In Continuum.

Melancholy Pte. Ltd.

That will be the name of our company,if the outlook of our careers by the time we are 25 seem rather bleak,when we failed our University life and living on our parents' hard earned money,that will be the name of our company.Of course,fingers crossed on this one.But think about it,with so many people suffering from depression,i think this is quite a lucrative business,no?

It will be simple,with a corner of an office building rented.Three computers will be all we need,plus a guitar or piano in one room,shelves of books in another,and a television in another,playing the tape titled "Learn to Tell Witty and Bold,Bitter Love-related Jokes" over and over again.That's all we'd ever need to run this company,with the power of the triangle of melancholy combined we shall rule the world of depression!

Office #1,Samantha Lim.Upon entering the room,a typical setting would be a drum set,a guitar,a bass and probably a keyboard or piano.Papers strewned all over with lyrics and notes written all over them.A small hill of crumpled paper balls piled in the corner,and in the centre of it all,Samantha sits there quiet with a guitar in hand working on her next tragic/sad/depressing/miserable song.Of course,the Kleenex on the desk are free.Feel free to use those.

Office #2,Corinna Choh.Upon entering the room,aside from the program playing over and over on the television,you will find her rummaging through the pages of dark humor themed joke books,jotting down notes and highlighting the useful materials that has the potential to make our clienteles to break down and cry,but at the same time laughing their heads off.Behind her on the wall,hands a quote from the movie "Garden State" that says,"If you can't laugh at yourself,life's gonna seem a whole lot longer than you like..."

Office #3,Myself.The computer is always turned on,with piles of books surrounding me like some sort of fortress.The titles that surround me will include "The Time Traveler's Wife","Marry Me",all the books by F.Scott Fitzgerald,"The Hours" and a hell lot more,with bookmarks sticking out of them like jozz sticks upon ashes.I will be working on the computer on the latest idea on a short story,while cursing away at the lack of inspiration,the sipping on a puffing cup of hot coffee,already turning cold.

Okay,back to reality.The above scenario is probably not going to happen anytime soon.True,that there are a lot of miserable people out there just waiting for a good dosage of depressing reading/listening material.Our clients will enter the first room for musical therapy,the second for the dosage of dark humor and then to mine,to bring home short stories that will break your heart.According to Samantha,that's the power of the triangle of melancholy.For some reason i just made the three of us sound like Planeteers,saving the planet from pollutions and stuff with Captain Planet or something.How noble,feeding off sadness and depressing in exchange for cash.

Anyway,i met up with the other two corners this morning at the Beans in front of Wheelocks.As usual Corinna gave me her signature slap-on-the-back hi while i was busy trying to figure out just what the hell Virginia Woolf was trying to say in Mrs. Dalloway.I must say,however much i'd like to tell people that i understood what i read,i dont.It was confusing,dull,and for some reason almost dream-like.I got to take my time on this one,and im probably going to leave this book to a later date after Suite Francaise,which by the way is a fantastic book.

Samantha hasnt changed over the months.I remember the last time i saw her with my cap pulled low over my face.It was the day we recieved our results in school,the last time i saw her before today.With the bald head aside,i was so sure that my results were going to tank like Titanic in the middle of my miserable Atlantic Ocean.I pulled my cap low,waited for my turn for the results and sped out of school without taking more than a peek at the pathetic results in my hand.That was the last time Samantha appeared in my life physically,and it's been so long since i saw her.

So you must understand the surprise when i saw her walking up the crossing in front of Wheelock's in 'Quicksilver' shades and funky looking necklace.She hadnt changed much,at least not dramatically.She finally pieced the words,the voice and the face together when she saw me,or so she said when she sat down and the three of us happily united.It didnt feel awkward,just old schoolmates having lunch at Han's(Which sucked)and having a great time.It was a great lunch,and i never knew about Samantha's addiction over Coke.

As usual her schedule is packed with activities.Church stuff on weekends,strangling her like ropes around neck.She left in a haste at 1+,without the trip to the Turkey restaurant,or even the intended phototaking session.But oh well,im sure we'd be able to find some time in the months to come.Or even years,who the hell knows.She sounded like so professional over the phone as she talked to the mysterious Mr. Sim about some carnival she was organising,despite of course,the bad chinese.

Thanks for the great time,and it's nice to see you again after so long.I hope the idea of visiting Iraq with the American flag around you and singing the American national anthem was taken as a joke.Because really,it was.Oh,please visit India.You have to,you ought to.It's like Mecca for the Muslims and Jerusalem for the Christians.You have to visit in once in your life,as a human being.;)

Oh,and by the way.It's BAR.Not BRA,damn it.