Renuion

The Eve Of Lunar New Year.

In a few hours, I'll be down at TanglinHalt. Breathing in the smell of deep-frying, medicated oil and the musty scent that always linger around old apartments and yellowed novels.

Little tots will be running around, brandishing toy guns that emit beeps that are too loud, making manuvering around the already cramped space an ardous task, requring the swiftness and agility of a ballerina. Bored adolescents like me will be lounging around, mp3 earphones plugged into ears, blissfully oblivious to the croonings of the adults when a newborn baby is in the vicinity. All of us wishing, to be downing absolut vodka or ketel one instead of the bright yellow Yeo's packaged drink we were handed, while our fingers skilfully texting messages to fellow bored friends at their respective renuion dinners.

Or at least, I will be.

Fake-Gucci bags toting, velvet pants clad aunties will be conversing cheerily with (real) Hermes bags toting, Chanel clad wives/mothers. Age barrier regardless, there will always be topics woman can talk about. Like how the Singapore Sale is coming soon, ( regardless how the auntie will be snatching capris in John Little while the Career women will be waited hand and foot at the Paragon. ) and how so and so celebrity has slimmed so suspiciously fast while another had gained a disgraceful amount of weight. And so on and on...

While the men would be at the other corner, talking about the latest gadget in techonology and sleek fast cars, when all of the middle-aged fathers drive a Toyota or a Honda, while the new fathers and husbands are in proud possession of the latest Renault or Peugeot. Than on to the political side, as the male gender get all revved up talking about the Grand Election and The NKF saga, Self-righteous opinions and Holier-than-thou demeanour would start to show. However, in conclusion, all the males would nod their balding heads and agree PAP is still the best, because they painted their HDB blocks for free and allowed the Crazy Horse to perform in Singapore. Being males, they would not have the stamina we females have for gossiping, and would gradually recede into newspapers and the 7'oclock movie showing on Channel 5.


Its lovely to see how people of so different backgrounds can still get along so fabulously well.
Ah well, Family will always be family. In-laws or otherwise.
It was always the same, year after year. It was an annual routine, the topics hardly diverting to another other, the food hardly changing.
However, I look forward to every year's, the same routine, the same food, the same people. What with all the horrors happening in other parts of the world, it was deeply assuaging to know that some things never change, and will always provide the same comfort, the same safety. You ask for excitement in life, yes, but one needs stability too.

Once dinner was over, everyone would settle back, carnal appetities satiated, but for the woman, the hunger for more scandal and gossip would be growling, as they resumed from where they had left off.

Both men and children will be mesmerized by movies playing on telelvison, conversations were unnecessary. When the credits finally roll, the older will gradually nod off, the aftermath of the heavy dinner taking its toll, while the younger played java games on their parents phones, furiously jabbing keys, the competitive level rising.


Us bored angsty teens? Still wishing for the Absolut and Ketel one, while effortlessly texting messages across Singapore.
(:


Happy chinese new year, everyone.