mom went to Bangsar Shopping Mall. Dad had an appointment there.
In the car, Mom turned on the radio.
A song :
Fly, robin fly
Up, up to the sky
was on. Mom listened quietly to herself but sad to say, she felt -
No Zinggg.
No Spark.
No Bond.
Sigh ...
Perhaps if the lyrics had been, "Fly, orange robin, fly" ... it would have meant something ...
Made a grim comment to Dad, "Did You know that the whole robin-song is only those 2 lines and nothing else?" The whole song is just "Fly robin fly, Up up to the sky ..." from beginning to end.
Dad said nothing.
Yup, it was that boring, so boring that words were just not necessary.
When are You gonna send Mom a song, Son?
Your mother couldn't help but wonder to herself.
She has been waiting for a song-message since Saturday 20th, Justine's birthday, the day we went to your Garden. She had waited the whole day then (whilst traveling in the car), and only when we arrived home sometime in the afternoon that day, yes, at the porch of the condo, just before she got down from the car, she received a flash of enlightenment, that made her to understand these words:
"One song today."
Instantly she got the message.
Of course, but of course ... She was so ecstatic to receive that flash of understanding, her words tumbled out excitedly as she tried to explain to Dad that, there had been no songs on the radio that whole day, songs that gave her the BOND-connection, because Justine had dedicated a song to You that morning.
IF I DIE YOUNG, she had sung with her guitar at your Garden.
That was the "one song today." :D
Aww Son ... Of course, that was the perfect song-message for the day. You had in fact sent us something special in return, in the form of a lil orange-black caterpillar, who told us in the end who sent it. :D (Call 63 : Furry Friend)
Not enough, ah Mom ...
Enough Son, enough enough ... that furry caterpillar You sent that day was really, really very cute. :D
Must always be grateful. What was she thinking waiting for a song-message to come on the radio on that day? She had to smile to herself as realization began to dawn on her that her unexpected interest in creepy crawlies have suddenly surfaced since the orange moth visited last Thursday, November 18th. :D
Amazing how people change through circumstances ...
Her thoughts were interrupted when her mobile rang.
A lady on the other end identified herself as a consultant from Phillip Wain.
Phillip Wain???
Humph, Phillip Wain ...
How your mother could have gone there for gym and aerobics 3 to 4 times a week during those days, almost 20 years ago, she just cannot imagine. That was during her chambering days, when she was single and had lots of spare time.
And not forgetting, full of stamina and energy.
Now ... now those 2 words are alien to her.
Like, what stamina? What energy?
The PW Consultant called up apparently to inform your mother that she still had several beauty treatments she had not utilized since her purchase that many years ago. Manicures and pedicures, eye and cool mask treatments and body massages.
Hmm, can't believe these people are calling up old members from yester-years and inviting them back to resume their beauty treatments they have completely, completely, completely forgotten about. Mom told her she did not have the time for leisure at the moment. Perhaps she'd pay them a visit after the SPM exams.
We reached Bangsar Mall at 2pm.
Like real, Mom directed Dad exactly where to go to get a parking. Go down the slope to basement one, follow the bend, and turn right - HERE.
And there, awaiting us, were 2 available parking spots, side by side. You had shown your mother that parking spot the last time she was here to meet a friend (Call 46 : Hair Mystery).
Dad went to meet his friend, whilst Mom browsed around the mall.
Her mobile rang at some point.
She answered the call.
A man asked in a lazy tone, "Lynn ah?"
She answered, "Yes ..." wondering if that could be one of her old school mates, talking to her in that familiar tone.
The guy said, "True Blue..."
(that's what it sounded like, not sure if it's spelt that way though)
Pause. Then ...
"What?" No tack, your mother sometimes.
He repeated, "Calling from True Blue ..."
Pause again. Then ...
"Where?" Her tone could be intimidating when she's - blur.
The man explained, "True Blue Gym. We have a promotion we want to extend to You. 2 vouchers for 2 persons to have free use of the gym for one month."
The Gym???
Didn't she just receive a call from a gym just about what, 20 minutes ago, and now a second gym was calling?
How strange.
"Which Mall are You at?" Mom asked at last. The name was not familiar.
"Jaya 33," he replied.
Oh, Jaya 33 - That gym.
Aunty Diana had wanted to check out some gyms at that time.
This was about 2 years back.
Mom had accompanied her to a few gyms, registered with all of them (upon their requests), but never went back to any. You were around at the time, and You had suggested, why don't Aunty Diana just use the gym at our condo?
Yeah, why didn't she just do that?
One exercise bike, one treadmill and one mini pumping station is not exactly what your aunt had in mind when she announced that she wanted to join a gym. She wanted to be a gym member so she could use the sauna and steam bath facilities.
Have You ever heard of anything as ridiculous as that?
Don't expect her to work out a sweat, your aunt had said flippantly. She preferred to have her sweat glands stimulated effortlessly as she relaxed in the sauna or steam room.
As it turned out, it was just a fleeting desire.
Yup, like a candle in the wind.
Poooofff.
One blow and the gym-desire was gone.
So did the passion for sauna and steam baths.
All Gone.
Gone with the wind.
Anyway, back to the phone call ...
Your mother told the guy she was busy at the time, but would consider after the exams. Maybe she'd bring Justine there, she thought. Jus would enjoy all the fitness stuff for sure. :D
After the call, Mom couldn't help but wonder if You had anything to do with those invites.
Two calls from the gym ...
One after another in less than half an hour ...
Hmm, You must be telling your mother to start an exercise regime of some kind. Why, only this morning just before Dad walked Jus to school, Mom had suggested that we went for a swim when he came back.
She had to stop her morning swim the day after June 12th. She remembers that date clearly because she had attended a wedding dinner that night (the groom's name was Daniel by the way, so how could she forget that wedding?) and had for some suspected prawn-reason, broke out in a bad allergy in the car on the way home.
The angry-looking rash, thank God, had the sense to only appear behind her legs, and nowhere that was visible to the human eye. The ugly, reddish spots stayed with her for over 2 months, believe it or not.
Yup, she's got all the evidence to prove it ... in her i-photo album somewhere.
That was the main reason why she had to put herself through the crazily-long self-imposed detoxification program on July 1st. The marks had been stubborn and had blatantly refused to disappear and by then, more than 60 days had passed, and she had gotten used to NOT swim in the morning anymore.
But hey, she was gonna - this morning ...
Unfortunately, she didn't foresee that all the excuses would pop out from nowhere and sabo her nicely.
Only You would know how she'd been pushing off, this I - must - start - exercising - soon on her TO DO List, from one week to another.
Hmmm, somehow Daniel ... somehow You managed to get those 2 gym-people to call Mom today. Of all days, TODAY, she received 2 calls from the gym. On the same day she expressed that she'd wanted to go for a swim, but did not, that was the day she got 2 calls from the gym, totally out of the blues. Must be your way of getting Mom to resume her exercises again, she thinks.
Interesting ...
Yeah okay ... Alright Son, it worked ... tomorrow ...
Your mother promises she will dip a toe in the pool and see if that would start her swimming again ...
Tomorrow, yeah?
(continue on Call 66)
