A message in a handphone

The nokia 3500 has served its master well, but the master...haih mou ngan tai. The master flung the handphone and it fell hard to the ground. The nokia 3500 can still speak but has lost vision.

"Gary we going to Cheong Foh to eat, then we go Centrepoint (Klang's, and a complex flooded and mini handphone shops) to repair your phone."

"Oh."

"We go to your schoolmate's shop la, that Chee, Chee, Chee, dunno what Chee already." (sounds so wrong in Hokkien)

"Chee Wei."

"Hes the boss of the shop adi now (in Chinese). HEHEHEHEHEHE (sharp laughter)"

"Huh boss adi ah? Thought the last time you guys went there hes just an employee?"

"Ya la he is, maybe promoted already, I don't know."

So my family went to eat at the kopitiam, and then we walked to Centrepoint. On the way, we passed by a handphone shop. I went in to ask how much is it to repair my poor nokia 3500's LCD screen, and that guy said more than 100, but he will only charge me 100 (pathetically lousy technique).

Anyway, we decided to walk to CP to see my old high school friend. He used to call me uncle last time, due to the fact that his young aunty is married to my old cousin (relatively). As i was going down the escalator, he saw me from afar with a surprise and a pleasant smile on his face, his hand waving to me. I smiled back.

"Yo, long time no see."

"Ya, how are you ah?"

"Good good, i am fine thank you. How much ah to repair my phone LCD?" (didnt strike me at that time, but now i feel guilty for not asking back how are you)

"Err wait ah, i call and ask first."

(Phone call)

"Eh lau peh, nokia sa gor kong kong eh LCD lua jue ah? Ka pi le, si wa eh beng yu. (Eh father, nokia 3500 LCD how much? Cheaper can ah, its my friend.)"

And now all the guilt struck me. Back at high school i remember, i wasnt really close to him. In fact, i didnt really like him. He borrows money and does not return. He took the next card from the deck during a blackjack game, in which the opponent will lose, and will have to pay me RM4 (5 cards pecah double), but it was because HE took it, the opponent defaulted it. Many small things in which he did, i disliked. BUT, he always showed me respect, he always talked nicely to me, and most importantly, he always treated me as a FRIEND. Now that i am older and i know how to think more rationally, i wondered why did my old me chose to only consider his small imperfections. Its not like i didnt know about his good traits. Even until now, he treats me as a friend, willing to ask for a discount for me, when i was at the back debating with my father whether he said Lau Peh (father) or Lau Eh (old one). What was i thinking...

"RM 60 loh Gary." (wah lau so much cheaper)

"Hmmm... Eh this phone looks not bad, how much ah? (Lol look at me, ppl offering me such a cheap price and i am still trying to act cool and trying to divert the fact that i know its damn cheap)"

"RM 400. This phone got three colours." (Arranging the phones together, still waiting for answer)

"RM 60 ah, ok lah. Must wait how long?"

"2 hours loh. Must send to the technician upstairs."

"Ok la later i come back."

Next scene happened 4 hrs later.

"Hey."

"Hello."

"My phone ok adi ah?"

"Err, errr (a bit of guilt over his face), five minutes can ah?"

"Oh can can, no problem."

...Short pause which lasted almost forever...Then he started the conversation.

"You still remember who is Chin Aik ah?"

"Ya, why?"

"He ran to Thailand adi."

"HAAR? Why?"

"Got one night right, he went clubbing. You know ma, clubbing sure drunk one. So that time he driving back with his Vios with his friend, then kena accident drop into long kang. The long kang not so deep la, but his friend died. So he have to run away loh, from the police."

"Wo....."

Then the conversation lasted for the wait. I kept wondering why was it so hard for me to start a conversation with an old friend. Surely there should be many things you would wanna catch up on. But no, i couldnt. It was he who started the conversation. Maybe because i didnt treat him as a friend. Man, the guilt...

"Lau Peh, 3500 ho liao ber? (father, 3500 ok adi or not?) (Ha Ha confirm its his father liao.) Gary your phone ok adi, i go up and take."

I paid him RM 60, said thanks, and said goodbye. He stopped me and asked me for my phone number. Man! The guilt again! Why didnt i ask for his? Why was it he who asked me instead? Do i still not treat him as a friend? What was i thinking!@#$%&*?

After that i went for dinner with my family, and after dinner, i saw an amazing thing. A young boy hardly even standard six, performing magic. Sure, impressive...initially. After the magic trick, the father said "Want to learn? Pay money." What? We even have child labour in Malaysia? What a pathetic society we live in. Father abusing his son for cheap stuffs like this. At least now i know.

Today has been a fruitful day.