Miles Away

Joe stepped into his room and peeled off his shirt. It had be a very long week for him. The first two days were spent with his girlfriend who was returning to Europe for 30 months at least. The second two were spent recovering emotionally and fighting fires at work. Today was Friday and finally Joe could take a breath without wondering what else he ought to be doing. A long shower and an hour later, Joe decided to hit his favourite watering hole. If he wasn’t going to get a medal for surviving the week the least he deserved was a long, stiff drink.

Stepping into the all too familiar den of drink, drink and more drink, Joe distinctly realised that he did not feel as energised as he normally was stepping into this place. He was missing Jane. It had been only three days but it had seemed a lot longer than that in his mind. He definitely needed a drink. He walked to the bar but not before everyone working there recognised him and greeted him or shook his hand. Joe was a regular there. Joe was quite the charmer but most importantly, Joe knew how to make service staff feel appreciated. Joe eventually reached the bar and gestured at the bartender. It was a gesture the bartender understood.

An hour into his very large glass, Joe was interrupted by his cell phone. He looked at it and saw that his friends had decided to drop by, confident that Joe would be there. Joe smiled. He felt he could use the company although he was not really sure if he wanted it. Regardless, his friends arrived shortly after and the acceptable social lubricant was applied liberally.

In no time at all, his friends had cheered Joe up and were laughing and taking photographs. Photographs that almost instantly made their way to Facebook. Not that there were anything scandalous about the photographs. It merely showed Joe having a drink with his friends.

7000 miles away, Jane turned on her computer. And she was alerted to new pictures of Joe. She saw him drinking. She saw him with his friends. She saw him betraying her. She picked up her cell phone and called him. Of course Joe didn’t hear the call. It was too noisy. It was just too noisy where he was. Jane called again and again, frantic with the thought that she hadn’t left a week and Joe was having a drink. How could Joe! In a moment of clarity, she realised she could call John. The same John she had known when visiting Joe and the same John that was in the photograph with him. Fortunately for Jane and unfortunately for Joe, John was outside smoking. Which meant that when Jane called, John could actually hear his cell phone. And answer it.

John went in and looked for Joe. John was puzzled that Jane would call him. Joe was also puzzled that Jane would call him. Until Joe looked at his cell phone to see the 13 missed calls from Jane. Abruptly sobered, Joe stepped outside to return Jane’s call. Joe did not know if he should be upset at having missed Jane’s calls or embarrassed that Jane had behaved like a mother and called his friend. The cell phone rang. The call connected. And the show was on.

Jane berated Joe for his insensitivity. For how selfish it was of Joe to be out for drinks so soon after her departure. For how he didn’t seem to care about the relationship. For how none of his friends could take her seriously if Joe wasn’t taking her seriously. For Joe’s missing her calls. Joe was confused. He was sure he had done nothing wrong. It was unfortunate that he missed Jane’s calls but that could have happened even if Jane were in the same country. Jane made it sound like Joe had cheated on her. Joe tried to explain but Jane was in no mood to be reasoned with. She did what she did best – cry – and hung up on Joe. At this stage, Joe was more confused than he was drunk. The mood for the evening had been brutally murdered. Joe walked to the main street and hailed a taxi for home.

Jane threw her cell phone on her bed. She was livid. Joe’s nerve! The entire episode had consumed the better part of two hours. Two hours!

She glanced at the clock in her room and shook her head.

She was late for a party.

It Was Nothing

Joe had a low opinion of the opposite sex (although he conceded that at times they were an agreeable substitute for masturbation). Having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he had never been short of anything. He was especially used to getting his way and more often than not, his privileged upbringing saw him in control of most situations. Where to eat. When to eat. With whom to eat. What to eat. For example. Relationships for him were nothing but a social necessity to prove his heterosexuality (never mind that he was perpetually in love with himself).

Having just woken up from a three day weekend, he looked about in a daze but managed to recognise his bedroom. It took him a little longer to recognise the warm body next to his. Smiling to himself, Joe stepped out of his bed. (It was that big.) Walking over to the bedside bureau, he lifted the bottle of sparkling water and walked over to the body in his bed. Unceremoniously, he poured it over her face, causing her to jump up startled. She looked at him bemused. He stared at her blankly. And then told her to clear out within the next half an hour.

Joe was left to his own devices the entire day but the intense stimulus of that three day weekend had left him yearning for more. Much more. That’s when he saw Jane. And that’s when he noticed Jane too.

Jane was the butler’s daughter. She was all grown up now and managed Joe’s estate. Well, Jane actually managed Joe’s father’s estate but in Joe’s eyes the old man had long outlived his usefulness and the estate was going to be Joe’s anyway. So Jane managed Joe’s estate. Joe sat and stared at Jane walking across the hallway. He marvelled at how she had developed from a scrawny girl into something like that. His marvel morphed into the realisation that since the estate was his, the estate was an extension of him. Therefore, at least to Joe, Jane was also responsible for managing him. Joe smiled to himself. It seemed the impending weekend would be taking care of itself.

Walking into Jane’s office, Joe sat down before her and told her his plans for the weekend: an all expenses paid sojourn into sin. Jane was unsure how to react. Whilst she was not exactly your goody two shoes girl next door, she was not entirely comfortable with the notion of an office tryst. Studying the situation quickly, she decided that it would be in her best interest to accept Joe’s indecent proposal. They were to leave in two days.

Joe smiled smugly to himself. Another three day weekend. Another Jane at his mercy, his beck and call. Joe’s game. Joe’s rules. Joe could get used to this. As a matter of fact, he was used to treating Janes like his property.

Before long, the two were on a private villa on a sunny beach. The day was spent, expectedly, in decadent behaviour befitting the Romans. Joe couldn’t help thinking that for an estate manager, Jane was very good. Almost too good. He told Jane not to disturb him till the evening and went to bed. Now Jane seemed to have some time on her hands. It was one of those frustrating situations where one had too little time to do anything yet too much to do nothing with. She decided to take a stroll by the seaside.

That was a good choice. Before long, she was chatting with someone she met at the beachside bar. A few cocktails later, they were like silly teenagers, giggling at everything from the colour of the little umbrella in her cocktail to the shape of the spoon at the bar top. At that moment it made sense for them to traipse along the seaside. There would be a lot more to giggle over along the coastline.

Giggles soon made way to kisses which soon made way for adult entertainment in the water under the moonlight. Jane and her new friend were rather into each other. Quite literally. And then Jane realised she needed to walk back to the villa.

Giddied by alcoholic and sexual intoxication, with an unsteady gait, Jane approached the villa. Only to find Joe seething in anger at the front porch. Jane was late. If that was not enough, Joe had witnessed ‘his’ Jane in a dalliance with an unknown. Joe felt violated. Jane was there for his fun, not someone else’s!

Jane heard a hiss:

“What was that?”

Giggling, Jane asked

“What was what?”

Pointing in disbelief at the approximate spot where Jane was moments ago, Joe glared at her. Jane turned around to look at the spot where she had been.

Jane turned back and smiled.

“Nothing. Shall we have dinner?”

Joe’s blank expression prompted Jane to elaborate

“Oh, don’t worry. It was dark, the water was warm and I was drunk. It was nothing.”

Opposite and Equal

Joe cleared his throat and walked to the large doors in front of him. He held each handle in either hand and looked down. Exhaling slowly and deeply on the handles, he tried not to remember how much he did not want to be there. He made the mistake of dropping his secret girlfriend home early one morning. His girlfriend’s father standing at the doorway put an end to the secret facet of their relationship. Every action has an opposite and equal reaction.

Joe was ‘invited’ to dinner so that his suitability as suitor could be assessed. Joe knew there was no way he would pass the interview. Too many things were stacked against him: tattoos, a litany of juvenile indiscretions, hailing from the lower strata of society, and a mother unknown, amongst other things. Joe was convinced that his girlfriend’s father wanted to humiliate him for having the impudence to date his daughter. Joe was right as rain.

Inhaling deeply, Joe whitened his knuckles against the handles and pushed them open. He looked in. He looked in and saw the sound of silence. He looked in and saw them all talking to him without speaking. He realised the room reeked of fornication and bad consequences. Joe knew that humans are savage by nature no matter how much it is dressed up. Joe might have been there for dinner but there was no doubt in his mind that Joe was the special on the menu.

The cold perspiring mug of beer mirrored Joe’s cold perspiring forehead. He sat down and downed what he hoped was his beer. Momentarily distracted by the rich quality of the brew, he looked up and smiled. Liquid courage was working overtime. Joe was more uncomfortable than afraid. His idea of formal attire was being in a pair of jeans coupled with a polo t-shirt. Shifting about in his shirt and trousers, his not so secret girlfriend’s father smiled smugly to himself. He was going to teach Joe a lesson Joe would remember for the rest of his life.

Taking a sip of his wine, Joe’s nemesis turned to look at Joe. The last of the wine trickling down his throat, Joe’s nemesis prepared to crush him with a knockout blow. He was going to go the direct route of grilling Joe about the secret affair. Squaring his shoulders, he turned to Joe and barked,

‘I understand you’ve been sexually active with my daughter!’

Joe smiled to himself. In part because images of his proclivities flashed before him and in part because he recognised what his nemesis was trying to do. Joe felt he could change many things but he also knew that human nature was not one of the things he could change. But there seemed no harm in trying: Joe looked at his nemesis in mock horror and replied

‘No, of course not! I just lie there.’

Slingshot

Struggling to egress the taxi, Joe cursed at the fact that his right arm was in a sling. Having recently survived a horrific road traffic accident, he was well aware that Lady Luck had smiled upon him: his car was a total wreck (having flipped over twice) but he escaped with only a minor concussion, a fissured shoulder and a torn muscle. But being human, he still cursed his plight.

Finally out of the taxi, Joe made his way to a jaunt his fraternal twin brother, John, was at. Spotting John with some friends at the far corner of the jaunt, Joe ambled across toward them and sat down. After the cursory introductions to the strangers at the table, Joe patiently answered all questions about the confluence of events leading to his arm being in a sling. Then he ordered a double vodka and got down to numbing his pain. Since the accident, Joe had learnt that taking his codeine painkillers with vodka was extremely efficacious in delivering him from reality. Popping twin tablets into his mouth, Joe consumed the twins and the double in a single gulp. Joe placed the now empty glass on the table and looked around. It was then that he caught Jane looking at him in bemusement.

Jane had spotted him the moment he walked in. The sling didn’t help but neither did Joe’s outlandish attire. But it was the huge soft toy Joe held in his good hand that had caught Jane’s eye. (Joe had just arrived from a pity party his friends had thrown him.) The sight of a tall, mean looking man walking with a cuddly toy fit for a prepubescent schoolgirl was incongruous enough for the blind to take notice. But there was something about his eyes that attracted Jane to him immediately. Joe had large, beautiful eyes that resonated an intensity lost on most of his generation.

Stroking the filter of her cigarette with her thumb, Jane smiled at Joe. Joe smiled back and made a face. He was on enough codeine to be excused for simply being conscious. Jane touched the empty chair between them (Joe had purposefully not sat beside Jane, choosing instead to sit beside his fraternal twin) and asked him to keep her company. Joe smiled, and obliged. It was obvious where this was going to go.

Offering Joe some of her wine, Jane stared intently at Joe. Joe looked at her whilst sipping her wine and couldn’t help thinking that though he had sold his motorcycle years ago; he was up for some riding that night. John stood up abruptly, breaking the Joe-Jane gaze. Looking down at his fraternal twin, he pointed at Janice then raised his chin to the door. Joe smiled. That gesture was code for “I’ll be back in 15 minutes”. It looked like it was riding season. Joe nodded in response and watched John and Janice head out the door after forgetting that moments ago they had announced the need for the washroom.

Alone once again, Joe and Jane re-established their gaze. Moving her hand toward Joe’s lap, Jane touched his knee gently with her fingertips. Joe placed his hand on hers and they moved in for a kiss. Many kisses and two cigarettes later, John and Janice returned. Everyone bottomed out their glasses and parted ways. In pairs.

That Jane and Joe set the roof on fire is an understatement. Promising to meet the next day over drinks, Joe left for home exhausted but exuberant. He was meant to meet Jane in less than ten hours. The next day, Joe and John were out getting an early start on their preferred poison. Jane arrived one and a half bottles later. Without Janice. The three proceeded to adjourn to the next venue after bleeding dry the contents of the remaining bottle.

The next venue was perfect. Euro trance pulsating from the amplified speakers, the trio ordered enough to releave a drought plagued village. Publicly displaying affection to Joe, there was not a doubt in anyone’s mind that Jane and Joe were deeply in lust. John was a little too inebriated to care about anything but his drink and soon enough, he announced the need for the washroom. Joe flipped him the finger and laughed. Jane whispered in Joe’s ear that she too needed to use the washroom. Nibbling on his ear lobe, she paused before exhaling an ‘I love you’ into his ear. She planted an amorous kiss on his lips and staggered in the direction of the washroom.

Joe looked around. The music was good. The drinks were better. And now that he was alone, he realised that the crowd around him offered amazing eye candy. Already high on codeine, the alcohol did not help his psychomotor coordination. Trying to take the sip, Joe thought his lips were upon the glass’ rim but stood corrected when he felt his entire shirt soaking wet. He looked down at his shirt. He laughed. This was fun! He directed the bar maid to clean up the inadvertent flooding of the table and to refill his glass. He walked to the washroom.

Turning gingerly (his shoulder was fissured, remember?) into the alley that led to the washroom, he stood before him and was greeted with a sight to behold: Jane and John were making out like crazed weasels. First their lips were locked. Then she was nibbling at his chin. First on the right; then on the left; then she opened her eyes to reposition her mouth on John’s face. And saw Joe standing not three feet from them. She gasped, tugged at John’s shirt and gasped again. Joe saw John turning toward him; John turned and saw Joe standing there.

Joe smiled. Jane was puzzled at his reaction: she was fully expecting to be slapped (just not too hard or she might have liked it) and she was prepared to fully accept it. Joe took a step forward and Jane rushed to him, struggling to find words that would be suitable enough for such a situation. Joe placed his finger on her lips. Dumbstruck, Jane remained still, like a puppet on a string.

Joe moved his lips:

“No need to explain. Your insurance policy provides for any rider. I enjoyed my ride, now let him.”

Joe moved his legs; he had a shirt to rinse off.

Plea for Understanding

Dear Readers

I'll be outta action for some time.

Here's why:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10744&id=100000225076529&l=62ee5154da

Sunit

Computer Mediated Communication

Preface

Older readers might find this entry a little difficult to follow because of the Netspeak employed.

To my foreign readers, my apologies that this piece bears a distinctly local flavour and some of the colloquialisms might be lost on you. You might find http://www.talkingcock.com/html/lexec.php a useful reference in trying to understand Singlish.

Any reader is welcome to email me for clarification on parlance or etymology of phrases and morphology.

-------------------------------------------------------------

(9:07 PM) -*JOE*-: at home alr?

(9:07 PM) --=JaNe=--: yuppx.. back nt long ago

(9:07 PM) -*JOE*-: eaten?

(9:08 PM) --=JaNe=--: yuppx i eat at mac donald after bowling

(9:08 PM) -*JOE*-: ur fren bbday?

(9:09 PM) --=JaNe=--: nopp... jus randomly me, nina and one more malay gal decide to go relax and bowl lo

(9:10 PM) -*JOE*-: oh ok

(9:10 PM) -*JOE*-: hope juz now dun affect u

(9:11 PM) --=JaNe=--: say no den is fake but well... i will be alright

(9:12 PM) -*JOE*-: is nt tat i want to break with u... its just tt i m behaving my natural self.. and everytime u sae change change.. then nv sae wat u want exactly also.. how would i know

(9:14 PM) --=JaNe=--: if u are normal i wont be asking u what is wrong... jus take this moment, think back.. all the way back to before we tgt or rather when we jus get together... can u see the diff?

(9:16 PM) -*JOE*-: i dun think so probably previosly is nt the me... actually i dun reallly msg b4 or i dun talk for long one.. neither would i organise to go out or wat.. ppl ask then i go de

(9:17 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok tat i understand... maybe tats jus how u are cos u are used to it.. now the problem is i am ur GF not ur frenx

(9:18 PM) --=JaNe=--: for me my frenx i also don really talk much they also will ask me out and i will organise also

(9:19 PM) --=JaNe=--: but if u were to say tat u are jus like tat den it is telling me gf and fren de status is the same? u treat the same way to ur gf as ur frenx?

(9:19 PM) -*JOE*-: u just now previously sae gf and frens status shld be the same

(9:20 PM) -*JOE*-: now u sae like tat

(9:20 PM) --=JaNe=--: nono wrong.. i mean u shld balance out ur time with ur frenx and ur GF

(9:20 PM) --=JaNe=--: family no need say cfm num 1... but u have to balance ur frenx and GF

(9:21 PM) --=JaNe=--: but from wat i observe and wat u say it seems like u see frenx more impt den GF?

(9:21 PM) -*JOE*-: to me i feel so... i m nt a person who will sacriface my frens for my gf de

(9:22 PM) -*JOE*-: i believe fren is impt

(9:22 PM) -*JOE*-: its like i have my own opinion.

(9:22 PM) -*JOE*-: cannot change also

(9:23 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok so to u frenx are mor impt

(9:23 PM) --=JaNe=--: and u will sacrifice ur GF jus to be with frenx?

(9:23 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok den i ask u one question.. if u know u are like tat den why in the first place u asked me to be ur GF?

(9:24 PM) -*JOE*-: but does it necessary mean gf must be treated better than frens

(9:26 PM) --=JaNe=--: in a sense yes... if frenx are treated more impt den gf den meaning ur normal Girl de fren is more impt den gf den whats the point of having a gf?

(9:26 PM) -*JOE*-: as in my male frens

(9:26 PM) -*JOE*-: considered as my brothers

(9:26 PM) -*JOE*-: i m nv close or really close to a gal

(9:26 PM) -*JOE*-: and i will not sacriace any of my time to them

(9:27 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok talk abt guy frenx... if u treat ur brothers more impt den ur gf den can u imagine how ur gf feel? is is equals to nt having a gf right??

(9:28 PM) -*JOE*-: ok whatever u sae, u r right..

(9:28 PM) --=JaNe=--: wat if next time u get married and ur brother is more impt den ur wife? den wat is the marrage for?

(9:28 PM) --=JaNe=--: no not tat watever i am say is right... but u cant always think in ur own way u get wat i mean...

(9:29 PM) --=JaNe=--: i know ur brothers are very impt to u.. jus like how my childhood fren is very impt to me...

(9:29 PM) --=JaNe=--: but does it mean tat i treat her better den my bf?

(9:29 PM) --=JaNe=--: i need to balance

(9:29 PM) --=JaNe=--: u get wat i mean?

(9:30 PM) --=JaNe=--: if u think watever i say don make sense or got wrong u can jus tell me

(9:30 PM) --=JaNe=--: i will jus admit i am wrong

(9:31 PM) -*JOE*-: no no no.. whatever i sae i would be wrong to u

(9:31 PM) -*JOE*-: wat i sae u rebute..i would might as well dun tok

(9:31 PM) -*JOE*-: and often we quarrell... i dunno wats up with u but i m freaking pissed over this alr

(9:32 PM) -*JOE*-: if u want to keep on doing this, i think i cannot tahan alr

(9:32 PM) -*JOE*-: i dunno y u are like tat now.. u seems freakin paranoid

(9:32 PM) --=JaNe=--: GET THIS STRAIGHT!!! who is the one cannot tahan.... u think i wanna rebute watever u say?? it is because watever u say don support u get it????

(9:32 PM) --=JaNe=--: i am nt paranoid

(9:32 PM) --=JaNe=--: u tell me

(9:32 PM) --=JaNe=--: which Bf do not meet up with gf for more den one month?

(9:33 PM) --=JaNe=--: don talk abt meet up... do not text much or talk to her much at all... this one i don blame cos since u say u got lots of commitment and also u not free to always text and it is jus u tat u don text or talk much

(9:34 PM) --=JaNe=--: den in the first place u got so much commitment den why u ask me be ur gf!!! jus ans me!!

(9:34 PM) --=JaNe=--: from the start when u woo me we were great.. evrything was great.. till we get tgt and as time goes by our communication cut down to less den 10 text per day

(9:35 PM) --=JaNe=--: which guy actually jus CHUNK the gf aside and go ahead and enjoy himself leaving the gf worried and nt knowing wat to d

(9:36 PM) --=JaNe=--: it is nt i wanna be paranoid... is cos u seriously treating me worse den a fren.... i seems like a hi bye fren to u now

(9:36 PM) --=JaNe=--: can u for once THINK IN MY SHOE

(9:40 PM) -*JOE*-: frm todae onwards. u just make the sae.. i keep quiet.. u text, i reply.. ok...

(9:42 PM) --=JaNe=--: it is nt abt this

(9:42 PM) --=JaNe=--: if i were to do tat it wont work

(9:42 PM) --=JaNe=--: joe please

(9:45 PM) -*JOE*-: isnt tat ok... u decide wat i shld do.. i need to think in ur shoe.. i work i go find u and i dun spend time with my fren.. probably no need to work..

(9:46 PM) --=JaNe=--: no tat is too selfish... i don mean it tat way... u think i am like tat??? working is definetly need for u

(9:46 PM) --=JaNe=--: i knw u need to pay alot of stuff and plus give ur mom money

(9:46 PM) --=JaNe=--: and i of cos know u need time with ur frenx

(9:47 PM) --=JaNe=--: but have u save a space for me as ur gf?

(9:49 PM) -*JOE*-: if u saying now, its a no. i know

(9:51 PM) --=JaNe=--: wat abt previously

(9:52 PM) -*JOE*-: previously was indeed tiring becoz everytime need to go find u and go home alone.. my frens were neglected as well

(9:53 PM) --=JaNe=--: so why in the first place u take me as ur gf when u know u have so much commitment?

(9:54 PM) -*JOE*-: i dun care so much... i love a person i would not care bout the problems

(9:54 PM) -*JOE*-: but the problems appear and i know i m nt a gd bf

(9:54 PM) -*JOE*-: tats it

(9:55 PM) -*JOE*-: so blame on me... my explanation suck for u

(9:55 PM) -*JOE*-: u think its rubbish

(9:55 PM) -*JOE*-: but i m saying the truth

(9:55 PM) -*JOE*-: dun believe also fine

(9:55 PM) -*JOE*-: and i must also admit tat it change after all the stupid rumours

(9:56 PM) --=JaNe=--: i knew it

(9:56 PM) --=JaNe=--: i knew u will change towards me after the rumour

(9:57 PM) -*JOE*-: also, i dare nt see u..i m afraid tat i would flare up when i talk bout this topic

(9:57 PM) -*JOE*-: so, i choose to remain silent

(9:57 PM) -*JOE*-: and the way i treat my ex now is fked up as well

(9:58 PM) -*JOE*-: my fren tell me..

(9:59 PM) -*JOE*-: u rather choose to believe one person than so many

(9:59 PM) --=JaNe=--: u mean i choose to believe who?

(10:00 PM) -*JOE*-: as in my frens tell me i choose to believe u than one whole grp

(10:01 PM) --=JaNe=--: wa ur fren win le lor

(10:01 PM) --=JaNe=--: i knew it

(10:01 PM) --=JaNe=--: u wont trust me totally

(10:01 PM) --=JaNe=--: no matter wat i am at the losing end wat

(10:01 PM) --=JaNe=--: i stands alone

(10:03 PM) -*JOE*-: but thats nt the main reason.

(10:03 PM) -*JOE*-: if u want to sae y i choose 1st

(10:03 PM) -*JOE*-: i said

(10:03 PM) -*JOE*-: in short, its i nv thought of the consequences.

(10:03 PM) -*JOE*-: i m rather unhappy with quite a number of things.

(10:04 PM) -*JOE*-: u said u had alot of close guys fren, fine

(10:04 PM) -*JOE*-: but the way they tok on FB.. i dunno for real or wat is like tat

(10:04 PM) -*JOE*-: imagine alot of gals do the same thing.

(10:04 PM) -*JOE*-: how would u feel

(10:05 PM) -*JOE*-: and when the rumour start.. u FB everyone like i m nt supporting u.. ok fine

(10:05 PM) -*JOE*-: but its like wuite a no.

(10:05 PM) -*JOE*-: so i rather choose to msg less go out less..

(10:05 PM) -*JOE*-: becoz i semms to be bastard in many eyes

(10:05 PM) -*JOE*-: esp urs at the pt of time

(10:07 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok this i understand and i apologise if u get the wrong idea.. cos seriously maybe is jus u nt used to it cos my frenx are like tat.. but i am at wrong i shld distance myself as well... it is nt at i wanan post at FB is cos there is the only place i can vent.. and i assured u before tat my frens don judge my r/s but i do apologise le and i know it will affect u one way or another... i had nv seen u as a bastard in my eyes.. u are my bf leh... but is jus really hurts me when i get to know tat u do not have the full trust in me.. and trust is the most impt factor in a r/s

(10:08 PM) --=JaNe=--: these issues are my fault i admit

(10:16 PM) -*JOE*-: like i said... in the long run i would still e like tat one.. becoz i told u my stand is clear..

(10:16 PM) -*JOE*-: if u fine with it, it would be gd

(10:16 PM) -*JOE*-: if nt, then i m sorry for causing u in this state

(10:18 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok one question

(10:18 PM) --=JaNe=--: do u still love me

(10:24 PM) -*JOE*-: yes, but not as much as b4

(10:25 PM) -*JOE*-: and i m also thinking... i would onli delay ur time

(10:25 PM) -*JOE*-: it seems like i m nt ur type of guy too

(10:26 PM) --=JaNe=--: to be true if u are nt my type i would have nt say yes to u seriously

(10:29 PM) -*JOE*-: as in ur type of ideal bf who text u everytime, call u, meet u

(10:30 PM) --=JaNe=--: text me everyday is common... call nt necessary... meet once a week is more den enough

(10:30 PM) -*JOE*-: becoz i dun do so.. and if u wish a bf llike tat, i dun want to waste ur time

(10:30 PM) -*JOE*-: the thing is i cannot fulfill

(10:31 PM) --=JaNe=--: yes i get it

(10:31 PM) --=JaNe=--: i know u tried to manage everything

(10:54 PM) --=JaNe=--: so now wat? the decision does nt lie in me ccos i state clearly i tried and made this relationship work and u know i want it to work out... but if u insist tat u are like tat and nt gonna do anything abt it den it is ur decision at the end of the day

(10:55 PM) -*JOE*-: i hope and want the relationship would work

(10:55 PM) -*JOE*-: but its tough for me

(10:58 PM) --=JaNe=--: den?

(10:58 PM) -*JOE*-: i dunno

(10:59 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok... one thing i ask u, u wont change ur mindset and actions right?

(11:01 PM) -*JOE*-: priority would be the same for me.. if go out or wat i know i m in the wrong... so i will try to improve and probably forget the impression of the rumours

(11:03 PM) --=JaNe=--: tat is wat u said to me previously.. it is nt abt forgetting the impression or wat... i know it is over le the rumour thing... to u yes it is over.. and wat i ask from u is nt to ignore but yet nt trusting me whoel heartedly

(11:06 PM) --=JaNe=--: and if u think tat after today u are still gonna jus be rather ignorant and text me for the sake of texting den i also dono wat to say

(11:06 PM) --=JaNe=--: jus ans me truely

(11:06 PM) -*JOE*-: ya, i text for the sake of texting

(11:07 PM) --=JaNe=--: ok if u think u are gonna text me for the sake of texting... wat do u think it proves abt the feeling u have for me?

(11:09 PM) --=JaNe=--: i don wan u to drag this any further

(11:09 PM) --=JaNe=--: i know u have an ans in ur heart

(11:09 PM) --=JaNe=--: it is jus tat u don wanna say it out

(11:09 PM) --=JaNe=--: wat u want? break or nt?

(11:14 PM) --=JaNe=--: now you dun wnat is i want! BREAK!

(11:15 PM) --=JaNe=-- ー has changed his/her status to Busy

Standing Tall

Joe finally had reason to be relieved. After working at the restaurant for almost 18 months, he had finally gotten the hang of things and more importantly, finally one of the restaurant managers had taken to him; work hours were now much more pleasant.

Joe, standing at 6” 1’ (185cm) tall, towered over the restaurant manager, Jane, who stood at an almost impressive 5” 1’ (155cm); they made quite the odd couple but got along swell because they had similar perspectives on how work ought to be done. Between the two of them, they had the restaurant running like a finely tuned, highly efficient engine. When they were on shift together, that is. (But then again, that was almost always simply because Jane did her best to ensure her roster coincided with Joe’s as much as possible.)

Jane trusted Joe so much that she began to deploy him for more and more duties that were rightfully hers to discharge. Joe realized this but was not unhappy because to his mind, it was a trade off in his favour: he was relieved because he was relieved of more menial duties and now had a wider variety of things to do. Jane was obviously happy that Joe was happy. (No surprises there.)

Rising earlier than usual on a Sunday because he was roused by the shrill tone of his cell phone, Joe grouchily reached for his cell phone and gruffly answered it. It was – no prizes for guessing – Jane at the other end of the line. She needed Joe to turn up for work earlier than scheduled because two other members of staff had not shown. Joe was not keen on working any earlier than he had to but acceded to Jane’s request only because he knew that having been startled from sleep, returning to slumber was going to be difficult. Assuring Jane that he would be at work not half an hour later, Joe hustled to do the necessary before heading to the restaurant.

Surprising Jane with his speediness, Joe walked to the manager’s counter and looked at the list of things needing attention. At the top of the list was stock taking. Stock taking was also at the top of Joe’s list: Joe distinctly disliked taking stock be it taking stock of his life or taking stock of stores. He looked at Jane, raised his eyebrow at her and followed that up with a frown. Expecting nothing less from Joe, Jane gave him the best pitiful puppy dog face she could manage. When that failed to have the desired outcome, Jane offered to log Joe in for an additional two hours of work, on paper. Seeing a good deal, Joe accepted the low level bribe and set to take stock.

A ream of paper in his hand, Joe checked everything from the number of ketchup sachets left to the rolls of toilet tissue needed. Backbreaking as it was, Joe identified every single one of the 156 items and proceeded to replenish supplies on the shelves, in order to prevent staff from going helter skelter in search of supplies during peak operation hours. Emerging from the back of the restaurant a good 90 minutes later, Joe, all hot and bothered for the wrong reasons, handed Jane the ream of paper that was now full of the requisite information.

Thanking him and giving him the next 30 minutes off, Jane leafed through the ream and zoomed in on items that she would be responsible for for the rest of the day. Marking all those of immediate relevance, Jane waited for Joe to have his break before beckoning him to the back of the restaurant. Entering the storeroom, Jane led him to the back and turned to him. Removing her manager’s blazer, she smiled at him and reached for the back of her skirt. Pulling out a pen, she asked Joe to show her some where he had packed some of the items that would be surely in demand that day.

After going through a few items on the list, Jane pointed to the item labeled ‘sliced olives’ and said that she could not find it. Puzzled, Joe insisted that he had already packed it for easy retrieval. Jane asked Joe to show her where he had packed it. Joe turned around and momentarily found it. Raising his hand to the top shelf, he tapped a can of sliced olives and smiled.

“Why did you put it there?”

“What do you mean ‘why’? I just did. It is conveniently within arm’s reach! What’s the problem?”

“Joe! Convenient? I can’t reach it!”