Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Peter
He is one eccentric fellow, in every sense of the word. Often clad in scruffy and flamboyant clothes, complemented with a head of messy hair, he speaks with an air of hooligan-like mannerism which most people find hard to understand.
Peter is a classic example of what irony is. He is forgettable, yet memorable. Annoying, but enjoyable. Unloved, although loved. He was destined to lead a short life because of some heart complications, but as the new year begins, he lives gratefully on borrowed time.
I've noticed him ever since I entered my teens. In my earlier days, I used to avoid him and shun him, like what most people would usually do. But as I grew older, I've gotten to know this person on a more personal level. That was when I started taking him for granted.
Late last week, I received a phone call at 7 in the morning. I reached for my handphone, squinted hard and saw Peter's name on the display. Immediately, I pressed the "reject" button. 15 minutes later, the familiar tune of my handphone was drummed into my ears. Again, I saw the same name and I ignored it. Shutting my eyes, I struggled to catch as much sleep as I could.
Throughout the day, it was difficult not to think about Peter. For one, I couldn't figure out why he would call me at such an odd time. At 10am, I made my first attempt of returning his call. The friendly and recognizable voice message from Starhub was all that greeted me. At noon, I made my second attempt to contact him, only to hear the lady's repeated message with annoyance.
Being the imaginative and inventive person that I am, scenes from Crime Watch and CSI were all flashing through my mind. Perhaps Peter was making a desperate cry for help, and I simply rejected him with the click of a button. I don't know.
By the end of the day, I was starting to believe that my imaginations could possibly be a reality. Then, in another wretched effort to unearth the mysterious episode, I dialed his number again at 6.30pm, and this time, it rang.
To put it simply, it was probably the first time I was so glad to hear his voice. Really. I managed to breathe a sigh of relief as I freed myself of the guilt and regret that was clinging onto me the entire day.
Turns out that Peter did have a little 'drama' in his life that day. His heartbeat became irregularly fast and he had to be admitted to the hospital.
I'm glad he is recuperating well. His life has always been filled with these rollercoaster experiences. Although this particular incident comes complete with a fairytale ending, it has definitely woke me up from my dreams and taught me to treasure the people around me who are not readily accepted by society, especially Peter.
For those of you who are reading this, I urge you to spend a minute in prayer, for my dear friend Peter. Thank you.
Posted by Jo at 9:34 PM
