Hello Son,
It's 7:54 am on Sunday morning.
Mom has made a nice cuppa hot tea with heavy cream.
Yeah, we are using heavy cream now,
instead of evaporated milk.
No sugar.
Normally Mom would add a half teaspoon of sugar,
for a teeny, weeny little bit of sweetness. You gotta have some
sweetness in your life, right?
Ah, but all that's changing.
Dad and Mom have decided to go on KETO ...
Yeap, you heard right.
Pause.
What's that? (ears to the monitor)
Pause again.
No, no ... not like before.
This time - it's like - like ...
Um, like seriously.
Wait ...
Are -- you -- sniggering?
Is that the sound your mother is hearing?
(Mom's ears are pressed closer to the monitor)
If you must know ...
Since you would seen how your parents went in and out
of their KETO diet, like a comic book gone out of control.
Why, their best effort only lasted one week ... which Mom
is reluctantly agreeing with you, is not that impressive.
So anyway, we will tell you the REAL reason why we are
on KETO in a bit ... because we can't right not,
as it involves a 3rd party ... and this 3rd party has no clue yet.
Anyway, it's good to take care of what we are putting into our bodies.
At your parents' age, if we continue to eat like there's no tomorrow,
we would eventually find it difficult to hide all our uh, unsightly bulges.
Sigh.
And you know your family ...
We are so good at taking every little reason to call for a medium-sized
to BIG celebration.
Double sigh.
Overdoing takes no effort at all.
It just comes naturally to us.
Oh well ... Mom's going off topic.
Let's take short break to lament a bit more here.
Quietly - to ourselves.
So yesterday, Saturday August 6th,
something incredible happened.
Early in the morning, Mom was up.
Possibly around 7:15 am.
Mom made herself a cup of tea ...
yeah yeah, with the thickened cream ...
KETO remember, we are on it already,
and plonked herself in front of the telly.
Dad would be sleeping in.
It's the weekend.
Your father's weekly self-treat,
that cost your parents nothing.
Hahaha.
Morning Son, you would have heard your mother
said aloud in the living room.
Her usual greeting.
Mom took the remote and turned on the television.
"Watch a movie with Mom, Son ..."
Mom said casually as she checked out the screen before her.
The last show Mom watched the night before was on PRIME:
"Okay Son ... so what shall we watch today?
Is there a nice movie on? We have 2 to 3 uninterrupted
hours to watch a nice movie together ..." Mom continued aloud.
Mom moved the cursor to the next movie on the right
of Two and a Half Men, and saw :
She stopped to read.
Thirteen Lives is on PRIME?
Sure, Mom remembers the news of the
12 Thai boys and their coach who were stranded
in a cave and were later rescued, some years back.
She did not follow the story - like obsessively -
but she was aware of this story.
Her Son did not have to convince her to watch the movie.
The sign is clearly there for her.
Watch this, Ma ...
Thirteen lives.
13
That's secret code number 4.
12 boys and their coach.
Why, secret code number 21.
This show is screaming for Mom to watch.
So Mom clicked on that movie.
Fast - forward ...
Mom was glued to the telly screen for 150 minutes.
The last show she had watched that deserved her full
attention was ELVIS, which she watched at the cinema.
The Thirteen Lives ...
Omg ...
was gripping, engaging, moving, emotional and
totally, totally incredible.
Towards the end of the movie, there was the
SpongeBob cake.
OMG.
Was that a sign or what?
Mom said to herself, "Wow, looks like you were really
watching that movie with Mom, Son ..."
That's your SpongeBob on the top of your book shelf in your room.
As the credentials rolled up, Mom exclaimed loudly when she saw
RON HOWARD's name.
RON HOWARD???
OMG.
No wonder the movie is awesome.
It's a RON HOWARD's movie!
Forgive Mom for not knowing that right from the start.
She had not been following any of the publicity or
advertisement on this movie.
Mom went to the bedroom.
Dad was still asleep.
It was time for Dad to wake up.
Mom told Dad, "I just watched a really good movie ...
Thirteen Lives ... OMG, it was so good ... You remember
the story of the Thai boys and the coach trapped in a cave?"
The words rushed out.
Dad was like ... yeahhh.
Mom was like, "You must watch that movie ... OMG, it's
really good!"
What else can she say to make your father rush to the telly
and watch the movie -
like - right - now?
As Mom tried to narrate, little bits and pieces, here and there,
from back to front, left to right and center of the story to Dad,
her voice kinda cracked at one point,
and soon she found herself choking back ...
all the carefully held-in emotion that had slowly surfaced
during the movie and was dangerously close at the edge ...
Gosh, whatever it was, was just spilling out like a -
a - waterfall. Right then. Yup, like the monsoon rain
in Thailand.
Dad looked at Mom, and his expression was - priceless -
to say the least. He was like - what's happening here???
Mom was a wreck - the movie had overwhelmed her for sure.
She was just not aware to what extent.
Oh boy, she was about to find out because -
here it comes ...
Mom was soon openly sobbing.
OMG, are you rolling your eyes, Daniel?
In between choking back her tears and wiping away those that were
uncontrollably falling down her cheeks, Mom found herself
trying to tell Dad about the British rescue divers and how - how -
insanely touching it was to discover there were people like that
from one part of the world, who would just put their lives on hold
to selflessly volunteer and put their own lives at risk at the same time,
just to help someone on the other side of the word,
especially someone they do not even know.
A total stranger.
That did it.
She has to watch the show again.
It was that powerful.
Dad was careful with his words.
When he finally responded, your father said, "Later."
He reminded we had an appointment at 10 am
with a property guy to see a showroom.
Grandma would be going with us.
Oh ya, Mom forgot about that.
We were soon on our way.
Dad, Mom and Grandma.
We arrived at the show house right on time at 10am.
 |
| The agent is briefing Dad and Grandma. |
During the briefing, Mom sent this text on the family chat :
 |
| Grandma at show unit |
After viewing two show units, that's all they have anyway,
we were invited to sit down and um, observe how this
agent is gonna try to close a deal with your Dad and Grandma.
Mom listened as Grandma picked a few units.
One for Grandma.
One for Aunty D.
One for Aunty C.
One for Dad and Mom.
Hahaha.
Is this better than a Ron Howard's movie?
Dad was not really keen as he said the property market is currently soft,
and the price offered right now does not reflect that.
It wasn't until Grandma wrote the above number down that caught Mom's breath.
1005
10th floor, unit number 5.
Double zeros.
Mom was instantly reminded of her earlier call to you on
Call 634 : Double Zeros
So similar to that number Mom mentioned in Call 634,
which was 5005.
This one staring back at her : 1005 ...
Why, secret code : 4
Mom smiled to herself.
Her son was clearly with them at the show room.
So anyway, it was time to go.
We politely told the guy that we would consider and get back to him.
It was about 12:30 pm then.
We would soon be driving to the next place at Sungai Long to
check out some floor tiles.
We are renovating our bathrooms and the tile shop near our place
has limited selection. So your parents have decided to check out their
headquarters.
Quite a distance away.
About 30 minutes' drive, according to waze.
As we were travelling on the highway, this car was in front of us.
98 21
Decode :
17 21
8 21
44 21
That's nobody, nobody but YOU.
Clap Clap!
Thanks Son, for making your presence felt all the time.
We reached the warehouse shortly after.
It was almost 1:45pm.
As Dad parked the car, this restaurant was right opposite the warehouse.
We decided to have our lunch first.
Yup, Dad and Mom chose KETO-friendly food.
Chuckle.
 |
| mushroom soup |
 |
| dad had Caesar's salad with grilled chicken |
 |
| chicken wings with blue cheese creamy sauce dip |
 |
| Grandma chose baked crumbly chicken. |
After lunch, we walked over to the tile warehouse,
which is opposite the restaurant as mentioned earlier.
We looked around and checked out this and thats.
 |
| too vague |
 |
| too rough |
 |
| too loud |
 |
| nice |
 |
| standard |
 |
| all white |
 |
| vanity set with mirror |
There were not many patterned tiles on display.
Nothing that really stood out.
They were okay.
Oh well.
Even then we spent about 2 hours there.
It was 3:45 pm when we left the warehouse.
As we were walking out, this Alphard was at the gateway.
Mom quickly took a snapshot.
 |
| from our car angle |
Looks like you were with us at the warehouse too, Daniel.
We were driving back on the highway.
 |
Dad was right behind this car.
2629
Decode :
4 15
4 4
You would have seen your mother smiling to herself.
You're so with us.
All of a sudden, a car from the left, tried to swerve into our lane.
Mom let out a "HEY, WATCH OUT!"
just to find this car staring at her face.
 |
9222
Decode :
15
4
So so very much with us.
Chuckle.
Mom had a really wide smile on her face, as she continued
staring at the car in front of her, when she suddenly
noticed the WYM (9222).
Pause ...
OMG ... your mother breathed slowly.
WYM ...
Did you just whisper in your mother's ears?
Unbelievable.
How do you do it, Son?
Seriously.
You can really read Mom's mind.
With You, Ma ... 4.
Omg Son ...
What a reinforcement.
Thanks Son ...
Mom knows you are always with her.
It's just so awesome when you give her the signs
so she truly knows for sure.
At home, Mom told Dad, "Let's watch the movie ..."
It was around 5 pm ... thereabouts.
Mom had to initiate, because otherwise Dad might
just tune in to his cryptocurrency videos.
Hahaha.
So the movie begins.
When Mom watched the second time,
she noticed right from the start of the movie,
the SpongeBob was already mentioned.
Oh.
Mom told Dad, "I asked Daniel to watch a movie with me.
And he sent me a SpongeBob at the beginning and at the end
of this movie."
What are the chances???
No chance.
Pure CoiniDANS.
(DANS being your nickname with your aunts and sister)
Mom could tell Dad was enjoying the show.
The Mom noticed the JASON character.
Oh. How did she miss that this morning?
JASON - your second name.
DANIEL JASON.
Do you see the SON in that name?
So clear ... that Son was watching with me,
Mom repeated to Dad.
About 2 hours into the movie, Dad got up to go to
the bathroom.
Mom pressed PAUSE.
The screen froze.
Then, Mom -- froze.
OMG.
Seriously.
Mom's eyes shot to the right side of the screen.
OMG.
OMG.
OMG.
Are you kidding her?
No way.
Mom saw the SON SON SON on the screen.
OMG, she cried out - gleefully.
Hahaha.
Good one, Son.
Then, your mother noticed the name :
Mallinson.
OMG.
Do you see what Mom saw?
She saw Ma lin son hidden in the name.
Ma, as in Mom.
lin, as in Lynn (Mom).
son, you.
Mom and you.
You and Mom.
Truly, Daniel-son, you were with Mom.
Like the whole day.
As you are every day.
It's just fantastic when Mom gets the ZAP ZAP ZAP.
Thanks Son. That was awesome, how you remind us
again and again that you are so very close and you really
know what's going on over here.
Gotta go.
Uncle C just came with lunch.
Noodles.
Oh dear, have to cheat a bit on the KETO.
Hugs & squeezes,
xoxo
Mom
ps remember to watch over Justine and keep her safe.
