Call 483 : DID YOU

Hello Son,


Tuesday, July 23


Dad cooked briyani chicken in the pressure cooker pot this evening.



We had a delicious meal before the television.



Mom flipped through the DVD album and picked up a movie she has heard before, but don't remember watching.



Did You Hear About The Morgans?

Boy oh boy, You must have whispered to your mother to pick that movie. Or maybe ... just maybe, that's because she's in a "did you" or "have you" dilemma that day. 



The song DOWN BY THE BAY.



Did you ever see a cat wearing a hat? 



Did you ever see a flower taking a shower?



Did you ever see a snake baking a cake?



Did you ever see a goat riding in a boat?



Mom wasn't so certain whether the usage of "did you" in those context was all that correct. She told Dad she would have liked to use "have you ever seen a ..." instead of "did you ever see a ..."



Dad said it was correct. Yes, you can say, did - you - ever - see ...

So yeah, maybe that's why she picked the DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?



That, and also because she has a soft spot for Hugh Grant.



Anyway, the movie started ...



Less than 10 minutes into the show, the name DANIEL popped up. 



Also on the subtitles. It was the name of the restaurant that the guy and gal were supposed to be meeting. Of all the names you could name a restaurant, it had to be one that would zap your mom.



Justine was with your mother. 



Mom said, "It has to be DANIEL ..." :D



Your sister grinned knowingly.



A few minutes later, Hugh Grant said something like, "I can hear my cells dividing ..."



Dad laughed.



Justine chuckled.



Mom sat up.



Say what?



She turned to Dad, "Just now, DANIEL ... now, I can hear my cells dividing ..."



Omg ...
 


You're with us, that much she knew ... without the shadow of a doubt.



Then, not long after, Hugh Grant said, "My organs are shutting down, one by one ..."



Omg ...



Mom turned abruptly to Dad. 



Dad heard.



Those were your doctor's words. 



That last time in the hospital.



"His organs are shutting down, one by one ..."



That was during your 3 days coma. Nothing would have prepared your doctor to see You coming out of the coma, and having your organs functioning again, one by one. That's the miracle that your family witnessed. Your doctor was no longer in control. 



God was / is. 



Some day, Mom's gonna continue the story in your Orange Dot blog. 



Sigh ...



All kinds of everything remind us of You, Son ...



Even the word HELLO ... :D could zap her.

Call 482 : FIRST MAID

Hello Son, 



How 42 months can just breeze by, Mom will never know. 



The kindy helps greatly to occupy your mother's thoughts and days. Time seems to fly when she's in school.



On Sunday yesterday, yeah on your 21st, your family members had lunch with Father J at this nice duck restaurant in Bangsar. 

Grandma was there ... Dad, Justine, Aunty D & Uncle C & Baby Megan, Aunty C ... Megan's maid, Father (of course) and Mom. As usual, we ordered way way way too much ... and ended up having to tapau back. The food was delicious though.



You were definitely with us. 



Yeah, the bill told us so. 



RM414.



Hah!  > . <

On Saturday 20th, we met up with your first maid, EV. 



Maid EV took care of You since You were born. She stayed with us for the next 5 years before she left for overseas. The first two years or so, she did call You and Justine on your birthdays ... but after that, there was no more contact ... until she appeared again on your Farewell Mass. What are the chances of your first maid to attend your Farewell ceremony? She had been working in Hong Kong all the while, and if Mom remembers correctly, Maid EV said her employers were transferred to KL in October 2009. You left us on Jan 21, 2010 ... 3 months later.



Grandma's maid, had told her then that You were not well.



Mom told Maid EV when EV appeared at your wake, that "Daniel must have really wanted you to send him off ..."



Mom's not surprised. Maid EV took care of the both of you very well.



After your farewell, once again, we were not in contact with Maid EV anymore. There was no reason to anyway ... until about 3 weeks back (about 3 1/2 years later), Maid EV found Justine on facebook. Maid EV told your sister that she would be going back to Philippines for good on Sunday, July 21 ... and that was how the lunch and get together came about.



We met on Saturday 20th.



Dad, Mom and Justine.



Mom asked Dad to bring along 2 baby albums.



We were there about 10 minutes before Maid EV came.



Justine saw her first and called out her name.



Hugs ... 



followed by ... immediate sniffles.



Were You shaking your head up there?



Tsk tsk tsk ...



Maid EV broke the silence, "I'm so angry with Gina, I scolded her ..." 

Gina being Grandma's maid.



Mom responded naturally with a "Why?" though she had a good idea why.



Maid EV burst out, "She didn't tell me about Daniel ... She just said he was sick ... and then he was okay ..."



Mom explained quietly, "I don't think Gina knew ... Yeah, he was sick ... and then yeah, he was okay ... He has been this way since he was 7 years old ... He'd be sick, but after his surgery, he'd be okay ... I don't think Gina knew he would - die ..."



Your mother changed the subject and asked Maid EV what time her flight was the next day.



Maid EV replied, "1:20 am ..."



Pause ...



Your mother's Einstein brainwaves started um, dancing.

July 21 ... 1:20 am ...



21 twice ...



ZAP ZAP ZAP ...



Justine and Mom exchanged knowing glances.



Refusing to allow the matter to rest, Maid EV then shared about one of her friends who is currently taking care of a boy who had a tumor in his brain when he was 2 years old, went for surgery to remove it, and now he's 20 years old.



Pause ...



Did You hear that?






To be honest, Mom felt a little - a little ...



She can't explain the feeling ...



Oh heck, of course she can ... she felt SICK ... sick to her stomach when she heard that. 



Yes, sick, sick, sick!

Why would the Lord allow her son's dot to come back, again and again and again and again and again, whilst this other boy only had it like, that one time, got it removed and is still living even as she's typing here? Where is the fairness in all this? Is there a reason why she has to hear this?



Mom attempted to differentiate, "Daniel's tumor is different ... " 



Yes, God has to give him the one that grows back, she thought nastily. 



Maid EV said, "Now the boy is like a baby ... disabled ... can't walk ... can't talk ... can't do anything ... like a baby ... operate only one time ..."



Time stood still ... followed by an awkward silence.



H-huh what?



Rewind ...



Repeat ...



Say that again?

When realization finally sank in, your mother suddenly felt downright ashamed that she had those angry thoughts in her head only a few seconds ago. Reflecting on all the things You were able to do, each time after each surgery, she immediately decided that God had been kind to her.



You got the better deal, Ma ...

Pause.



Oh, alright. If You want to see it that way. 



Jesus loves You more, Daniel. He's got big plans for You up there, You'd probably know that by now.



So anyway, the waiter came with the menus, ad handed one to each of us. Maid EV exclaimed laughingly, "I forgot to bring my glasses ... I can't see anything (the menu) ... all blur ..."



Mom asked at first, "What do you want to eat?"



Maid EV shrugged, squinting to try to read the tiny words.



Mom heard herself suggesting, "How about pineapple fried rice?"



Maid EV was like, "Ah yes, pineapple fried rice ... I'll have that ..."

Did You whisper to your mother's ear with that suggestion?



Gee, You must have. :D



Yeah, You must have.



So anyway, whilst waiting for the food to arrive, Maid EV talked about all the little things You used to do ... this and thats ... Dad and Mom listened intently. It was really nice being able to talk freely about You.



Several times, we would tear up, and find big lumps in our throats.



Sniff ...



Then came one point when maid EV started talking about fireworks. She was telling us about her place, how during Chinese New Year, the firework presentation was awesome ... and would last about half an hour.



Fireworks???



Justine and Mom looked at each other.



ZAP ZAP ZAP ...



Fireworks ...



It's too obvious that You were / are with us, Daniel.



2 hours came and went.



It was time to leave. Justine and Maid EV posed for some photos.

Maid EV (left) and Justine

Here's Maid EV with the both of you. Your family had just come back from celebrating Justine's 2 year old birthday. :D You were one year then. :D

This photo was taken earlier during the week. Mom was talking to Dad about You at the time ... but can't remember about what now ... and suddenly she found this vehicle in front of us. Dad saw it too.



Mom had said excitedly, "Omg ... DAN 8511 ... You see? I just mentioned his name, and he appears telling me, Call Me, Ma ..."



8511 is your mother's last 4 digits in her handphone number.



Gosh, what are the chances?

The time was 4:09 pm.



Decode : 4



You were probably waiting to tell Mom about Maid EV, weren't You, Son? :D



Yeah, You so were ...


 
Talk to You tomorrow, Son. Need to prepare some work now.



Nite Son, be good.

Call 481 : 42nd MONTH

Hello Son, 

Thinking about You and missing You very much on your 42nd month today with JESUS and MAMA MARY somewhere over the rainbow. <3

We met up with your first maid EV yesterday for lunch. She took care of you since You were born. Will have to tell You about it in a bit. 

Thank You Son for always reminding Mom that You're right beside her.

All the time. <3

Gotta go now. Lids are heavy.

Nite Nite, Son ... talk to You tomorrow.
 

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

video clips

Call 480 : KARATE KID

Hello Son,



Today is Sunday. 



We're lazying in the living room. 


 
Mom's put on a DVD. Dad bought a whole bunch of DVDs two weeks ago on his trip outstation. 

Fast forward ...



The story ended with these words :


 
Character 1 : He says that your son is there with him ... and he is looking forward to be with his mommy when the time comes.


(choke ...)


Character 2 : Please tell Jacob (the son) that not a minute goes by every day that I'm not thinking about him. Tell him his mommy loves him very much.



Those may not be the EXACT words ... but they're as much as your mother can remember. The moment the words were uttered, your mother's vision blurred. Justine was with her. We were hugging each other. 



Dad was with us too. 



Mom repeated, "You heard that? My son is waiting for me to join him when the time comes ..."



Sniff ...



Mom turned to Justine, "Yesterday one message ... today another one ... TWO messages ... both right at the end of the movie ... Don't you think ...?"



Your sister nodded ... and nodded ... and nodded.



Yeah ... Yesterday ...



Yesterday, Justine and Mom were watching another DVD.

Dad was in Singapore. 



It was a Saturday afternoon.




O.O



Fast forward ...



That Safe Haven movie ended with the words : 



... hope that ... somehow I'm there with all of you ... watching over all of you ...



Pause ...




 

Did You hear that?



Good Lord. 



Seriously?



A lump appeared in your mother's throat.



Before long, she and your sister were sobbing away ...



In the middle of all those tears, Mom said, "Daniel is sitting right there (pointing to the sofa opposite Mom and Jus) and he's shaking his head, going tsk tsk tsk, aiyoh yall ah ..."



That made us laughed.



We got your messages, Daniel ... :D



You certainly are watching over all of us.



In fact, everywhere we are, there You'll be ...



All the time ...



This Sunday afternoon, after church, we were at this mall ... a mall that we hardly go to ... maybe twice a year kind of thing ... 




When we walked in, Dad said, "You were meant to come here today ..." as he pointed to a large poster with the HAND SIGN that You used to show.

The I LOVE YOU hand sign ...



:D


 
Dad brought Mom to a book store where all the books were on very good sale. 



Mom went berserk ... picking up one book after another, till she could pick no more, before bringing them all to the payment counter. Whilst she was watching the girl scanning the price in, she suddenly noted this poster right before her eyes :

You must have seen a big smile on your mother's face. 



She turned to Dad and Justine, mouthing the words JACK DANIELs, as she pointed to the poster.



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



Oh, by the way, she bought 34 books.



Children's books.



All very very lovely ... and so very very cheap.



On Friday 12, as she was driving back to school in the evening, this taxi appeared in front of her.

 

Of course she saw it ...



421 ...



Decode : 24 / 21



Your date of arrival and departure.



That's a clear : Hi Ma, I'm right here ... :D



She had to smile.



You just have a way of zapping your mother, Daniel.



That's good ...



That's really good. She must be reminded constantly that her son is near ...



That same evening, as Dad and Mom were in the car driving home from school, GLORY OF LOVE came on the radio. 



The time was 7:51 pm 



Decode : 4



ZAP ZAP ZAP



Mom said excitedly, "Glory of Love ... Oh gosh ... Today, we had such a great Wong Fei Hong practice ... You see? He knows ... He knows ..."



Dad repeated, confused, "Glory of Love?"



Mom replied impatiently, "Yeah, Karate Kid ... Daniel-Son ..."



Dad was like, "Ohhhh ..."



It takes about 5 minutes to reach home. Yet, in that brief time, we heard the zap song from beginning to end. 



Meant to be.

 GLORY OF LOVE

Peter Cetera

 



Thanks Son ... for always watching over us and being with us ... <3



We miss You so very much ... and yeah, we too look forward to being reunited when the time comes.

Call 479 : MALAY SPEECH

Hello Son, 



This morning, on the way to school ... it was raining. Dad went to get the car before driving to the lobby.



Mom hopped in.



The maid got in.



We drove out of the condo.



The radio was on.



The radio host was talking ... talking ... talking ...



And then all of a sudden, quite unexpectedly ...

IF I DIE YOUNG ...

Bury me in satin ...

IF I DiE YOUNG

 the band perry

Omg ... IF I DIE YOUNG ... burst forth like - like - the morning glory ... and filled your mother's senses. She felt light headed immediately. :D



Aiyoh Ma ... tsk tsk tsk ... 



Mom's eyes shot to the time, and she pointed to Dad, "It's 653 ... that's 14 ..."



Smile ...



A triumphant smile ...



ZAP ZAP ZAP ...



You never fail to amaze us, Son, day after day after day ... with all the little zaps and signs.



So anyway, the day in school passed by quickly. 



Mom went back to the condo in the afternoon.



It's the children's nap time.



She went back to school about 4:30 pm.



Turning out of Taman Desa, there was a car with the number plate 3241 that appeared before us.

Mom pointed excitedly, "Aww ... look 1234 ..." and to the time that showed 4:41 pm ...



Smile ... All her favourite numbers are staring back at her. It was awesome.



Your song ... 



There's only 1 way, 2 say, those 3 words, 4 You-uuu ... I Love You ...



(Her phone rang as she was high lighting number 2 ...)

Allow 10 minutes to lapse here ...



Gosh, would You believe it? That's her friend, TZ.


Mom has been tyring to get in touch with her friend to ask her to look over her graduation speech that she would be writing in malay.



Her friend said, "I lost my phone, and your number, but you know what? I can remember your number ..."



Oh boy. Out of the blue, her friend calls her? It's been more than a year ...



You must have whispered to Aunt TZ. You must have. Mom has been delaying writing the Malay speech for the past 2 weeks, (mind you, the English and the Mandarin speeches are ready) but this morning ... yes, this morning, she told the Year 6 teacher, "I haven't done it yet, I've got all the samples ... I'll try to do it tonight ..."



And her friend called the same day?



Omg ... What a coinciDANS ...



Aunt TZ says she will be waiting for your mother's call to have a look at the speeches.



Thanks Son ... You definitely have a hand in this.



That's for sure.



Oh boy, Mom just scrolled down her memo and caught sight of another 441.



4:41 pm ...


Saturday, July 6 : 
 
4:41 pm - at Popular Bookstore Ikano, looking through BM books for Ucapan samples ... song ARMS OF AN ANGEL came on the speakers. 



Oh my gosh ... 



Seriously?



Do You see the connection?



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



Thank You, Son ... <3

Call 478 : HIGH BATTERY

Hello Son,


Sunday, July 7

This morning, your family were in church. 



Dad, Mom, Justine, Aunty C and Baby Megan. 



When Mass was over, Dad hurried to get the car. We double-parked by the side of the road. Mom was following Dad ... but reaching the church gate, she found herself turning around ... to look for your sister and aunt with the baby ... just to see the back of a boy wearing a tee shirt with a big number 4. 



He was walking away ... but that number 4 was a loud holler from heaven. 



Hi Ma ... :D



Mom knows.



Mom heard.



Mom smiled.



Nobody's gonna understand that.



But never mind. She gets all your secret signs and zaps, Son. God meant for it to be this way. The bond between a mother a child can never be severed. What's a little distance between heaven and earth that God cannot link?



So anyway, Mom tried to get a snapshot ... for her eviDANS ... but couldn't. There were just too many people. However, she did get to Justine and made her turn to see the number 4.



Justine saw.



Good. A witness. :D



That tee shirt inciDAN instantly reminded your mother about a previous tee shirt zap that happened the Sunday before. Your sister was getting out of the car then, and Mom happened to see the words on the back of your sister's tee shirt. 



Mom had read : I'm gonna keep dancing till the world ends.



What a strange line, she had thought then ... till the world ends ...



Mom has seen your sister's tee shirt before. 



So anyway, she didn't pay much attention to it until ...
 

Omg ... seriously???



The moment we all stood up, she saw.



ZAP ZAP ZAP ...


 
That was You taking a lil peek at your mother through the clouds. 



She could feel it. 



Mom had nudged Dad to take a look at the DAN. Honestly, what are the chances? The position, the angle, the moment ... it was too perfect.



Angel perfect.



On Saturday, the day before, Mom was at the hairdresser. 



Whilst her hair was being washed, she was casually flipping through a magazine ... and came abruptly to this page. It was this line that zapped her.

I am connecting with my son ... 



Yeah, and checking that he's okay ...



When Mom was done, she called Dad. 



Whilst Dad was on his way to get her, Mom walked over to a nearby cafe.



She sat down and ordered a drink.



As You know, your mother would always call for milk tea kurang manis. 



However, that day, she ordered a barley lime. At the same time, she asked for the bill. 



Her drink came ... with the bill.

Mom looked and a smile spread across her face. You must have whispered to her. When was the last time your mother called for a drink and asked for the bill at the same time?



That was never happened before.



Decode : 24



It's so easy. Her son wanted her to know that he was (is) with her whilst she was alone sipping barley lime waiting for Dad. 



She wasn't alone. :D He wanted to remind her.



Smile. 



Thank You, Son. 




Dad arrived in about 20 minutes or so. We were going to IKEA next. Mom needed to get some stuff for the school.


 
Something incredible was about to happen.



We were about to reach the toll. Dad took out the touch & go (smart tag) gadget. About the same time, a white car with the number plate 21 appeared in front of us. 



Mom pointed it out to Dad, "Just now, 24 ... now 21 ... "



Then, your father exclaimed.



Mom turned to Dad and was like, "What? Why? What?"



Dad showed Mom the gadget ...

This actually showed 40.40.  The balance left in the smart tag card. The photo above only shows 0.40.



Just as your mother was sighing and going, "Aww Son ..." she saw the word Hi next.

Omg, your mother exclaimed in disbelief.



Dad said with a broad smile, "Son is saying, Hi Ma ... "



Mom was like, "But how? Why is there a HI there?"



Dad said, "High battery ..."



Pause ...



High battery ...



Oh -- my -- Lord ... 



Seriously?



ZAP ZAP ZAP ...



That was totally amazing.



Everywhere we are, there You'll be ...