Thanks for being my friend

Eu Jin was my classmate in NYJC. Though we are not close friends, I remember the times:

• when we were grouped together by Ms Tay to do a class presentation on descriptions and you sabo-ed me to present the benefits of "byford briefs" to the class
• you and yu cheng's presentation on law and order for GP had the class rolling with laughter over "law net grey grey" - a direct translation from the chinese idiom
• when the class sabo-ed you during your birthday by hiding your pants after PE so that you had no choice but to wear the school skirt for the rest of the day
• when you and debbie got lobang for kathy and me to sell taiwanese snacks together after 'A' levels as holiday job. The 4 of us stank up bus number 24 after our packing of smelly beancurd in the factory. It was a fun experience working at the Expo with you, debbie and kathy.

It did not seem that long ago that I went to your house to celebrate your 18th birthday, or seeing you and debbie at the MacRitchie Trail in April this year. I was with my husband at that time and both of you ran past me. I remembered thinking "Wah, this couple so fit and loving to do a morning run at MacRitchie together". I remembered nudging my husband at that time that we should follow what "the couple was doing", as both of us have put on so much weight.

Then, I was so surprised to realise that "the couple" was you and debbie. I remembered asking both of you what you are working as and when are you going to invite me to the wedding dinner. You said next year and that you'll invite me. I didn't know then that both of you had ROM-ed. I didn't even get to say my congratulations.

It's such a shock to receive the bad news one month ago.

I didn't know what to say to you as I offered you my last respect. So I just mumbled "Thank you for being my friend". I wish I could have said more with coherence. And I'm ashamed to say that I could have made more effort to know you as a friend better.

You've made me realise (after 26 years of living), the fragility of life. Knowing your achievements and outlook in life through the postings in this blog and the newspaper article is a wake-up call for me to stop "floating about aimlessly". It made me treasure those around me more.

Thank you for the lesson.

Thank you for being my friend.

- Sharon, NYJC 2S7A 1998-1999