My loss, His loss

It was going to be a blast - with vanilla ice-cream topped with mixed berries, big red juicy strawberries dipped in chocolate fondue, and sweet wine to complement the dessert. I had it all thought out while daydreaming again at work, and with some friends invited over for some card games, we would be celebrating Anzac Day our way. And while I was still stuck to my office chair, the mind kept zapping sparks of electricity through my neurons as a reminder I should be working, but the frail and tired body insisted in protest that it's only a few more hours before the end of Monday and the coming of Tuesday, a public holiday.

All the fun thoughts sizzled away when I received a text message around four. I felt the phone vibrating, twice, in my pockets but did not immediately attend to it as I was in a meeting. At half past, I checked only to realise my maternal grandfather had passed away and I was to call mum urgently.

His passing was pretty sudden. My uncle had checked on granddad at his hospital room yesterday morning and he seemed fine. Granddad was still recovering from a brain haemorrhage operation a few weeks ago. Recovery hadn't been going too smoothly but we all thought since being elderly he might take time. In the afternoon, the doc called, sighting granddad's critical condition, and all my relatives rushed to the hospital. Not long after, he was gone. Then, there was news about some growth in his pancreas, Cancer, apparently. Why it wasn't detected earlier, I hadn't got a clue. Mum hadn't been told too much since she's the only one of eight siblings not living in Ipoh.

It was tough, trying to find air tickets back to KL at quarter to five. Online ticket reservations refuse to allow bookings at such a short notice. Most travel agents had left for the day. Flight Centre promised to call back, but never did. One Indonesian/Singaporean run travel agency found a flight leaving this arvo but after considering reaching KL at night, then taking a three-and-a-half hour express coach ride to Ipoh, mum said don't bother.

I am glad I saw him in January during the Chinese festivities. He was fit, healthy, full of joy that both myself and my brother had returned from Australia to visit him. I hardly knew him, only that he was a carpenter, loved his job to bits, travelled around with his motorbike, and enjoyed morning teas with his mates. Communication was our biggest enemy.

I am okay, really.