It was a typical humid tropical Sunday evening, the sun was setting and mosquitoes were starting to come out of hiding. Yes, yes, the itchiness and the high humidity could have killed your average Caucasian man. She sat by the coffee table, daydreaming when he suddenly asked her to be his girl-friend. Caught of guard, she was undeniably speechless. The old cogs started to whirl into action, was that a dash she heard? She pressed on, just to be certain. He repeated.Let us rewind the story back couple of years ago...
She saw him walk through the door, her first impression was that he looked rather fine. However, she was such a bundle of nerves having to face those horrible trials and white-wigged judges in heavy black robes that she couldn't be bothered to take a second glance. Several months later after some queer chance of her meeting him, he told her that he liked her but he was not interested in any of those couple blasphemy. Sure enough she knew she liked him too, unbelievably him but nevertheless she prayed and hoped that he would change his mind one day.
Now, back to where I left the story...
She felt crestfallen. All this while she had been hoping and all he wanted was that? It seemed as if her prayers were not answered or maybe he was just simply very dim? After a long-winded conversation of asking her to be his girl-friend, he finally removed the dash. Too angry to be anywhere close to joyful, she grumpily agreed, thinking what a prat he was. At that moment, the thought of driving a butter knife through his head seemed almost tempting. But she ruled out murder.
Sure enough there were ups and downs and she had screwed up countless of times but she still felt that the whole thing was worth it and that he was worth it. Late one night in the freezing cold of her tiled room, she sat down and gave it all a good thought. Yes, she did love him a lot, both as a very good friend and more than that. God was gracious. Though she prayed that there was more to it. She didn't need or want those scathingly insensible public displays of affection, she wanted to be acknowledged as a friend whenever he was around.
Then again, any friend or family would be sure to wonder why do they not speak to each other. Yes, they do not speak at all around each other as strange as it may seem, the most was perhaps two sentences each. It puzzled many but did many have the answer? Many have asked why but returned without an answer. She would sometimes strike up silly little small "talks" but there was rarely any response. The chances of him responding were perhaps, as good as the odds of a toilet bowl giggling or doing the tap dance.
Yes, it was that old Chinese lady I first knew seventeen years ago at the Sarikei that I am talking about. She never finished telling me the story about what happened next, whether did he finally speak to her or kept silent for the rest of the years. I wonder.