Rendezvous
26 August 07 : 11.19 PM
This morning, my two sisters, j5 and baby Laurel went to Bangkok to meet my mom who was on transit from Johannesburg. I am sad, and I don't know exactly why. Not because I feel like I'm missing out on all the shopping and donuts. I figured shopping exclusively at the nursing section is not my cup of tea anyway. I woke up at 5am, earlier than the travelers, woke them up. I brought Ann to my room and helped her get changed. I hugged Laurel extra tight and she squirmed a little but she didn't wake up. Mornings in my house is bit unusual. It's quiet and we're all a little stoned, and nobody is ever used to that (except for Wilson, maybe).
I didn't want to see them pack their stuff and go. Danii stayed over, so I could wiggle into his arms. I fell asleep shortly after, but woke up at 6, frantic like I lost something. It is brighter now, so I'm okay.
On a slightly different topic, I watched 881 on Saturday at Harbourfront, and I liked it tremendously. Kim watched it and hated it, so I'm inclined to think that I should enter the theatre with an open-mind and temporarily suspended judgment. However, there are a lot of reasons to like it if you are a Singaporean at heart. The use of colloquial Singlish comes across endearing and not exaggerated. Royston has observed and recreated in his film the little bits and pieces of everyday life that make us Singaporean. Royston also (or whoever manages the cast) brought together a cast that is charming and unpretentious. Whatever it is, cinematography is strictly his, no doubt about it.
The movie made me remember some of the things from when I was younger. Some things that I would never forget, but otherwise never care to remember. I laughed out loud at the part where one of the lead actresses while on stage and before she started to sing, said, "Will the owner of car number SBX8341Z please move your vehicle..." because I remember that. Such detail! They were always asking someone or another to move their vehicle because they were blocking the way. There were getai dinners that my parents and their staff were invited to and were expected to auction for something over-priced and gaudy just because they were invited and given good seats. I hated those dinners. Shark's Fin soup was at best average, it would be exceedingly humid, the show was draggy and flies hover about the table. Abalone is not even part of the 10-course dinner! Loud Hokkien music, enthusiastic compères, sulky waitresses with tattooed eyebrows and flashy light shows that never die.
Those dinners would last past 11pm, and I never knew why we could never leave earlier. On the way home, it would be quiet. Falling asleep in the backseat, and we'd always be home too soon.