Release

When was the last time you found yourself in a car, speeding (@ 60kmph) down Lim Chu Kang Road with the windows down and the stereo up, hollering your lungs out to Leaving Town with 2 buddies? Never? Well, that's my excuse of a birthday celebration. Simple, raw and loud -- just like the synergy between the 3 of us.

"We'll countdown to your birthday, dude." Sure thing man... It'd be a first.

3

So we stood at the end of Lim Chu Kang Road, staring over a rickety jetty into the inky divide. "That's Malaysia, over there." Cas said. "Do you think someone could actually swim over to M'sia?" Ben inquired with all the wide-eyed child-like curiosity he could muster. Riiiiiiight. "Dude...," came the reply from Cas, an obvious answer reflected in his stare. We laughed.

2

I love the smell of a wood fire.
"Yeah man... I miss those times when we used to sit around a bonfire."
Yeah man, it's been... what... 5 years? 5 years since our last willing outdoor experience. 10 years of scouting, man. Some habits just die hard. Feel the itch to be out there again...
"Say, we should really just pack out bags and head out for an overnight stay on Ubin again. You know, old school style -- we'll bring along all the gear and start a fire under the stars, look for the well and have another drink of well water..."
Hahaha... It's been so long since we last did that. That's a good idea. I still remember how excited I used to be when it came to packing for these camps.
"How about National Day? You know, the night before that?"
Cool...

Poor Ben -- didn't seem too fond or too familiar with any of this. Experience can sometimes be the most selfish thing in the world, when you finally find someone you can relate to, the rest of the world just doesn't seem to matter anymore. Just for that little while, at least.

"Let's all go for it, then." Ben acknowledged. Thanks, man.

1

No birthday cake, no candles, no wishes, no song. Just the 3 of us in an unbelievably posh steakhouse -- all because we didn't wanna wait 45 mins for a place in Brewerks. But then, we'd never have gotten the same quiet / ambience as the steak house on Clark Quay. $60 a person bought us some real formal service, rounds of fresh bread, 10 oz steaks, calamari and fillo prawns. Our impatience brought us the space for some catching up with each other. Our ignorance brought a smile to the waiter. Our youth made us think it was all worthwhile.

So we're all 23 now. Well, we'd all be by the end of the month. Frankly, I don't feel anymore different being 22 than 23. Heck, I don't think I'd noticed if I turned 30! Perhaps I've stopped looking inwards to compare myself with what's outside; in our generation of externally-derived beauty and purposes, perhaps I've learnt to stand still and just watch life for a while. Maybe that's why some things don't surprise me anymore. Maybe that's why I feel a lil old, a lil worn, a lil expired sometimes.

Maybe that's why I was surprised that You could have put a little dance in my heart and coax my soul to groove again, cos it's been a while. Dance with me, and teach me to live again. Bring on the music!

0

Happy Birthday, Ben & Cas. Buddies.



JKLM