Why are we always trying to pose for the best posture for the camera, when we know that we can never change reality?

Why do we always thank the cashier who passes us our change in the supermarket, the taxi driver who provided us a route to quick journey, and yet always forgetting to thank the person who is always next to us, waiting for our acknowledgements?

Maybe it's not how the world looks at you, but how you look at the world.


-xx-


We watched "The Sixth Sense". Everyone, except Chew Ling, had watched it before, but after Chew Ling insisted on watching this award-winning movie, we chartered to her request and before the start of the film, we began to give spoilers.

An hour later, at eleven, my father came back, his tie rounding his neck like a scarf. He almost thought that he had gotten into the wrong house until he saw me sitting between Pat and Sian Min.

"Wow, a gathering. Nice." he said and locked the door. "Let me see." he started to count us with his finger. "Seven of you. My car can only sit four, but if you don't mind squeezing and if you don't mind me speeding away from the Traffic Police, stay till as long as you want. I'm not sleeping tonight as there's a UEFA Champions League match, so I can fetch you teenagers home." He moved towards Chew Ling and tapped her head like a little girl. "You're so small, I think you can fit into the boot. Which primary school are you in?"

Chew Ling smiled at my father and thanked him. When he was in the bathroom, Chew Ling crawled towards me and said, "Your father is a good man."

I just nodded, dismissed what she commented as polite. Chew Ling draped her elbow beside me and muttered, "The UEFA Champions League ended last month. There's no English Premier League match, or any Spanish La Lagi match tonight. Basically, there's not a single football match tonight. Maybe softball or netball, but definitely no soccer."


Many things we do are unconsciously supported by our parents, no matter how insignificant their contribution is, they are the ones that are constantly shaping our lives to ensure that we do not live a life full of regrets, to enhance the joy we have in living a non-perfect, however blissful life that keeps the smile on our face, not plastered, not glued, but as though it's a part of our facial features.


-xx-


"I cannot laugh."

"Why?"

"When I was in Primary Three, I laughed and went to the hospital. I thought it was just asthma then. Then, a few days later, I laughed and felt breathless again. In the end, I tried not to laugh. My mother was very sad. She said, 'how can a person not laugh in her life?'. I told her it can be done.

"I told her I cannot laugh,but I can smile. So I keep on smiling. My Primary School classmates all called me 'Smiley Face'."



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