Call 11 : FAVOURITE CAT

Hello Son

This morning, Mom received a text message from Aunty Jessie. Only last night Mom had asked Dad, "Haven't heard from Jes about Sebastian..."


In her text message, Aunty Jessie said that, "Sebastian is now with Daniel. They are playing and frolicking about in Heaven. I know Daniel will watch over him there. :D"

 MUSIC VIDEO : SOMEWHERE OUT THERE

Here's You with your "my favourite cat in the whole wide world."

This photo was taken when we went to the States to visit Aunty Jessie and Uncle Craig. You were 10 years old then. You and Justine loved playing with Snowbear and Sebastian. Must be nice to have your own personal cat in Heaven now, huh. :D


Tell Seb we are gonna miss him, but we will have a big smile on our faces when we think of You both up there taking lazy strolls, or basking on a cloud, or just chilling out with GOD. Bet all the child-angels are excited to have Seb with them, probably taking turns to stroke, rub and pamper him, as Mom types this. He's sure gonna love all the attention. :D


Also, tell Seb that we will never forget him and that he has left a long lasting impression in all of us who knew him. He's a very special cat and has quite a personality which we're gonna miss for sure. 

Meowww. <3

Call 10 : MIRACLE CHILD

Hello Son

The internet connection at our place has been a little bit cranky the last few days. Just to play THE CLIMB on YouTube yesterday morning took about half an hour. Mom posted that version of THE CLIMB (Miley singing in the movie) on Call 9 yesterday because the other HD versions of THE CLIMB have been posted on your Facebook site.Yes, she saw some mistakes on the lyrics, the most glaring was :

"The - pain - I'm - knowing ..."

when it should have been "I - may - not - know - it..."

Funny enough, if You think about it, those lyrics kinda work for her. Suited the emotion. Was it meant for her, she wonders. The connection was so SLoW that she didn't bother and didn't have the patience in checking the other THE CLIMB videos, just THAT one she randomly clicked. 

Yeah, the pain one ...

It's a really good song though, huh ...


So anyway, yesterday afternoon, Dad sent Justine for her class at 2pm. Mom thought she'd check on this NEW song she heard on the radio, that came on after I AM WHAT I AM on Sunday. Hearing the lyrics of that song, that she's never heard before, she figured the title would probably be ANY DREAM WILL DO since that was the only line that was repeated several times, It had a really nice and catchy tune to it too. Just so she wouldn't forget the song, she quickly keyed in the title on her mobile so she could check on it the next time she's on the internet. 


Which turned out to be yesterday afternoon ...

Google searched the tag words : youtube any dream will do lyrics


Two videos popped out along with the usual list of links. Picked the video with the black background, and clicked on it. When the song came on, she instantly fell in love with the voice. A different singer from the one on the radio. It was a rich, clear, happy, cheery voice. Several clicks later told her that this song is sung by LEE MEAD from ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER's West End Musical called JOSEPH AND THE TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.

MUSIC VIDEO : ANY DREAM WILL DO

JOSEPH and the rainbow-colored coat???

Why, Justine and You used to have a VCD called JOSEPH THE KING OF DREAMS when you both were much younger. Mom used to say that MIRACLE CHILD in that animation was your song. You can't blame her, Son, because having You alive and back to normal immediately after each brain surgery, were all the proof she needed that You are a MIRACLE CHILD. 

It would seem that Y e a R S later, Mom's MIRACLE CHILD has evolved and become GOD's Angel, so that now ANY DREAM WILL DO. Truly, she is at peace, in heart, mind and soul, and whatever GOD's PLANS are for her next, let it be done in accordance to HIS WILL. 

So in such a case, ANY DREAM WILL DO. Any dream that GOD gives her will do.This is reinforced by an unusual incident that happened next. It's just so weird that it happened at all.

This, Mom really has to tell You ... 

Yesterday evening, while Dad and Mum were in the kitchen preparing dinner, we heard Justine's shrieks and screams in the living room. Oh boy, thank GOD Dad was in the house, because Justine yelled that :

a BiRD FLeW iNTo THe HouSe!!!

Mom hurriedly took a peek out of the kitchen to see what the commotion was, and was taken aback when she saw a pair of WINGS flapping about first in the living area, and then in the dining area. Dad said it looked like a BAT because the wings were kinda large. 

BAT??? Like BAT-boy BAT???

Anyway, the bat-bird decided to perch on the fountain display table. From where Jus and Mom were standing, or rather hiding, in the kitchen, we couldn't see it anymore. Our condo is not a big place, so You can imagine how absolutely comedic we were ... Jus and Mom were like super-hyper kids who just SaW a BiRD at close range, in the kitchen, both peering excitedly through the the glass panel door, yelling instructions to Dad on how to catch the BIRD ...

 

Dad had a plastic bag with him, but before he could catch it, the bat-bird decided to spread and flap its wings and fly out of the window itself, just as easily as it came in.

Woahhh ...


That was kinda strange, don't You think? What was that all about? We have stayed in condos all our lives and we have never had a BIRD visit us. Or a BAT. Could not make any bat-bird's head or tail of that weird incident, so decided to just leave it. 

Until a few minutes ago ...

MUSIC VIDEO : MIRACLE CHILD

Mom played the MIRACLE CHILD video. The scene at the video time 2:10 to 2:13 ...

MaDe HeR GaSP!!!

It showed a flock of BIRDS flying out from the wheat field ... What? BIRDS??? OMG ... and at 2:13 the shape of the BIRD is OUTLINED as if to get attention, and THAT image which stayed momentarily on the screen although only for two seconds ... was enough to send SPaRKS flying in her head.


THAT was what Mom saw the day before, the spread of the wings. It was too fast, and she could not identify whether it was a bird or a bat. She was already quite terrified seeing the long wings. In the house.


Oh boy ...


Mom went through the video a few times, she thinks You are trying to tell her those lyrics yourself. Really cannot help thinking that the lyrics now somehow fit You perfectly, Son, especially the part where JOSEPH sings. Which brings Mom to this enlightenment :

Now that the animation JOSEPH KING OF DREAMS has evolved into the present JOSEPH AND THE TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT, and the MIRACLE CHILD has evolved into GOD's Angel, what is left now for Mom is aptly described in :

aNY DReaM WiLL Do  :D

Mom just cracked another code, didn't she? :D

Thanks Son, Mom can't believe You just sent her a message ... there is a reason why the BAT-BIRD flew in. To make the connection to the video and to get our attention to the message in that video.


It's amazing what Call-BLOGs can do these days. :D

Talk to You later, Son. <3 

Call 9 : JUST CHECKING

Hello Son,

So as Mom was telling You (continue from Call 6), Dad and her left Ipoh after lunch at 2:30pm that Monday (Sept 20th). The radio was off, the CD was on. Was singing in the car like no one was listening. As usual. :D That's the only way we should always sing.

You taught us that. :D


Started to wonder if there was a karaoke version of your song FALL FOR YOU. Mom was going to upload that video on your FB site the next day (your 2st), and that morning before Dad and her left KL, we had stopped by your Memorial Garden, and sang this song at your site (as well as FOR THOSE TEARS I DIED). So the song was pretty much in the head.
 
Speaking of SITE ...


Your FB SITE and your Memorial SITE. 

Both the RIP SITEs. 

At the point of writing this, Mom can now see that You want her to move away from the two SITEs. "It's been 8 months, Mom, it's time to move to the next level, You can't stay in the same level forever."


Aren't these your famous words when You're on the video games? Well, those words were ringing in Mom's ears.

Okay fine, so she hears You. She's moved out from the first SITE, the FB, and plunged head on to the Call-BLOG. Even the BLOG-template and the BLOG-title have a story to it. Will tell You that later. 


By the way, just so You know, Son, You may be able to persuade Mom to move from your FB SITE, but you're not gonna stop her from going to your Memorial SITE. Yes, yes, Mom knows that the day will come when she will be okay visiting your Memorial Site Once A Year. On that Memorial Day in November. But THAT day has not come, and THAT day is not anywhere near, she can tell You that right now. So don't try to make her. It's not like You'd be able to close the gate to the Memorial Park anyway. :D

Besides, she's just a MOM, and She - Is - What - She - Is. 

Grin. Didn't see that coming, did You?
(See Music Video : I Am What I Am in Call 8)

Anyway, was thinking out aloud, whether we could get a karaoke version of FALL FOR YOU. Then, remembered that C's mummy had mentioned somewhere in your FB SITE that newer songs are hardly ever on karaoke. Only dinosaur songs. She had commented after Mom posted THE CLIMB video on your FB SITE. Mom had suggested that they do THE CLIMB at their singing session. That's why she replied, that newer songs would not be on karaoke version yet.

MUSIC VIDEO : THE CLIMB

Mom asked Dad whether it was possible to just bring our own FALL FOR YOU video in a thumb-drive to the next SINGING session.

Yup, SINGING session. Justine says, karaoke is too corny. Only la-la people do karaoke, she says.

Asked Justine, actually what is la-la.

She said, rather impatiently, THAT kind la, THAT kind of people la.

And so, Son, bottom line is, from this line on, we cannot and must not say the Karaoke word anymore ... because we are not la-la people.


It'd just be plain (YAWN) - SINGING.


Or we could say, our QUEENs' session. 

Freddy won't mind. Will he?


To cut a long story shorter, Mum's question on Monday Sept 20 : 
Whether we could get a K version for FALL FOR YOU.


You gave her The Answer the next day. :D ... because ...



The next day, your 21st, your 8th month, Mom uploaded your FALL FOR YOU video first thing in the morning. After that upload, all further entries BY MOM were banned, believe it or not. Yes, BANNED and flagged as ABUSIVE and SPAM.



Of all the !@#$% ...


Not gonna go into this again, because it was meant to be.
See Call 1 & 2. Of course now, she's cool and composed, haughty, high and mighty, and all, as she assures with an air of pretend grace :

Oh, it-was-meant-to-be ... but let Mom tell You, at THAT time, she was utterly distraught and emotionally in a turbulence. 


Anyway, everything turned out better than expected in the end. Remember? We have to trust GOD that we are exactly where we are meant to be right now, and experiencing what we were meant to experience right then.


So, Dad and Mom went about doing whatever we had to do that Tuesday. Mom was in fact with Aunty G at J.Co, Queensbay Mall, Penang, when she received a TEXT MESSAGE from C's mummy at 3:41pm.

Her TEXT MESSAGE read : Because You Love Me in on lite fm now jus thot of you guys singing it the other day.

Immediately thought of our K session during the Kids' Reunion. We had so much fun that day. :D

Text back : A sure sign we have to do round 2.

Her next TEXT MESSAGE said, that she was singing her lungs out in the car and rocking about, and a man in the car next to her had looked at her and smiled. Then, she said, the next song that came on was EMOTIONS. Haha.  

A smile broke out as Mom text back : "U're just like me. i must tell my hubi i'm not that weird after all." Suggested that we have a name for our K group.

C's mummy replied : "The Wailers or The Banshees."

Grinning at Wailers, though unsure what Banshees meant, Mom thought of, THE QUEENs ... simply because she was at QUEENsbay Mall at the time the TEXT MESSAGES were going back and forth. :D

At 4:36pm, C's mummy sent yet another TEXT MESSAGE. This was the one that made Mom sat right up, causing her to mumble an extended O-M-G in disbelief, in the company of Aunty G at the time. 

She said :

"Wooo hooo, i jus found THE CLIMB buying the karaoke now  lynn i gotta tell u sumting so strange i am at tesco xtra in tmn midah looking at some karaoke vcds n the first one i took up among about 50 others actually had the song u uploaded for daniel as i happened to go to his site tis morn n i checked ALL yes all the rest of the cds there and tat ONLY ONE had Fall For You by secondhand serenade! but i did not buy that cd as the rest of the songs were not that gud in there i couldn't believe it n jus froze there such a coincidence n i seldom go to sites in the morn and picked today :))"

THE BOND that had been seemed to be in hiding all morning THAT day on your 21st instantly forced its way back in an unbelievably intense manner. Mom was completely SIGN-struck by the O-M-G enlightenment. Mom too would frequently freeze on the spot when THAT happens.

The realization that A Message had arrived (for Mom) can be overwhelming. The two wires. The connection. The spark. THE SIGN. The feeling, the EMOTION that swept through her was over-powering, to say the least. Especially on THAT day, THAT morning, when everything had gone wrong. What's with the banned account nonsense, she still demands to know. In her 8 months on your FB SITE daily, never once has she encountered that. On top of that, she was at STARBUCKS, for cryin' out loud, where everybody else appeared to be okay with their internet connections.

EXCEPT HER.

On hind sight, that was meant to be. So meant to be. Don't interfere with GOD's Plans.

Mom understood perfectly well when C's mummy said, "she FROZE" ... and Mom believes her when C's mummy said, "I seldom go to (FB) sites in the morning." Most of her entries and emails that Mom remembers receiving from her, would have the time stating, between the hours of 10 pm to 1am.

Mom was with her friends, and really had no time to reflect or connect with You on that day. Your 21st. Somehow, You must have picked up her yearning for that precious connection - that BOND.

So, that TEXT MESSAGE really, really made her day. Was thankful for THE BOND. Truly, the feeling of reassurance is indescribable.

To sum up, during the 2 day trip last Monday and Tuesday, Mom received TEXT MESSAGES from 2 friends. Of course, not counting Justine's.

From Uncle JC (See Call 5) and C's mummy.

No one else. 

It has just dawned on Mom that C's mummy's initials are also JC.

O - M - G ...

AWESOME (You would say) ...TEXT MESSAGES from Uncle JC and Aunty JC, at a time when Mom was feeling pretty much downright EMOTIONal, vulnerable, in despair, hopelessly lost and totally confused.

And get this ... She received Aunty JC's TEXT MESSAGES, all of them, while she was at J.Co.

Bewildering, wouldn't You say?

Woahhh Son ... wait a minute ... Did Mom Just crack a Code somewhere? Hmmm ...

Just Checking ...

Something's making Mom write this next line : Justine's Counted.

Did You just whisper that to Mom? You've always hero-worshipped Justine ... Of course Son, Justine's Counted.

O - M - G ... With all the JCs, Mum thinks You want her to know that, at a time when she was totally down, lost and confused, GOD is all around her. That's the message, right? Oh My ...

Well Son, we should hang up now. This Call is longer than expected. Run along then. GOD would have some chores for You today.

Love You so much. <3

Over to You ...  <3

Call 8 : SPECIAL BLESSINGS

Hello Son

Forgot to mention in yesterday's call that, at the end of the mass at SFX on Saturday, after the "Anyone new today, please stand up?" ... Yup, after all that, the Priest announced, "Those of You who are sitting for public examination, please step forward for special blessings." 

Mom was like, Go Jus go ... Justine stood up and went forward with the rest of the teens. Mom watched from where she was sitting and thought, What a strategy, Son. After the special blessings, Jus would feel welcomed here. Indeed, when we were walking to the car, Jus said, I'm glad I came here today. :D 

Thanks Son, for giving us the SIGNS and making the transition easy for us. We both got our SIGNS. Mom, the "Excuse me, are You new here?" and Jus, the "Special Blessings." :D 

Talk about fairness.


Oh before Mom forgets, yesterday (SUN) the 2 song-messages that came on, SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME and FINALLY ... 

Well, just when she thought there couldn't be anymore song-messages that day, this song, I AM WHAT I AM, popped up when Mom went to fetch Justine back from class. It came on at 2:32pm (SUN) @ 105.7. A very powerful song. Felt like You were cheering Mom on. 

First, You assured her ten times over that Somebody's Watching Her, and then the immediate next message, Finally, something new is happening and her destiny can begin (whatever destiny that GOD has planned for her) ... 

and then the reminder that, We Are What We Are. Yes, You, an Angel, and Mom, just a Mom ...  After all, Life is not worth a damn until we can shout out loud, I AM WHAT I AM. <3

MUSIC VIDEO : I AM WHAT I AM

Will continue from where Mom left off at Dinosaur Songs (Call 6) in the next Call.

Love You Son. <3

Call 7 : STAND UP

Hello Son

Went to pick Justine up from church to send her to class. Was in the car about 9:25am. Tuned in to Mom's radio station 105.7 to see if there is a message from You. A song was finishing, and the next new song that filled the car was :-

SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME (MICHAEL JACKSON)

I always feel like, somebody's watching me ...
Tell me, is it just a dream ...


Wasn't paying attention to it at first, until towards the end, when the lyrics of SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME kept repeating over and over and over. She just had to smile. Thank You Son, for the reminder. Had MICHAEL JACKSON only sang the line once or twice, she would have missed the message since it's really not one of your songs, but MICHAEL JACKSON repeated that SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME line more than TEN times.


:D Felt THE BOND right there. 

Now, who says we can't communicate with GOD's Angels? Nobody, in this whole wide world, not one person, no, not even the POPE would be able to say for certain whether we can or cannot communicate with GOD's angels. Or even know how to begin to do that. 


Thankfully, GOD has given us a way, and for that Mom is eternally grateful. After that song, there was some radio ads, before the next song came on, and O-M-G, this next song perfectly describes what Mom has been thinking about the past couple of days.

FINALLY (FERGIE)

I finally know that I needed to grow

And finally my maze has been solved

Finally ... Now my destiny can begin

Though it will have a different set

Something strange and new is happening 

Finally ... Now my life doesn't seem so bad

(Though) it's (not) the best that I've ever had 

 FINALLY (FERGIE)

Yeah, FINALLY Son ... FINALLY ...

Picked the above image to reflect that something new and strange is happening. :D Mom never thought the day would come when she would be able to see beyond the RIP. Making the move from your FB to the BLOG, and attending Mass at SFX yesterday would seem to be A New Beginning. Will always have fond memories of HRC. It's just been difficult for Mom to participate in the Mass at HRC when each time she is there, she sees your white casket at THAT spot, and then your farewell mass re-plays again and again in her head.

Anyway, after Mass at SFX yesterday, the Priest asked, "Anyone new today, please stand up?" 

Of course Justine and Mom did NOT stand up. After all, we are NOT new, we used to go to that church when You both were younger. So would You believe it when one of their committee church people came up to Mom and said, "Excuse me, are You new here?" (She was about to pass Mom some forms and leaflets) 

Was quite stunned why this person came up to Mom. There were 4 rows of 50 over bench-pews in each row, each bench-pew can accommodate about 8 people, inside the church, in such a packed environment, yet she was led to Mom. Even Justine found that strange.

You must be watching us and grinning, and sending out the thought, "I can see who's new here, Mom. You can't hide from me." :D

That's her only explanation. THE BOND. :D

Dad just came on line. He's in Sandakan waiting for his appointment. He asked, "What are you doing?" 

Mom typed right back, "Making a long distance call to Son." :D

Call 6 : DINOSAUR SONGS

Hello Son,

We left Ipoh about 2:30pm and was on our way to Penang. The radio reception was hissing during the journey so Mom switched it off. None of your songs had come on this morning. Not one. :( 

Opening the dashboard, she picked up her favourite compilation of CD that her kindy kid, Chloe, had given her, and slipped a disc in. Started to sing along and was immediately lifted out of the initial somber mood. Even Dad started to hum along.

Perhaps that's why GOD made You sing so much when You were here. HE had planned for You to leave earlier than your parents, and knew we would need to have something to hold on to. Now at least we have all these songs we are clinging dearly to. 

There are several nice songs in the compilation of 6 discs that are ... singa-ble. 

Is there such a word? 

The Rose, Against All Odds, Glory Of Love ...

All dinosaur songs ...

GLORY OF LOVE FROM KARATE KID 2

At this point, Mom's alarm rang @ 11:20am to remind her to pick Justine up from class which would end at 11:30am. She saved the draft, switched off the computer, and went to get the car. Okay, the next thing that happened, Mom HAS to mention. While driving out of the basement carpark, the second song that came on was Glory Of Love on 105.7. 

Felt THE BOND instantly. Just as she was preparing her "call" to You on the blog, the song came on like a respond. OMG. That was precious. A thousand and one songs could have come on, but it had to be Glory Of Love ... about 10 minutes after Mom mentioned it on the draft entry.

Picked up Justine and we went to Gardens Mall. Mom had left her i-book charger in Borders when she was there with Jus last Saturday. Didn't realize until Dad asked for it 2 days ago. Wasn't sure if the charger would still be there, since it has been exactly one week since she left it. While we were walking to Borders, Justine said, If the charger's not there, it's a SIGN that Dad has to get You another lap top. That's a good idea, Mom thought. Was half-hoping that the charger wouldn't be there then.


At the Starbucks counter, Mom told the first girl about the charger, she looked very blur, but the second girl, jumped up (she was sitting down doing some recording and heard us talking) and said, Oh yes yes, it's here, it's here ... and went to get it for us.

There goes Mom's new lap top.

Let's not tell Dad ...


Justine was like, Maaaaa-arm. :D


Okay, bad idea, Daniel will probably tell him in some way. :D


So anyway, we had lunch and Mom told Justine everything that happened under the sky the last few days. Mom took out her notebook and showed Jus the 3 songs that she'd jotted down during the trip, The Rose, Against All Odds and Glory Of Love.

Somehow, You have a way of communicating with us and things would turn out good and well in the end. Went to the supermarket and got a nice salmon fish to grill for dinner tonight. 


And came home.

Just checked the above YouTube Glory Of Love and am reminded that it is the theme song of Karate Kid, where Ralph Macchio played the Karate Kid whose name happened to be DANIEL in the movie. OMG ... It makes sense ... of the 3 songs Mom mentioned, You picked Glory Of Love for her to listen to just now. Right after she mentioned it.

How not to feel THE BOND ... :D

Thanks Daniel, You just made Mom's day. :D


Yes, yes, realised have side-tracked here. Will continue from the "dinosaur songs" on the next call later this evening. Need to get ready for Sunset Mass now.

Call 5 : TEXT MESSAGE

Hello Son, 

Dad and Mom left the Memorial Garden about 10:30am that Monday morning (Sept 20). The mood in the car was solemn and quiet. Dad was in his thoughts, and Mom in hers. Our thoughts met though when we both agreed to stop by Ipoh for a quick lunch break.


Mom's mobile beeped at one point. There was a TEXT MESSAGE from Uncle JC.  Mom has not heard from him for the past 3 months or so. Read his TEXT MESSAGE out loud to Dad. He wrote to update Mom about his condition, saying that he is now taking his food through a tube that is inserted through the nose, going for speech therapy because he is starting to talk with a slur, and tries to take morning walks daily for some exercise. 


Reading his last line, a hard lump appeared in her throat. It read :  

The best has yet to come. 
I'm having a great day. 
I hope You are too. JC


Uncle JC has joked several times that he liked signing off with his initials because those were also the initials of JESUS'.


Mom felt utterly rotten after reading his TEXT MESSAGE. Rotten, at the highest degree, and DOWNRIGHT ashamed. GOD had to send a person in an impossibly difficult position to 

CHEER - HER - UP??? 

She was instantly reduced to the likes of a miserable, worthless, ungrateful (enough?) WORM. Yeah, a WORM. A king-size WORM. A pathetic WORM. Dad could only nod sympathetically. There were no words.

Mom tried to respond, first with a "Hi JC, I'm glad..." stopped and thought, how could she be glad that he was in this position, and so deleted glad and replaced with the word, sorry. That too did not seem right. He definitely would not want her to feel sorry for him. Finally she deleted the whole line, and keyed in : 

"Why are you using the tube? Hope it's temporary."

His immediate reply : "No, it's permanent."

Permanent? 

Gawd, she could just strangle herself. All those self-pitying thoughts Mom was saving for herself instantly shifted. Really sorry to tell You this Son, but Mom put away the phone and did not respond further. Her head was beginning to throb. She didn't know what to say. Plus, Dad did not volunteer any line. Reading small texts while traveling almost always is an invitation for a headache to set in. She'd send him a reply later.

Easing herself back in the seat, Mom said : Daniel also had a nose tube, but his was temporary. He only had it for three days. And now he doesn't need it anymore. JC's permanent, he said so ... so ... so, it's a different situation altogether ...



A stark silence. 


Dad heard it. Mom was hoping he didn't.


Mom heard it, and wished she could swallow back all those words that purged out.


We both heard that nonsensical remark that came out from Mom's mouth. Biting her lips, and hushing her mind up, she decided not to make any further comment for the rest of the journey. Today, it must be said, she could not do anything right.


We arrived in Ipoh shortly. 

It was 1:30pm. Lunch hour. Parked the car and walked to the coffee shop. At first glance, Dad and Mom saw that ALL the tables were occupied EXCEPT for one, right in the middle of the restaurant. Walked over and sat ourselves down.


We exchanged glances. All worries were cast aside for the time being, as we grinned knowingly.


Thanks Son, for making the reservations. :D

Call 4 : MEMORIAL GARDEN

Hello Son,

After finding those boots, Dad and Mom left the house. This was Monday Sept 20. We reached your Memorial Garden about 9:30am. Saw from a distance, two stalks of roses that were left on the flower bed. The rest has been removed. That's okay really, it's good to know that there is somebody out there at the Memorial Garden who appreciates your flowers, and indeed had the courtesy to leave two stalks standing nicely in the middle of the flower bed. The flowers were removed after a lot of thought, we could tell.

Dad spotted some food wrappers around your site, and he figured that perhaps the caretakers took their lunch break sitting at your garden admiring your flowers. That's nice, huh. :D

Anyway, this time Mom bought some purple colored flowers. Justine was in school, and did not follow us on this trip up north. So, Dad attended to the flowers, otherwise Justine would have taken care of that. Mom was giving You your monthly uh, facial. The headstone after Mom was done, was spotlessly clean and flawless.  


Your site was pretty clean, except for some leaves that had fallen from a nearby tree. Dad and Mum did a bit of cleaning up. Lighted some candles, sang some songs, two in particular : For Those Tears I Died and Fall For You. 

Yup, in that order.


Mom's strength is not like yours, Daniel, and she broke down halfway through the second song. The line that goes : I always swore to You I'd never fall apart ... that did it for her. 

Ironic, she knows, to break down at THAT line. Her sniffs were contagious and got Dad going as well. We continued the song until the end, yeah in between sobs. You must have been watching us and shaking your head, going, Aiyoh Dad Mommm, why so much drama ... tsk tsk tsk.


We sang like nobody was listening, although Mum was pretty sure You would have heard our every line. Painful memories flooded back, and reminded us of how brave and at peace You were at every step of your last few months with us. Of course, at THAT time, we were not aware that those last few months were gonna be the last few months. 

From where Mom was sitting at your memorial site, she looked up to the sky, and snapped a photo of You peering down and watching us from a cotton cloud. With JESUS and MOTHER MARY by your side. 

Because, everywhere we are, there You'll be. 

Let it stay that way, okay. By the way, THERE YOU'LL BE will be your next video. 

Pause.

What's that???

And Daniel goes, Aiyohhh, so boringgg ...


Well, too bad, decisions on earth, You have no control. :D

At the time of posting this entry, Mom is not able to upload that photo she took of You on the cloud, not that You're gonna miss any spectacular photographic skills. So will post the above image instead, taken from your FALL FOR YOU video.


Justine should be home any time now.


Love You, Son. <3

Call 3 : DAD'S BOOTS

Hello Son,

This is the entry that Mom wrote in Starbucks, Penang that was refused posting. Will post it here :

Tuesday 21/9 10:19am … Hi Son, Dad and Mom are now at Starbucks, New World Park, Penang. Meeting with Aunty G at 11:30am at Heritage Hotel for chicken pie. :D Yum. Will drop by Kapitan after that to tapau Justine’s Lamb Biryani before we go back. :D

So yesterday (Monday) morning, before we left the house, Dad was hunting for his biking boots. High and low. Couldn’t find. He was like, where are my boots? I left them HERE. Did You put it outside? Are they in the store room? Etc

Mom was vacuuming at the time, so didn’t quite bother. It was definitely in the house somewhere. No one can take those boots away. They are so heavy and gigantic. After about half an hour, Dad was still going, where are they, where are they … and Mom was like, aiyah, slowly find la. 

 

Dad was all, the boots are very expensive, cost me RM1,000, where did You put them? Like as if Mom wanted to hide them.

Anyway, Mom continued tidying up the house, and then prepared an over night bag for our short trip. Packed your flowers and brought out your Memorial Box (where we keep all the candles and matches and rags, Justine’s mosquito coil etc) and was quite ready to go.

Dad was on the sofa, strumming the guitar, trying to play your song FALL FOR YOU.

Mom asked, Have You found your boots?

Dad said, No. Will come back from Penang and look for them again.

Mom immediately retorted, Oh no, we’re gonna find your boots before we go.

Otherwise Dad will be worried about his beloved boots throughout the trip. You know that, right?

Mum called out, St Christopher, and then to You, DANIELLLLL, help Dad look for his boots!

Dad put away his guitar, went into the bedroom to get the overnight bag when Mom heard him exclaimed, “FOUND IT, they were in the …”

She didn’t bother to listen further. 

THE BOND.

Grinning to herself, went to Dad, took him by the crook of his elbow, and marched him to your portrait on the wall. Dad was chuckling when he said, Thanks Son. <3

Yeah, Thanks Son … 

Mom just KNEW You would bring Dad to his precious boots. :D

Call 2 : THE SIGN

Hello Son, 

Dad and Mom met up with Aunty G and her mother at Heritage Hotel at 11:30am for an early lunch. During lunch, Aunty G mentioned that the night before, she happened to click on a button (that she's never checked before) while posting her blog, and was surprised to find that there was a report to show that she had some hits on her BLOG from US, Australia etc.

Mom wasn't even aware You could do that. Told Dad about it. Dad made a check and was very surprised to find that Mom's FOOD BLOG is receiving very encouraging number of hits. From 12 countries apparently. He added that, the highest number of hits was the entry on KINDY KIDS REUNION. :D

Oh really, Mum asked. Was clearly very surprised. Just wait till the parents hear about that. :D 


Anyway, didn't think much about it, was worried about the banned account. What was Mom gonna do about that? It seemed difficult to move away from the facebook when she's been spending so much time daily on Your site, for the past 8 months, like her life depended on it. Change is always difficult.

That evening, we arrived home in KL at about 9:30pm. Felt the BOND several times throughout the trip, will tell You about that in the next Call 3. 

(Sorry Son, not Call 3. Check Call 6 and 9. 
Notified on 27/9/2010 @ 7:38am)

That evening, Mum was terribly distressed, broke down and cried like a child. Didn't know what to do about the facebook problem. Dad also mentioned that if she continued to post in that suspicious manner, comment after comment after comment, might get the site shut down. Or something to that effect. Writing under Dad's account also was not a solution. But how would she move to a blog? Where's the sign for that?



The thing that frightened her the most was that, the communication between Mom and You was going to be cut - forever. Did God set a deadline? Why was this happening - and on your 21st too? She couldn't make sense of any of it. Meanwhile, Dad kept assuring, just move to a BLOG.


That night, went to bed with a heavy heart and puffy, painful eyes. It just felt so weird that this has happened. Surely You want Mom to continue writing to You, right?


Pause. 


Right, Son?

Was hoping that the next day, something wonderful would happen. A rainbow must appear after the heaviest storm. Usually, anyway.

And You know what, O-M-G, a rainbow did ...


Are You sitting down? 

Anyway, Mom woke up the next morning, and went straight to check her emails to see if the Facebook Team had responded to her request (to lift the ban). Nothing from them. Then, Dad who was on the desk computer suddenly exclaimed loudly, that there was an increase of more than one thousand hits on Mom's FOOD BLOG.

OVERNIGHT.


What? Mom was quite stunned. The day before, she had made NO entry on the BLOG. We were traveling. Dad showed her the graph and she saw a sharp spike going right up to the sky. OMG, on the day she didn't post any entry, and your 21st, her FB account banned, Dad going on and on about one thousand (words), and now a sudden steep increase of one thousand hits overnight ...

OMG, how could she not see it? Of course she saw it. She finally saw it. The light. The spark. The sign. You know when You put two wires together, and You see dat electrifying zzzzz spark? Well, Mom saw it right then. 

Her sign. 


A very clear sign to move to the BLOG. :D


Could almost hear You sigh out loud, Ahhhh, Finally Mommm ...

Call 1 : HELLO BLOG

VIDEO : FALL FOR YOU

Hello Son, 

Finally got the blog set up. Tuesday 21st, your 8th month with GOD, was a really confusing day for Mom. So many things happened she doesn't know how to begin. Dad and Mom were in Penang that day, if You remember. Anyway, early that morning, Mom uploaded your FALL FOR YOU video on your Facebook site.  It was easy to upload. No problem.

We checked out of the hotel at 10am, and went to Starbucks. Took out the lap top again and started to write an entry on your Facebook page, as she usually does every morning. When Mom was done, she clicked the SEND button. An immediate warning box of some kind popped out and said something about her account has been flagged as SPAM and contains abusive contents. Huhhh???

Tried again. Same box appeared. SPAM.

Tried a third time. Same thing.

Leaned over and read the message on the box again. It said to write to the Facebook Team and explain why the ban should be lifted. Mom keyed in her details, and under the box REASONS TO UPLIFT BAN, she wrote :  


I am writing a msg to my Son, and your Write Something box only has so much space. Please remove ban immediately! 

They did not.

Tried to send the entry another few times, but that irritating box kept popping up. Complained to Dad. Dad said, RESTART computer. 

Did that. Didn't work.

REFRESH the page, he suggested next. 

No, no effect.

RETYPE the message in a new box, he said at last.

Mom told him she couldn't re-type the message because the message was a beeeeet lengthy. About 20 lines in the comment box. Only 20 lines. Nothing to shout about. 

Dad said, I told You many times to transfer to a BLOG. Facebook is for one or two lines only. Not for one thousand words.

One or two lines? 

How do You write one or two lines? By the time, Mom is done with the Day, the Date, the Time, the three dots, and the Morning Son - that's almost one line already. 

Dad repeated, Facebook is not for one thousand words. If You want to write one thousand words, You have to go to a BLOG. You keep posting comment after comment after comment in the same link, people will think you're manipulating.  

Mom insisted, But that's how I've always been writing. To which Dad replied, Yeah and they've finally tracked You down. (Take note that Dad mentioned one thousand, 3 times. You will see the significance in next entry Call 2.)

Mom was very upset at that moment. It was your special day, couldn't You do something? Where were You when that was happening? Why did You allow her account to be banned? The sudden thought that "all communication is over between Mom and You" terrified her to the bones. 

Quickly, she made a call to Justine. Jus went to the computer and signed in under Mom's account, tested the posting and said it was okay. No problem. No ban nonsense.

Huh?

After the call, Mum calmed down a bit and began to wonder whether this could be a sign that the moment for her to leave your facebook site and move on to a BLOG has come ...

Then again, she wasn't one hundred percent sure about that until ...