FIRE FIGHTING AND WEDDING INVITATIONS

Note: I actually put this up yesterday, accidently... it was supposed to be a draft, but through mere carelessness, it appeared on my page for 3 hours. And then I accidently deleted it. I was supposed to only make it invisible so that I could edit it in my free time. Maybe it's not meant to be seen... lets just wait and see

I thought that it's weird that the company is having the annual safety week when the safety officer herself is on maternity leave. Then I remembered... the fire of August 2004 (I wasn't there then!) Tanks caught fire, someone fainted... Ha! August is the anniversary of the fire. No wonder.

The company is observing safety week this week. Not that they don't on other weeks, it's just that there are no fun activities then. Take the fire fighting competition for instance.

They announced it on Tuesday morning. The announcement ended with a message to women who intend to compete to please wear trousers. As if! Most of the women here wear trousers, except for some of the office staff. For unknown reasons however, the statement tickled me to death. So much that I decided then and there to take part in the competition.

I could say that I enjoyed the competition immensely. Who wouldn't? It seemed to be a form of escapism from the daily boring routine. Well, routine is not necessarily boring, either... but the competition helped. Unfortunately I didn't win. But now I know I can extinguish a fire (oil based) in 10.21 seconds :)

A few hours later in a totally unrelated matter, I get a call from my friend Nan asking if I was free later that night to meet up. Our friend HK is getting married in 2 weeks and wants to hand out her wedding invitations personally.

So there were 5 of us, Nan, HK, SLL, her bf NK (who is also my long lost cousin) and me. We had dinner at this Nyonya place amidst conversation that surrounded wedding plans, work, and 21 year old dogs.

I found some of our conversations to be just downright odd and led to most of us laughing out loud. Here are some excerpts:

HK: NK, how are your eyes now?
Nan: Didn't you ask him the same question the last time you met? (May 2005)
NK: They're Ok now. But the astig(matism) is still there. How's yours?
HK: We underwent the same procedure, of course I have to know the latest news. Mine's still dry.
NK: Still using the drops?
HK: Of course. I need the fake tears. I just guess there's not enough tears in my eyes.... (said in a slow, melancholic tone)
(During this conversation, the others kept quiet, not having undergone laser treatment. I wear glasses, Nan uses contact lenses, and SLL has near perfect eyesight)

As I mentioned earlier, NK and I are long lost cousins. None of us knew about each other's existence until we were both 18. Our only connection being an uncle whom we both don't like very much. The said uncle weaseled his way into my family by marrying one of my aunts. By doing so, he used to be a tyrannical fiend of a person, questioning us about our examination results (the school semester exams, mind you) and trying to decide our future for us. He wanted me to be a doctor, and was totally against my choice of engineering.

He most probably tried to rule NK's life in such a manner too.

A long time ago...when I chose to enter UTM for enginnering instead of going to form 6.

Uncle: wait till they make you climb into tanks.
Me: It's allright. It'll be a form of exercise.


Back to yesterday's conversation. NK and SLL announced their impending wedding in January next year. Well, sort of...
SLL: Do they know about NK and me? (in undertones, referring to Nan and me)
HK: No
Me: You haven't... when's the engagement
SLL: December
Nan: Figured it out when you guys were comparing stress levels
NK: So, Terra, when is your turn?
(silence emanates as I look up from my plate and see the folks at the table looking at me with curiousity etched on their faces)
Me: You mean, as in getting married?
(More silence as I see him nodding)
Me: err... this is why I stopped going to relatives houses (Not the truth, but who cares?)Actually I don't have any plans
HK: Terra, don't forget your 'yet'
Me: Ahem... yet

Another bit of conversation:
Nan and I live a few streets apart, and recently the dumbasses who live across the street from us, renovated their single story house into a double story house. Firstly, it's against the law, but nobody in the area seems to have complained. My parents have forbidden me to lodge any complaints either because apparently the people who live there are something like the mafia. Only difference is that they (the REAL mafia) are impeccably dressed in tailored suits and have sexy accents.

Nan: Terra, you know the people who live across your house, the new double story house...
Me; Them. Sunset thieves.
Nan: They apparently have a son. Have you seen him?
Me; No...
Nan: My mom said that they mentioned to her that they have intentions of getting him married, and asked about me
(Laughter across the table)
SLL: What's his name?
Nan: After a few days my mom finds out that his name is (S*********)
Me: What a boring name!(I get curious looks again)
Me: A nice name is important. (especially if you're the mafia kind)
NK: You guys should throw stones at their windows...
Nan: hahahaha.... then they might throw back stones with their numbers tied on it.
NK: Ah... then they might get ideas and decide to pair of Terra with S*********'s cousin, M******.
(Everybody laughs again except for me)
Me: And yet another boring name...
Nan: What kind of name do you like? Sean? Paul?
(Me thinks she secretly listens to Sean Paul)
Me: No I was thinking... well, I've got this friend who's real name is actually N****. You know, names should be unique. And nice.

By the way, I just found out that Nan, who lives a few streets away has a dog with a blue collar and is 21 human years, the same age as her brother! Where have I been?
I would love to continue, but I can't think of anything else at the moment. Dang!