Tuesday, February 14
Mom was in school. Dad was up north.
At 12:06 pm, your mother received a text message from Dad. He made dinner reservations at TGIF at 9 pm.
At first glance, Mom thought ... Dinner at 9 pm???
So late???
Your mother had frowned.
Dad should be arriving in KL around 6 pm, and she would be done with school by 7 pm. Anyway, she left it at that. She was busy the whole day in school. There was no time to send a message back to Dad to ask him to bring forward the reservations to 7:30 pm or thereabouts normal dinner time.
That afternoon, Mom was sending some children back to their homes by the school transport. Everything had seemed to be quite normal until the time when Mom was driving the last child back.
The 6 year old boy (last boy in the car) asked :
"Where are we going?"
Your mother answered, "We're going to your home ..."
A few seconds later, he asked again, "Where are we going?"
Mom replied, "Teacher Lynn is taking you home, A ..." :D
The boy said,
"This is not my home. My home is, go straight, turn left."
Pause ...
Oh My Gosh ...
W-what did he say???
Time stood still for a good few seconds.
You're with Mom, aren't You?
Go straight turn left ...
That's your line.
You were about 1+ or so ... sitting behind the car.
Mom had asked, "Where do You stay, Daniel?"
You had replied, "Go straight turn left ..."
That line had happened on Jalan Desa Utama with You ... as we were then on, when that boy made the remark. That same road.
Oh Wow ...
Just then, Mom suddenly noticed a vehicle in front of us. You must have whispered to your mother :
Look at the number, Ma ... :D
Decode : 44
ZAP ZAP ZAP ...
How perfect your timing is as always.
After Mom dropped the boy off, she was soon driving back on that same long stretch of Jalan Desa Utama. There was a car in front of her. Mom looked at the number plate:
9921
It was the 21 that caught her eye ...
Yes Son, 21 definitely called out to her just now.
Mentally, she calculated.
Oh Wow ... What d'ya know?
It is 21. :D
You must have seen your mother smiling to herself. She did not take a photo though. She was trying too hard, she felt. That 9921 vehicle overtook a lorry, and your mother soon found herself driving behind the lorry.
The number 24 caught her attention.
Hmm, a minute ago, it was 21, and then that vehicle disappeared to reveal 24 ...
24 your birth date, and 24 your departure.
You're definitely near, she could tell.
6624
Decode : 144
Yes, yes ... confirmed. You were / are with your mother. :D
Mom felt your presence, Son, as she does daily as You remind her with little signs and zaps throughout her day.
So anyway ...
Mom was back in school with a big smile on her face.
It began to rain very heavily in the evening.
It soon turned out that there were several children whose parents were trapped in traffic and were late in picking them up.
In fact, the last kid went back only at 8:15 pm.
Mom couldn't help but think to herself, "You knew there would be a delay, didn't You, Son? You must have whispered to Dad to make the reservations at 9 pm."
Your parents have been married for 20 years, and not once has your father made dinner reservations as late as 9 pm.
That was the first time.
Like he knew, there would be a delay ...
After the last kid left, Dad and Mom drove to the mall. Were we surprised to find 2 parking bays at our normal spot, the one that has the graffiti "Jason loves M" on the wall, when all around us were packed with cars and all the bays that we had passed were fully occupied?
Nah, we were so not surprised at all.
You really are spoiling us, Son ...
Thank you for that ... :D
We slowly made our way to TGIF. As we were approaching the restaurant, Dad commented at the long queue of patrons waiting to be seated.
Mom looked and said, "Good thing you called to book us a table."
There were easily 30 couples in that ... rather untidy queue.
We walked right up to the restaurant attendant.
Dad gave his name.
The boy checked his list, and couldn't seem to find Dad's name. Mom watched the boy ran his fingers up and down the list. She peered over the list to check as well.
She then saw a line across BRYAN PHUA, indicating a cancellation.
Mom exclaimed, "This is the name. Why is this cancelled?"
The attendant replied, "Oh, is this You? We called this number just now, and no one answered."
I see ...
I see ...
You - called - this - number - and - no one - answered?
And you ...
Excuse me, but what did you do again?
Oh ...
Oh yes, you -- cancelled -- the reservations ...
I see ...
Do not expect your mother to be impressed with the attendant's line. Her tone was cold as she snarled back:
"We have been traveling the whole day from up north. The reservation is for 9 pm. It's only 8:45 pm now. How can you cancel this? You'd better get us a table ..."
She could have pushed up her sleeves and threatened him like a ... a ... gangster would ... except that she was wearing a tee shirt and had no long sleeves. It has been a long day, she's tired and very hungry ... So, excuse your mother, will You please? :S
Dad looked - quite fed up.
Within two seconds later, believe it or not, another attendant appeared and said,
"Come with me ... table 14."
H-huhhh???
Mom and Dad exchanged glances ... before a wide grin appeared on our faces.
Table 14?
Mom spoke in low tones as we followed the attendant in,
"Did he say table 14?"
She wanted to be sure.
Dad grinned and said, "Yes ..."
We were seated at table 14.
Mom looked for the table number to take a photo, but there were none. There was no such number on the table, or on the edge or at the side. In fact, there was no table number at all. Still, to the waitress and attendant, the table we were seated on, was table 14.
You were definitely with us.
The attendant could have said, "Come with me ..."
Instead, he had to add, "Table 14 ..."
Chuckle.
Then came the menus.
There were 3 options for appetizers : salad, mac and cheese and stuffed mushrooms.
Dad wanted a salad and Mom said, she'd try the mushrooms.
The waitress said, "We're out of mushrooms ... Would you like to try the mac and cheese?"
No, it was too heavy ... Mom was not keen on the mac and cheese.
Dad said, "Never mind, we'll have one of each ..."
A salad and a mac and cheese.
Oh well ...
You're not gonna believe this but, when our food came, the waitress presented Dad his salad, and Mom a plate of stuffed mushrooms saying,
"The chef has just enough for one last portion."
Pause ...
Oh wow ...
Did you hear that???
Dad said, "Your son knows you want the mushrooms." :D
Grin. Yes, of course he knows.
He knows everything now. :D
Thanks Son. :D
During dinner, there was one point when Mom looked up to glance at the overhead television, which was at the far end, just in time to catch a basketball player with a large number 41 on his outfit.
Smile ...
You must have whispered to Mom, that's for sure. That whole night, Mom did not once look at the television screen - it wasn't near us - and when she did, it was to catch her angel sign?
You can't fool your mother.
You were definitely with her.
It's so obvious. :D
We had a really nice dinner, Son. Thank you for making your presence felt every moment of the day. <3
So much more to tell You ...
Will write the next entry now ...
