In Continuum.

It's strange how things work at times, the way they never do when you try you very hardest. I've been trying to get people together for the past two weeks, and somehow things failed to materialize for one reason or another. I suppose I can safely say to Kerri that I understand how she feels at this point, being stuck in Singapore after three trips overseas being canceled. Bangkok was a brilliant idea, Taiwan wasn't too bad, I'm not a fan of Kuala Lumpur but it's still a reason to cross the borders of Singapore to do some reckless shopping. Nonetheless, the people who are stuck in Singapore at this point should band together and combat our boredom together as an united whole. We should hang out even if it is just going to be sitting in somebody's bedroom and talking about how dreadful the weather is these days, the point is to be there for one another because boredom can really get to you, can't it? The way it takes the life out of you and put unnecessary thoughts into your head, it can be life-threatening. 

So the spontaneous meeting this evening turned out really well, and my craving for Bakerzin was somehow satisfied. Before the dinner, however, I had to make a trip to Serangoon Gardens to run some errands, and that took quite a bit of time before I was on my way to town all over again. I almost forgot how good it feels to travel alone at times, the way you survey your surroundings with the music in your head. Everything feels like a scene from a movie somehow, and you are just being brought from scene to scene with every change of songs in your ears. Music can really alter one's emotional state in any given situation I feel, even if it is just a bunch of people staring idly at each other on a public transport. The same can be said as I made my way from the MRT station to Wheelock's, and from there to meet Jeannie at the place where she was having her piano lessons. Speaking of that, there is an urge for me to get a piano in the house somehow, despite not having the motivation to learn it professionally from an instructor. I suppose I have a natural talent in making something out of nothing, despite being completely unable to play the piano, whatsoever. I shall put that on one of my stickies.

I was early and Jeannie was late, there was a lot of time to kill and I needed my weekly fix of coffee somehow. The order was made, my name was asked for at the counter. The ten dollar note was passed over the cash register, and I was directed to the left hand side of the counter to collect my drink in a minute's time. Mocha ice-blend on a scorching hot afternoon like this one, I suppose it doesn't get any better than that. A girl was behind me in the queue, she was search for change in her wallet and her hair covered half her face while she did so. I think I recognized her from my school four years ago, she didn't look all that different from the last time I spotted her at the senior prom - the same prom that bombed. Of course, I didn't bother to make my presence known, and she was obviously too pre-occupied with the missing coins anyway. Not a lot of people knew who I was, let alone remember who I was. I think her name is Joanne or Joanna, or maybe even Joan, any permutations of the same letters may be a possibility in fact. In her mind, however, I was probably a person that existed without a name, the way most of the people back in those days in school exists without a name to me now, just a face. Just a face.

I had a cup full of crushed ice blended with mocha and milk, a series of comic books I bought for a certain someone as birthday present, a pocket full of change and fifteen minutes to spare. It was at the stone benches by the side of the sidewalk where I decided to spend the rest of the time before six, and perhaps do a bit of people watching at the very same time. There's that pair of caucasian girls sitting on the steps with their drinks, talking under their breaths and then laughing to themselves hysterically. That poor guy is trying to stop people in their tracks to do a quick survey, only to be pushed away by their wordless rejections. There's Felicia, and Felicia's boyfriend. I think his name is Alvin, he always reminds me of my friend in Taiwan somehow, only with smaller eyes and more skills on the guitar and skateboard. Felicia's newly dyed hair matched her green and black striped top, but they didn't notice me sitting there at all. I tried to catch their attention, but they were apparently too engrossed in each other. They passed by me, along with a dozen others, and then I was left alone to kill the rest of the fifteen minutes away. 

I scrambled to my feet, beat my palms furiously on the back of my pants and looked as if I had my pants on fire somehow. There was an ant trail that led up from the other side of the bench all the way to this side where I was sitting. Apparently I wasn't alluring enough for them though, they bypassed me and went straight for the cup of overturned Starbucks coffee that laid on its side next to my feet that must have been left there by somebody else only hours ago. I can see now, the way the black ants swarmed over the cup like pepper over the cream of mushroom, or freckles on the face of a girl with red hair. They were all over that cup, so much so that I felt sorry for it. I pictured the cup being dragged back by the army of ants into their hive, bypassing me along the way and then going home with their greatest catch of all. Somehow, right then, I thought about how everybody has gone overseas for their summer holidays now. There is nothing wrong being here in Singapore, but it never feels good to be the one wishing others a "bon voyage" or be the one left behind. It's nice to be the one leaving at times, especially when you know that you are living a place that you live a life in. Now that everybody is gone, you can't help but eat the dust that has clouded the air before your eyes.

At two in the morning, the internet becomes a rather lonely place these days. All the people that used to be online at that time, weren't. I know of one of them in Japan right now, another guy went to Europe, someone is all the way in Bali right now, another friend of mine went all the way to China, and a whole group of people went to Kuala Lumpur for their shopping trip. They must be having a blast now, I thought to myself, swarming over the cities like hungry ants over a cup from Starbucks. There is an urge to be a part of a great traveling group, to go to places that you have never been to, before the school begins all over again in eleven days' time. Still, the inertia is great and there are more reasons to leave than there are reason to leave. It's a dilemma that I constantly fight when the boredom overwhelms, and what what did I tell you about boredom a few paragraphs ago? There are times when everybody gets left behind, when everybody gets bypassed like the way the army of ants did to me on the bench. I suppose everybody gets their chances sooner or later, and you just got to be as self-sustained as possible in this period of time. To make do with what you have, to get over what you have not. Well, what I have at five minutes before six o'clock were two friends who were willing to bring me out of my state of boredom, two friends who were also hungry for some good food. 

Jeannie came to meet me at the bench then, looking especially pretty today with that black and grey top that I do admire very much when she wears it. We made our way through the bustling crowd to Paragon where we met April for dinner. The dinner was awesome, my spaghetti with meatballs was as good as the last time I had it. Curse the ice-blended mocha, curse the late lunch that I had only hours before. I was perhaps the only person at Bakerzin yesterday night that went away without any dessert in my bod. But it was still fulfilling, and even more so with the company of great friends and great laughs. We brainstormed about the places to go next, it was still early and the night was still young. I felt like trying my hands on air hockey again, I wanted to play against people whom I know are not going to cheat like, well, you know who you are. So we battled it out at Cineleisure afterwards, making a stop at the DDR machines where the ladies made a fool out of themselves, all caught on video at that. It's not like I didn't give a shot at making a fool out of myself in the end, but at least I redeemed myself with Daytona soon afterwards. I guess when you are that good at driving real cars, you just can't put yourself in virtual reality, now can you?

It seemed like a great day to do everything stupid and unglamorous. It was my idea for the ladies to try out on the DDR machines, but another matter altogether when one of them suggested for us to take neoprints together. Funny thing was, the last time I was forced to take neoprint was also with the same person that suggested it - Jeannie Yong, in Taiwan where she got so excited that she spoke to the Taiwanese shopkeeper in English. Anyway, so we made our way into the bright pink shop where the ladies had a hard time choosing the machine - which I thought looked the same from every possible angle. It was settled on that bright machine with the green seats in it, and a series of cam-whoring ensued behind those plastic curtains. It was back to high school all over again, back to those days when nothing mattered, and everything we did was stupid and fun at the very same time. It felt great, to know that there are people you know around you, willing to engage in something out of the ordinary with you. The pictures turned out beautiful despite my face single-handedly spoiling all over them. It was still great fun anyway, and the night ended only too fast and too young. 

It does feel bad to be the one saying goodbye, but I guess it gives us a chance for the people left behind to do something, well, memorable. It was an ordinary night out with my friends, but I guess that is what makes it a lot more enjoyable. At least it beats staying at home and being constantly haunted by the electric drills above our heads. Besides, our grades were served through the UB website and we checked them out at the Apple store at Cineleisure. It turned out good on my part, and that I guess was the perfect full stop for the night. Anyway, I guess I couldn't have asked for more from the two great ladies of my life, and thank you guys for letting me feel less of a person bypassed and more as a person loved by the ones left behind.