Hello Son,
How amazing that You, somewhere over the rainbow, are still able to help Mom over here.
Yup, Mom knows its YOU.
Nobody, nobody but YOU. :D
All YOU.
Yes, YOU.
TWO inciDANs to make sure Mom knows You're near ...
On Friday (Dec 9) in school ...
Your mother was on the phone with an ex - staff. Among others, Mom had mentioned that she was having a challenge trying to get Mandarin teachers. She had put in an ad in the chinese papers early this week, and believe it or not, only retired men have called up, apart from one 19 year old boy.
You know right, that parents are not that comfortable with male teachers, young or old. Especially when tending to very young children. It's just the way things are ... over here at least. She's not speaking for the rest of the world. Anyway, the only female who called was 60 years old, and she was coughing and panting and she sounded so out of breath when she spoke over the phone.
Tsk Tsk Tsk ...
Yes, You definitely heard Mom's SOS call.
That (Friday) evening ...
after dinner at our favourite noodle restaurant, Mom had a casual chat with the manager of the place. Your mother wanted to find out if she could get a foreign worker to do cleaning etc in school. This coffee shop employs several foreign workers, and Mom thought perhaps she could use the same agency.
Mom did not leave her number since she goes to the restaurant often. :D In fact, if she remembers correctly, her parting words were :
"I'll come next week and check with you ..."
Mom repeats here : She DID NOT leave her number.
The next morning, on Saturday (Dec 10) ...
imagine your mother's surprise to see a text message on her cell that read :
"Labor Supply - We supply foreign workers for mini - market, hotel, restaurant etc. Fast & easy. Call etc ... "
The time of the sms was 12:34:40 am.
Decode : 14
Oh Gee Wow ...
Awesome ...
Mom was grinning from ear to ear as she showed Dad the text.
"Only last night I asked for a foreign worker, and this morning, I get an sms for supply of foreign workers. The text came in after midnight. You see the time? It's Dans. This is not from the girl in the coffee shop, because I didn't give her my number. This sms is sent by Son ..." :D
Dad didn't need much convincing. :D
We left the condo about 7:30 am.
We were meeting some company people at a hotel for breakfast.
We arrived at the hotel about 8 am.
We met.
We ate.
We had a merry time catching up. :D
Then, after breakfast, we drove them to the airport. It was about 10 am when we left the hotel.
After dropping them off, Mom said she wanted to go to IKEA to get a shelf and to check out some books at the book store at the mall there.
Dad said okay.
She was concentrating on the long road ahead of her when she suddenly caught a familiar tune that had come on the radio.
You must have seen your mother sprang forward.
Like Jack - in - the - box. :D
OMG.
Immediately, she turned up the volume like her life depended on it. The volume was turned way down low whilst our guests were in the car just now.
Would You believe it?
If I die young
Bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words
of a love song
OMG ...
Her eyes shot to the time.
The dashboard showed 11:14 am.
As she guessed.
Her 1 Am Number 4 is near.
Very near.
Possibly right beside her. She pulled out her handphone to key in the time and make a note, and saw her cell phone time showing :
11:11 am.
Decode : 4
Oh, even better. More accurate.
Confirmed.
Her Son's right beside her. :D
And who's to say he's not? Not one single soul in this whole wide world would be able to say to your mother's face, he's not. Hah!
Pause ...
Wah Ma, so ganas ah ... (aggressive)
Grin Grin Grin ...
God is faithful. God is good.
Mom showed Dad her cell,
"Look at the time. It's Son. He knows ... He knows I was telling him about the song zaps yesterday (Call 298) ..." :D
You do know ...
Yes, You do ...
You know everything now ... :D
Once again, You have the right to be silent, Daniel. Mom knows You're near. She was not even aware that the radio was on ... Honestly, she doesn't remember hearing any songs in the car, and mind You, we had been traveling for an hour from the hotel to the airport ... No, she did not hear any songs and had thought the radio was off but that song she heard?
You must have whispered to your mother. :D
Yes, You must have.
If I die young on the radio, Mom ... :D
Mystery solved.
Guilty as charged.
Case closed. :D
We arrived at the IPC mall.
Mom went straight to the bookstore. As she was checking through some primary books, and still checking checking checking an hour later, a phone call came.
Would You believe it but it was a girl asking if we had a vacancy in school. She was calling in response to your mother's ad in the chinese papers, so she definitely would know mandarin. The girl also mentioned that she has experience working in a nursery.
Too good to be true.
Mom fixed a time for her to come by the school for an interview.
The time of the call was 2:35 pm.
Decode : 244
24 your birthdate. 4, You.
It's so easy ... (your words from the hospital bed)
Double confirmation. Yes, that was easy, Son. :D Only the day before on Friday, Mom was complaining that it was difficult to get mandarin teachers, and today, she gets a phone call?
You see that? TWO phone inciDANs in response to your mother's SOS call. The foreign worker, and the mandarin teacher.
Thanks Son.
By the way, Mom has called the number of the foreign worker sms and the guy is coming over to the school next week with some biodata.
So anyway ...
Mom bought some books and paid for them at the cashier. Passing the bundle to Dad, she asked your father to take the books to the car. She wanted to spend some more time at the book store.
She didn't know why then, but she knew later.
Mom casually asked one of the shop assistants whether they sold flash card holders. She described to the girl the best she could. The girl said, "Let me take you to the stationery section and you can ask the sales people there."
Mom followed her.
The girl brought your mother to a guy, and briefly explained to him what your mother wanted. Your mother was not listening to him.
Her uh, sharp ears had caught on something else.
OMG ...
The smile on your face lets me know
that You're near me
There's a truth in your eyes saying
You'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says
You'll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best,
when You say nothing at all
Your mother looked up, and saw a speaker hanging on top of a pillar, just about 3 walking steps away from where she was standing.
OMG ...
When You Say Nothing At All, was on.
ZAP ZAP ZAP ...
The time was 2:28 pm.
Decode : 444
Could it get better than this? :D
She had not heard the song when it came on, because when she did hear, the song was already at the chorus. The girl led her right to the speaker. She was meant to hear it. OMG ...
Then, just as she'd caught the song, and heard the chorus verse, it stopped, and some announcements about Christmas promotion came on air.
OMG ... How awesome was that???
You made sure your mother at least heard that :
You say it best, when You say nothing at all
line huh. Why, she was at the spot less than a minute. Had she been a minute later, she would have missed it. Your angel timing is always perfect. Never fails to amaze your mother.
Oh Wow ...
That was really nice, Daniel ...
You would have thought that was all ???
Mom bought some more books, and asked Dad to help her with the basket. We walked to the cashier. After watching the cashier scanned in the prices, we waited patiently for the amount to appear on the till.
It took its time.
Dad was like, "How much?"
The cashier said, "Wait wait ..."
Clearly, a cranky till.
We all waited, our eyes were on the till.
Then, about 10 seconds later, the amount showed.
The cashier said, "Two hundred ringgit and forty cents."
Mom couldn't help beaming. She pointed to Dad.
"See?" She said in low tones. "24 ..."
Yes Son, it's YOU.
That SAY NOTHING song, that was from You.
Mom knows.
You're practically shopping with Mom today. :D
It was almost 6 pm when we finally left the mall.
Dad drove out of the basement parking. Soon, we were on our way home. The radio was on. All weird songs.
At one point, Dad changed the station.
Tom Jones filled the car with Green Green Grass of Home.
The time was 6:06 pm.
Yes, they'll all come to see me
Arms reaching, smiling sweetly
It's good to touch the
green green grass of home
Mom sat silently in anticipation of the spoken words that came on next.
Then I awake, and look around me
At the 4 grey walls that surround me
Oh Gawd - the Box ... And 4 ???
Call 297 : Memory Box
Do You have to remind her?
Now she feels like a plastic bag ...
Yes, they'll all come to see me
in the shade of that old oak tree
As they lay me 'neath the
green green grass of home
Her um, Einstein brains by then were working up ...
Look, correct her if she's wrong but ...
Going to the mall, we had IF I DIE YOUNG.
Coming back from the mall, let's see :
LAY ME 'NEATH THE GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME.
Do You see what she sees?
Both pointing to the same thing.
Same message.
Same person.
Yes, the zap inciDANS always come in TWOs.
So Mom would know for sure, it's from her Son.
Mom asked Dad, "Why did Tom Jones write this song? What happened for him to write this song?"
Dad said he didn't know.
Mom asked again. Dad replied he had no idea.
Mom remarked impatiently,
"You don't know? Tom Jones is during your time, right?"
Dad didn't appreciate the humour.
Huh ... Mom knows why.
It's all part of THE PLAN.
It was written just so that she could be zapped years later.
Checking out Wikipedia at the point of writing this entry, she learned that this song was not written by Tom Jones, but was made popular by him when it hit Number One in the UK Singles Charts in 1966.
1966 ...
Right ...
Okay ...
Of course, of all the years that could have been, it has to be a year that is connected to your mother.
Her birth year.
There ... there goes her "I'm always 33 ..." line. :D
Grimace. Sigh, your mother's mood was surely teetering dangerously on the brink of a uh, high cliff. At any moment, she's gonna take a dive down down down to the ...
Her train of thoughts were interrupted when the next song came on and filled her senses.
Hey There, Delilah ...
The time on the dashboard showed 6:08 pm.
Decode : 14
Her Son's reminding her that he's near. No need for any sombre mood.
Dad said quietly, "He taught me how to play this song (on the guitar..."
Pause ...
Yes Son, we remember with a tinge of sadness in our hearts how You used to pluck the guitar to this song.
We miss You ... And your nice singing voice. :(
The second verse came on.
Hey there Delilah
Don't You worry about the distance
I'm right there if You get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice, it's my disguise
I'm by your side
Boy, You really do know your Mom, don't You?
Don't worry about the distance la, Ma ...
I'm right there ...
I'm by your side ...
Her spirits lifted. She found herself looking far into the sky and offering a half-smile to the - clouds.
Yes, all the songs You used to sing at home, in the shower, in the room, in the car, in the lift ... were all part of THE PLAN. Weren't they? Of course they were. How would You zap us otherwise now?
GOD is good.
HIS PLAN is good.
Yes, HIS PLAN is good.
Okay Son, this certainly is a very long call.
Gotta go get some lunch now.
