Moments to remember..

Previously, as part of the administration team, my job required me to answer phone calls to the school. Most of the phone calls were from parents, with issues ranging from simple inquiries like wanting to know when is school dismissal time to handling complaints. I remember one request from a mother of a primary two student.

She was concerned of her daughter who had fever the day before. She called up the school, hoping that the class teacher could help look out for her daughter's temperature, particularly on that day, afraid that might she run a fever again. I suggested we could get her to office and get her temperature measured then and once again after lunch, just to make sure she was alright. The mother agreed. So, the girl had her temperature measured during those times, and both times, she was normal.

I had thought, that was it. It was just a routine job to me. But I was wrong! One day, when I was walking, a girl greeted me, so cheerfully. I looked at her face, but couldn't place where I've met her. Then I saw the nametag. Oh, it was the girl! The girl whose temperature I took. She just came up to me to say hi. I was really moved. I chatted with her a little while before asking her to get back to her class. I really did not expect that she could remember what I did. Furthermore, I was not a teacher then, just someone who works in the front desk in the school's office. But it really made me feel better that day.

Anyway, I have moved on, and am now teaching her art. :)

Oh, whistle, don't you get tired..?

Finally, a moment devoid of the shrilling whistling of the traffic personnel. No, I am not wrong in using not using traffic policemen. I believe these are members of the public like you and I, carrying out their daily job. Their job is to control the movement of the traffic in the respective areas. Almost all of them are in uniforms, complete with a helmet, and has a whistle hung around their neck.

I've never met one who had been hesitant in using the whistle, so far. From the room, high above see level, I can hear clearly, the sounds from the whistle. Non-stop. No respite. If there was a rare occasion of silent during the day, then to have that moment last for more than a 10 seconds is definitely an impossible wish.

The whistle blower, literally, surprisingly exudes lots of authority. Drivers and riders, hell as they are on the roads, listen and obey to this so-called traffic personnel. He first blows the whistle to get the attention before continuing with another few more blows to direct the traffic.

What's best, the drivers don't seemed to get confused at all, with this constant whistling. I marvel at this. In an area where perhaps there could be more than one person blowing the whistle, the drivers are still able to understand which whistle blow is for them, and abide by them.

It's a little irritating, though, to have to hear this whistling all day long, non-stop.

Right to be fussed-over

Why do parents think that it is very okay on every thing that concerns their health? My mother, lady who well looks younger than her actual age and very hardworking, was telling me about the fainting spell she about a week ago, nonchalantly. I was, well, speechless.

The way she said it, as though it was no big deal. She had indigestion problems that day, she said, suspected caused from consuming mushrooms. A bout of vomitting followed well into the night, I was told. During one trip, I forget the details, but she did mentioned she was holding the door knob when she felt dizzy and almost black-out. What was the word she used, 'layu'. That, I think, was serious enough.

Then she proceeded to add, after that, though I am not sure how soon after, she went to the washroom, having felt discomfort in her bowels. Standing up from the bowl and heading towards the sink, which need not any more than a step, she fainted! She fell head first, her face hitting the mozaic-tiled floor, faced down! What gets into me was how she was smiling while pointing at the scars where the bruises from the fall were healing! I can't believe it! She's taking the whole thing so un-seriously, as though the scars were bonuses or something to be happy for!

I rapted her for that. Questioning her for details, she added, happily(?) that she even took medical leave the next day. What? The next day?! I was very angry and sad and dismayed and confused, all at the same time. That they, my father and mother, only decided to go see the doctor the next day?!! Oh My Goodness, what was going on in your respective minds at that time, father and mother?

Pressed on, she related that the doctor gave her only normal medicine, no referral or letter of recommendation to visit the hospital for, perhaps a further check up, or X-ray. No need, she had given her own diagnosis. Perhaps, just lacking of air due to ingestion. I really cannot stand it anymore. Clearly, this is no simple matter. If you need to give your own diagnosis, then definitely, you know something's wrong. Why can't she see that? Why can't they see that? Why can't the doctor see that? Or perhaps, doctor was not aware of it? Speechless..

She even had the cheek to add that she was lucky enough have not-too-bad bruises. If she had knocked on the basin, she would had worse bruises. I really cannot fathom her logical thinking at this point. Hitting huge wate-filled basin would spell disaster! What then if she fell head first into the basin??!!! How could she say, it was lucky??!!!

Clearly, I am in no position to understand the way her mind works and process things. I do not think that I want to. It's just wrong. You do not say it's alright after suffering all these. Perhaps indigestion might have caused all these, but it's not okay. It must have been a very very bad state of indigestion for all these to happen. And that means, something is very wrong. It is just not alright. I am bewildered too, as to why my father failed to act upon those, seriously. Just visiting the clinic is not enough. He, of all person, should know that.

You have the right to be fussed-over. It is not wrong. I am the right to fuss over you, just like you had over us, when we were little, suffering but only bouts of the normal fever or cough or flu. If force is needed, it will be applied, for I think that you need a medical check up, thoroughly done, to check and confirm and affirm.