Hello Son,
It's Sunday noon over here.
Dad and Mom have just attended online mass at 11 am.
It's been a while since Mom last called You on the blog.
Last call was on Valentine's Day.
With online lessons now on-going, and school also operating at the same time for those children of frontliners and essential workers, Mom has been pretty busy.
Though Mom always appreciates our daily conversations and personal zap-zaps throughout the day, for this particular ZAP ZAP incident that happened on her JAB day, Mom will tell You on the Call-Blog.
OMG ...
Like You won't believe ...
It's about the COVID vaccination.
So anyway, Dad registered Dad and Mom for our COVID vaccine about a month ago.
Or was it -- 2 -- months ago?
As You would know, Mom is not that keen on the jab and all along, she was thinking, if she could skip the jab, she would. She would not hold that against anyone. Let others take the vaccine first, she kept assuring herself.
Time passed by.
On June 19th ...
Mom received a phone call.
The number was unfamiliar.
It was from the COVID Center, calling to confirm your mother's appointment that has been fixed apparently ON THE NEXT DAY, 20th.
W-- w -- what???
Tomorrow?
Like the next day???
"Will you be going for the jab tomorrow?" asked the caller.
Mom's reply was instant.
"No no no ... I can't ... It's Father's Day tomorrow ... We have plans ..."
Thankfully the caller could sympathize with your mother and said your mother's appointment on the 20th may be postponed to another day.
Phew!
That was close.
Mom's turn for the vaccine has come already?
So soon?
Your mother has heard of the side effects of the jabs from family members and friends ... from mild to severe ... and truthfully, Mom was really not of the opinion that she could have the luxury to take a few days off to recover (from the side effects, if any) as online classes were on-going daily.
Was that call important?
Will there be a follow up?
Wait a minute ... what was the date of the call again?
19 ...
Hmm, no direct zap there ...
However, a little voice told her to look at the date in full ...
which your mother reluctantly did ...
19-6-2021
Gosh.
21
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
Oh dear, it would seem that that call was important.
Somehow ...
Mom decided not to dwell on it.
Another date would be fixed.
Oh well ...
The second date will take time, Mom shrugged and dismissed all thoughts of COVID jabs immediately.
The next day, Sunday 20th, we celebrated Father's Day with the family.
We ordered Mexican food delivery.
Justine sent a cake.
Looks like we were enjoying the food so much, we forgot to take photos.
Honestly, cant find a single photo in Mom's hp gallery.
The day after, June 21st ...
Dad and Mom went to get some groceries at our usual grocer.
Mom's birthday would be on Friday 25th ...
After going through all the different menus that we could order for dinner, from steamboat to Chinese to Thai to Japanese, Mom asked Dad to cook his lamb curry with potatoes for dinner.
We will have that with rice and salad.
Yummy.
That would be the perfect birthday dinner for Mom.
So on Monday 21st, Dad and Mom went get to the grocer.
We went on Monday because, we have afternoon classes on Tuesdays to Fridays, so it was not convenient to go to the grocer on those days.
Monday 21st afternoon, we are free.
Yup, FREE.
So there your parents were ...
At the grocer.
Patrons went in one by one, in an orderly manner.
Each patron scanned the entrance code, took their temperature before the grocer staff gave each one a number card.
The number cards given randomly to the patrons.
No, the numbers were not in order.
Mom saw the lady in front of Mom received a number 61 card, whilst and the man before that lady, received a number 37.
A few minutes into the line, your mother found herself at the entrance.
Like usual, she scanned the code, took her temperature, and held out her hand for her number card.
OMG.
You wouldn't believe it but the grocer staff handed her a Number 21.
Dad came in after a few more patrons ... your father had dropped Mom off first at the entrance, before he drove off to park the car.
Mom gleefully showed her number card to Dad.
"Look, it's Son's 21st today ... He's clearly shopping with us ..."
Chuckle.
Smile.
(Mom made Dad take the above photo. Haha!)
After we were done with the groceries, Dad took all the stuffs to the car.
We were going to another retail shop (that was in the same building of the grocer).
We left the grocer (at the 2nd entrance/exit) (we came in from the 1st entrance/exit) and handed our number cards to the cashier.
Mom handed her number 21 back to the cashier.
Bye bye 21, it was nice having You shop with Mom, Son.
Mom sent You that telephatic message.
Your parents then made their way to the hardware/stationery shop.
Mom needed to get some supplies for school.
We spent about half an hour at MR DIY.
Grin.
No prizes for guessing.
We left Mr DIY, to return to the grocer .. we would go through entrance/exit number 2 ... walk through the grocer and go out through entrance/exit number 1 ... to the car.
Get the picture? The grocer has 2 entrance/exits.
So anyway, as we were walking towards the grocer, Mom saw the grocer staff once again handing out number cards.
A smile appeared on your mother's face.
You must have seen that.
She was smiling from ear to ear.
Mom saw a handful of patrons receiving their number cards before walking in.
Dad and Mom joined the line.
Dad was in front of Mom.
Dad took his number and walked in.
When it was Mom's turn, you would have seen your mother handed out her hand.
The grocer staff placed a number card in Mom's hand.
Mom almost shrieked loudly when she saw the number.
21 ...
What???
21 again???
OMG, what are the chances?
Mom asked Dad if Dad got the same number as before.
Dad said, no ... he has a different number.
Mom showed Dad her Number 21 card proudly.
Dad chuckled.
Mom said, "I have to take this photo ..."
Snap.
Hahaha ...
We were quick to make sure no one was looking.
Grin.
Nobody would understand why someone would post with a number card in a supermarket.
Hehehe.
Clearly, You are with Mom, Daniel.
Twice Mom received this 21 card at the door.
ZAP ZAP ZAP!!!
On Wed, 23rd ...
Mom received a phone call.
Again, the number of the caller was unfamiliar.
Uh-oh ...
It was from the COVID Center again.
So quick?
What happened to all the usual delays and lost appointments and so on?
The caller said, "Ma'am, your appointment is tomorrow (24th). Can you make it?"
Mom did not have to think twice.
Your mother answered immediately, "No no no, I'm very sorry, I can't make it tomorrow ..."
Your mother's birthday was on Friday 25th, the following day after the so-called jab.
She didn't want to get the jab, and take the risk of having side effects and not feel good on her birthday.
So once again, Mom postponed her appointment.
She has had 2 calls.
Mom thought of the date after she ended the call ...
23rd ...
That's a clear 1994 (your birthday year).
Pause.
Sigh.
What should Mom make up of that?
Are You asking Mom to go for the jab???
Go already, Ma ...
So anyway, the date was postponed to June 30 @ 4.30 pm.
Mom had no more excuses.
She had to go.
Friday 25th came ...
Dad cooked the perfect lamb curry with potatoes.
Aunty D and family, Aunty C and Grandma came over for dinner.
 |
| curry lamb with potatoes |
 |
| dessert |
 |
| birthday cupcakes |
 |
| salad |
 |
| Kids had McD's |
 |
| the cupcakes were so pretty |
 |
| your aunts brought 3 bottles of wine |
 |
| Dans ... as your family calls you. |
We put the DANS packet of crisps beside the dining table.
Smile.
That day, on Mom's birthday (Friday 25th) ...
You sent Mom a ZAP all the way from heaven.
Dad had earlier ordered a nice set of floral dinner and dessert cutlery for Mom online (shopee).
Your mother's birthday present.
Grin.
It was amazing timing because the dinner cutlery set arrived on Friday (25th) noon.
Just in time for your mother's birthday dinner that evening.
In fact, the dessert spoons had arrived about 2 weeks earlier.
It was during the setting up of table in the evening that Mom discovered that one of the dessert spoons was broken. It was not apparent from the box. It was only when your mother removed the spoons to give them a wash, that she discovered one was broken.
Mom complained to Dad.
Her set was now incomplete.
Grumble grumble grumble.
Mumble mumble mumble.
%$#@%$#@%$#@
Dad sent a text to the seller in China.
About half an hour later, Dad received a message from the seller who apologized for the broken spoon, and promised to send us ...
2 -- FREE -- spoons.
Pause.
Say what?
Heard that???
2 FREE spoons???
On Mom's birthday???
Why, surely that's from You, Daniel.
2 FREE spoons ...
ZAP ZAP ZAP !!!
The 2 FREE spoons arrived 2 days ago on Friday, 2/7/2021.
 |
| The broken one on the left. 2 FREE on the right. WAHHH!!! |
Would You look at that secret code here ... 272021
14
I AM NUMBER 4.
Beginning of that I AM NUMBER 4 movie, You will hear the name :
Daniel Daniel ...
OMG ...
Seriously, what are the chances???
Gosh Daniel, You really do know how to make your presence felt on Mom's birthday.
Thanks Son.
That was just awesome.
Back to the COVID jab.
Mom got side-tracked.
Seriously, writing all the zaps that Mom receives each day is truly a full time job ... which she would love to have.
Hint hint.
Can You do something, Daniel?
Wishful thinking ...
Anyway, think about that, will you, Son?
So as Mom was saying ...
Mom had 2 calls for the vaccination.
June 19 (the day before Father's Day).
June 23 (2 days before Mom's birthday).
Both appointments were postponed, for umm, good reasons ...
but now the appointment was fixed on Wed, June 30 ...
and Mom has no more good excuses.
At the time of writing this line, Mom checked the date of 30-6-2021.
14
I AM NUMBER 4.
OMG!!!
Once again, Daniel Daniel.
Mom could hear You calling her to go for her vaccination.
Oh alright.
She had no more excuses.
For some reason, she felt calmer now.
Mom told Dad, "I'm ready to go for the jab ..."
Previously, she would come up with all kinds of excuses not to go ...
but now she finds herself relenting ...
cooperating ...
quietly and without fuss.
Her son must have whispered to her.
It's gonna be okay, Ma ...
Go already ...
Mom waited patiently ...
She has no more excuses.
Day of vaccination arrived.
June 30.
Time 4:30 pm.
Dad sent Mom to the vaccination center in KLCC.
Your father dropped Mom off at the drop off point.
Mom was ushered to the queue to wait in line with the other people going for their jabs too.
It was barely 5 minutes, when the line started moving.
At the entrance, we were given a number.
Mom's number was :
OMG!
Seriously???
Her favourite numbers.
2121
21 two times.
You were definitely with Mom that day, she could tell.
From entrance ... to up the escalator ... to a long stretch of hallway ...
Another long, long line greeted your mother.
Before she could even join that long line, there was a loud announcement over the speakers,
(Kumpulan A, terus berjalan)
"Group A, continue walking ..."
Ohh.
Mom was in Group A.
She did not have to join the long line then.
She was supposed to just -- continue walking to the front.
Mom walked past that long, long line until she came to the beginning of that line ... and there, she was shown the door directly into the vaccination hall.
Oh my.
Straight into the hall.
No waiting time for Mom.
Thanks, Son.
So anyway, the hall was about the size of a football field.
Yup, it was that large.
We were told to sit in accordance to our appointment time.
It so happened that 4:30 pm slot was RIGHT IN FRONT of the hall.
Wow.
CoinciDANS?
Cutting queue all the way???
Nice.
Mom walked up to the front, where the "big card" says 4:30 pm, found a chair and sat herself down.
Pretty amazing so far.
A few minutes later, rows (123) were asked to move on to the next station.
Mom followed the handful of people in front of her.
A COVID volunteer pointed to where we should sit to wait for our turn to be attended to.
Mom walked towards an empty seat.
Just as she was about to plonk herself on the seat, would You believe it but Number 21 on the board in front of her started to --
BLINK BLINK BLINK.
OMG.
Of all the numbers that had to blink, it was Number 21.
 |
| Number 21 started to blink blink blink. |
Mom was still not totally over the 21 blink, when her number appeared on the board.
1122
Counter number 5.
A young volunteer on counter 5 checked through your mother's papers to make sure all were in order.
Mom asked casually, "Which jab are we getting?"
The girl replied, "SINOVAC."
Oh ok ...
If it was AZ, Mom was supposed to say no, and go home ... because Aunty D took AZ jab and had horrendous side effects. Mom does not have the time to go through side effects and all, she has to conduct online classes daily.
So there.
After checking that Mom's papers were in order, the volunteer directed Mom to another station.
This time, your mother found herself sitting in front of a young nice looking doctor.
The doctors at this counseling station was supposed to counsel and advise us, and help us with any concerns that we may have.
That was good.
Mom asked about this and thats, and that and this, and the doctor patiently answered all your mother's queries.
From there, we had to sign our consent form and off we went to the jab station.
At the jab station ... everything went smoothly.
Nurse was nice.
Mild prick.
Plaster.
Done.
It was very quick.
Mom joined the others who had taken their jabs, at a rest area where were we monitored for 15 minutes ... 30 minutes for senior citizens.
There, Mom texted to Dad to tell him about the 1122 and the 21 blink blink and the young doctor whom Daniel prepared to handle Mom's concerns.
You would have thought that was the end of the zaps, huh.
But nooooo ...
One more king - sized ZAP was coming your mother's way.
About 15 minutes later, one of the COVID volunteer approached Mom.
He handed your mother a small appointment card, and said,
"Maam, your next appointment is on July 21st ya ..."
Pause for that sink in please.
OMG ...
What are the chances???
ZAP ZAP ZAP !!!
It was unbelievable.
"Daniel was with me the whole time. I could feel it!"
Mom related all the zaps to Dad excitedly in the car.
Dad was smiling and nodding away.
Then at one point, Dad pointed ahead and said, "that used to be SAKURA NASI LEMAK."
No longer there.
Mom saw instead, a shop with the sign board (and in big large words)
DANIEL LESLIE
opposite the so-called Sakura.
Dad drove by ... there was no time to take a photo.
"Did you see that???" Mom said out loud.
Yup, Dad saw it.
Daniel was with us all right.
Thank you, Son. That was imply amazing.
You are always beside Mom, she knows.
Hugs & squeezes
Mom and all at home
ps Watch over your sister.
