Nothing

Just felt like blogging.. Too many things on my mind.. Think blogging about unimportant, random things on my mind helps me run away from it all..

Have you ever come across a stranger who managed to change you in less than 5 minutes?

I did..

Last nite's graveyard shift with Lisa introduced me to 3 very interesting people..

First, it was that new crazy resident evil who cannot stop talking.. I believe he was once a stand up comedian cos he was imitating all sorts of people and critisizing everything.. Gone crazy and expects everything to be free.. His loneliness (and the overdose of cynicism) probably drove him to the airport for us, fellow graveyard-ers, to serve free tapwater..

Then it was a British old guy who's energy makes me wanna jump at the very moment I said Hi to him.. His excitement and enthusiam radiates thru his order of a tall soy milk no whip cocoa.. I bet if i touch him, I'll get electrocuted... bzz!

Lastly, it was that stranger.. That old malay lady who works as a cleaner at the airport.. I saw her last graveyard on Monday and wondered if I'll turn out to be like her.. Osteoporosis made her a frail hunch and she stands only up to my chest.. She should be at least 70.. I was about to end my shift and was on my way to Basement level to throw trash.. Met her in front of the lift...

My curiousity was such an itchy scratchy bastard who can't wait to finally get to talk to this lady I've been observing..

"Slamat pagi, kak. Kak baru start keje ke?"
Morning there. Just started work?

"Ooo.. Panggillah nenek. Nek nak buang sampah dulu. Nanti berat trolley ni."
Call me grandmother (Cos I called her Kak earlier which means sis). I want to throw trash. Otherwise this trolley will be too heavy.

True enough, I looked at her huge trolley. It was weird cos here I am, the bigger one with the small trolley of trash, and she with this ma-fuckin' huge trolley with a mop, a broom, a vacuum, stacks and stacks of cardboard and a bag of trash on it..

So I slowed my pace to hers and talked to her.. As I did, I saw an amazing radiance shining through this lady's face.. Her wrinkles, her strong, bony grip pushing that trolley and her deep, trembling voice shows so much about her experiences.. The hard life she went thru' and still living.. Found out she lives in Tampines, is living with her daughter and will end her shift at noon..

Then we got to this hump when all her stuff fell off her trolley, and so I was picking them up for her.. Sympathy got to me as I picked up the vacuum 'cos it was pretty darn heavy.. She thanked me and that was the point I realise how complacent I've been.. What ungrateful bitch I am.. How I should stop complaining and grab every once-in-a-lifetime-moment I have left..

I mean this lady, despite her age and condition, is still working that hard to earn a living.. Life probably has been a bitch to her all her life, but she whacked it back hard with a broomstick.. Literally (as a cleaner) and figuratively..

I left her at the lift with a heavy heart.. Wishing I could do something to help other than throwing her trash for her..

Life's bloom and gloom walks hand in hand.. The very fact that this lady has incredibly strong willpower to live despite the frictionful life she's living is the very proof.. That's the beauty and tragedy of life.. Everything is beautiful and ugly all at the same time..

I wish I remembered every moment of it.. All of my firsts and all of my despair.. I wished I remembered every single person I met and talked to.. Even if they just ordered a $2 cup of coffee, even if they were just mats making cat calls to me, or even if they were just passing customers at my mom's shop.. It's all because EVERYTHING happens ONCE..

That stranger's smile, the heat of that kiss on that rainy night, the satisfying sensation of that first bar of chocolate..

How I wished I captured it all.. Even if all the others forgot about them..

Think I'm missing photography all over again... Gotta call Salleha soon..