My Lane

Took a trip down nostalgia lane today with my Mei. Though we hailed from different primary schools, but the same secondary school bond is still growing stronger between us each day. Praise the Lord! :D
Been freed ever since FYP was over, now that graduation trip is over too, I am more free than ever. Haha. Not really rushing to find a job yet, I believe God will provide + I do have many stuff to do at home aka spring cleaning the entire house.

Anyway, went over to Mei's house today to cook lunch. Walked over under the sweltering heat and I felt that my face was going to melt anytime if I do not hurry under a shade soon or find some shadow to hide under. We cooked. YES you read it correctly. COOK from scratch. Boiled two chicken drumsticks with basil leaves, garlic, white radish, tomato and Korean miso which was not as flavorful as the Japanese one but still superb :) Had egg noodles to go with it plus a simple plate of boiled baby kailan in soya sauce and lightly-fried ikan bilis to top it up :P delicious! haha it tasted superb because 1) we were both hungry 2) we cooked it ourselves 3) it was a healthy meal :)

Watched a short Korean movie : Twenty, by Kim Woo Bin, Kang Ha Neul and Lee Jun Ho (2PM) a movie about 3 young guys hitting the age of 20 and at the crossroads of their lives, try/ not try to figure out what to do with their lives. TO live it and experience it to the fullest, and of course to settle some of their physical desires. lol. It was a comedy.. adult comedy I guess but it was okay. cause the 3 guys were really great actors, they managed to let go of their 'idol burden' and jut do it :)

After the movie, we went to grab a small bite at the market near Mei's house. Its one of the places I frequent during primary and JC times. I still remember that I will head to the 7-11 at the market and buy the $1 cup of mash potato because I could not afford anything else. Or the cold pizza which you have to microwave it yourself to warm it up. I don't own a microwave so it took me a while to figure out how to use it + it was hot handling the freshly warmed pizza slice.

The real nostalgic place would still be the route back from my primary school. The moment we crossed the road, it felt like I was in primary school all over again. We visited the shop that used to sell mamee and super rings at 15cents. The interior of the shop has changed, it was fresher and cleaner and they make their own bubble tea now. But I was really surprised to see that the owners were still the same uncle and aunty that tended the store, just that the uncle dyed his once black hair to light brown. The stuff they sell now are more of tibits and toys instead of the usual cards which I splurged my money on when I was little. The store beside it which used to belonged to a tall chinese uncle was taken over by an Indian man and the ice sticks which used to cost around 20cents were no longer seen.

The coffee store that sold only wan ton mee had the new addition of a waffle making machine that was 20 cents cheaper than the one sold in the bakery in the market. The old television was still there, playing channel 8 dramas or whatever was on at that time. Unfortunately, the bookstore was taken over by a nail art shop. The bookstore used to provide photocopying services and they sold fancy paper there which I used to buy. Hula-hoops hang on the racks outside the bookstore and some teenage magazines use to fill the racks. Tended by a bespectacled uncle with his loud wife, they were always very efficient with the printing though I secretly felt that their prices were a little steep but then again, I have no idea what was the 'market' price.

The smell of oil still lingered around since the motorcycle repaired shop was still there. But with lesser motorcycles parked outside than it used to last time. I was used to it being packed both inside and outside with the smell of oil and engine so strong that I would brisk walk away, heading to the herbal tea shop next door. It is still there but with a new signage. Information about the consultation time and the Chinese physician on duty. It wasn't there before when I was a kid. The Bakery gave way to a child centre called 'little lories' No fresh mini baguette smell or cakes that were taken out from the kitchen situated in the bakery whenever I dropped by for a snack on the way home. The Indian cafe next door also looks deserted, probably it was not dinner time but luckily traces of the old were still there.

That was the lane I walked home from every day when I was in primary 6, or on Saturdays after my CCA, or whenever I took part in some special class and my parents were on leave. I love walking down that lane, even though it has changed, but the excitement of being closer to home, of feeling safe will never change.

I kind of like my 'extremely free' status now, because I know that I can just take a short walk out and walk over to my lane. I miss the way home from my sec sch too. Maybe one day I'll re-walk to same path home over and over again, to my hearts content. Till then.

God Bless!

=do something right=