Blessing: Written Originally By Jennifer Soh Li Wen, 28th July 2011, Thursday, 10:05 p.m.-11:20 p.m.
“Blessing?
Not an easy thing!
If you think you deserve it,
Prove to us that your love’s that deep!” exclaimed her parents.
“Mommy, Daddy,
I know he has no money;
He doesn’t need to be wealthy,
It’s good enough to know that he has the love key,” pleaded the daughter.
“Mommy, Daddy,
She’s not just any lady;
She loves me for me,
She makes me feel worthy,” confessed the son.
“What do you know about love?
We’re poor;
They’ll treat us like a beggar,
Stop seeing her!” reasoned and ordered his parents.
“I love him,
I don’t see anything wrong with it;
We can start earning money,
It’s not like we can’t make it,” said the daughter.
“A beggar?
What were you both thinking?
I love her and she doesn’t see us as poor,
She said we can start earning,” said the son.
“Fine,
Earn and see;
Nothing’s easy,
We’ll see how you cry,” said her parents.
“Start with what, son?
What do you have?
You’re now sitting on our chair,
What have you become?” said his parents.
“Then,
Goodbye;
Man,
Why is this so hard to get by?” asked the daughter.
“Your chair, ay?
Okay, I’m not sitting anymore;
Enough of your care,
I’ll walk pass the door,” challenged the son.
“How dare you!?
Where are you going?
You haven’t finished your U,
How come you can even thought of leaving?” questioned both sides’ parents in anger.
“We planned together,
To ask for your blessing;
Since you think we won’t prosper,
We’ve decided to go to another country,” explained the daughter and the son.
“What?!
Another country?
For what?
You’re still a baby!” both sides’ parents responded.
“Yeah,
Another country;
We’ve the flight tickets ready,
It’s tonight,” said the daughter and the son.
“Tonight!?
You really want to make us angry, don’t you?
Is this how you fight?
For not getting our restu?” asked both sides’ parents feeling a little dizzy.
“Sorry,
Mom and Dad;
We just want to live happily,
But you just won’t give us that,” replied the daughter and the son apologetically.
“You’ve to understand,
It isn’t what we meant;
We do comprehend,
But can’t means can’t,” explained both sides’ parents calmly this time.
“We don’t live in your era now,
You teach me how;
Here I bow,
I just hope you allow,” the daughter and the son humbly wished.
“Alright then,
Bring us there;
The country,
You want to live in,” said both sides’ parents.
“Um, actually,
There’s no country;
We were just saying,
We just want your blessing,” admitted the daughter and the son.
“We knew it,
You’re not that stupid;
Running away like this,
I’m still paying your fees,” said both sides’ parents.
“Mom and Dad,
I’m not ten;
No matter how bionic a woman is,
She needs a man and I want to be his,” claimed the daughter.
“Mom and Dad,
I’m now a man;
Even a rat,
Can see that,” declared the son.
“Oh, give us some time,
We need to rest;
Excuse us, if you don’t mind,
We need to digest,” said both sides’ parents.
The son and daughter were left speechless. The son has decided to call his long-term girlfriend whom he longs to wed.
“Kate, it didn’t work out well for me,
How about you?
They kept on reasoning,
I couldn’t speak through,” said her beloved boyfriend sadly.
“Jake, same here,
They don’t want to hear;
They’re now drinking beer,
Under the chandelier,” replied Kate feeling disappointed.
Both Jake and Kate flew their hugs and kisses and they went to bed at the same hour. They also told each other not to worry and there’s always another opportunity to voice this matter out again. They’ve agreed to plan a meet up soon with their parents so that both families can discuss together in unison as they thought that it’s time to meet and know each other after all these years.
They didn’t know that their parents knew each other. Their parents don’t share much about their pasts. They came from the same village and they’re best friends (Kate and Jake’s Moms) since childhood and schooling days. When they first introduced their partners to their parents at both sides’ homes a few years back, both Kate and Jake’s parents just pretended and played along when they first asked about Kate and Jake’s last names as the names, Kate and Jake, and their looks were very familiar. Kate and Jake, after a week of their parents’ secret and silent discussions and considerations to figure out that they’re thinking the right people (best friend and her husband) in their minds, they got their parents’ green lights to start dating but not more than that. Both sides’ parents hope that they’ll respect and accept each other as who they’re from the inside. They advised their young ones that love isn’t that easy. It takes a lot of effort to be together. The only fact’s that they didn’t know that their parents are contacting and meeting each other behind their backs. If it wasn’t for their children, they wouldn’t have talked to one another so often and they wouldn’t have known also that they actually live quite nearby each other. They thought that they have lost contact since marriage. Therefore, to their parents’ utter surprise, their dreams will really come true through their children’s love. They didn’t plan their children’s love life at all but they do wish that they can be related someday. They share too many similarities that they even sent their children to the same school. They finally got each other’s telephone numbers, asked about their children’s names and features, and that was how the story of coincidence started.
When both sides’ parents knew that their only children were already asleep, Kate’s Mom, Ghoo Zee Ling (she was being teased by schoolmates as Godziling [as almost similar to Godzilla] and she’d cry when called), picked up the phone and called Jake’s Mom, Parliny d/o Muniandy, while their husbands, Lee Qap Bern (Kate’s father) and Vingeshwaran s/o Ragneshwaran (Jake’s father), accompanied them by their sides to communicate to each other as a show of support since they all had a rough and tough day of acting.
“Our children,
Brave little ones;
They acted quicker than we expected and they’re so taken,
They’ve forgotten their bounds,” said Kate’s parents.
“I don’t blame you,
We were shocked, too;
I agree with you,
We still wipe their poo,” said Jake’s parents.
“What do we do?
They don’t know we know each other;
Shall we continue to act cool?
Making sure they don’t cross the border?” asked Kate’s parents.
“You’ve been very kind,
We’ll do as you say;
Your girl’s very bright,
She’ll behave,” said Jake’s parents.
“I’m not worried,
They just planned to threaten us only;
Once they graduate,
We’ll be their secret wedding planners and talking about their wedding cake,” said Kate’s parents.
“Promise is a promise,
We’re forever besties;
Our children’ll be married,
And we’ll officially be relatives,” said Jake’s parents.
“We grew up together,
In a small village;
Wealth isn’t a matter,
We can share and manage,” said Kate’s parents.
“We came here penniless,
Your husband’s into family cupboard business;
Mine just can’t stay away from driving lorry,
We need to start sharing with our children about our history,” said Jake’s parents.
“Fate,
That’s all it takes;
There’s nothing to hate,
Happiness it all makes,” said Kate’s parents.
“You’re absolutely right,
Let’s dream tonight;
Our children in sight,
Below the wedding light,” said Jake’s parents.
“What a beautiful and miraculous coincidence-reality!
Soon they’ll see;
We’re not against it,
The blessing, we mean,” said Kate’s parents.
“Exactly,
We’re so good at acting;
We let them start dating,
It’s one sign of blessing already,” said Jake’s parents.
“True,
We’ve seen them loving;
All the years they went through,
They’re stronger than us, darling,” said Kate’s parents.
“Way stronger, my dear,
During our days;
Everything was arranged,
There were no other ways,” said Jake’s parents.
“We spent less time on choosing,
We got married and that’s about it;
Even though we’ve our cup of tea,
It’s another person we ended up marrying,” said Kate’s parents.
“So, this’ll not happen to our children,
We, too, have to learn;
On how to be modern,
Mind as fresh as fern,” said Jake’s parents.
“Yes and let’s not regret a thing,
We, too, had our blessing;
God and our own belated parents gave us what we deserve,
As parents, let’s give our children what they deserve,” said Kate’s parents while Jake’s parents nodded in agreement.
They ended their call by saying, “Goodnight and sweet dreams”. This time they’ll realize better on how sweet a dream can be. It is one of the most memorable conversations they had so far. They’re happy to know that their children will be graduating in a few months’ time. No wonder they’re eager to tie the knot as they want to start living together. They’re afraid to live together before marriage as they truly obey their parents. They didn’t mean to be harsh but they’ve to act like parents. Off they went to bed smiling broadly.
