The Typical And Atypical

The typical consists of living apart for the entire work week. On friday nights, he picks me up together with all my marking load and we go to his place where I would stay for the weekend.

His current job requires him to be at the office seven days a week. I don't have to go back to school during the weekend, but then, I bring work back so technically I'm working a seven day week too.

Marking my students' work in his empty 3-room HDB flat can be rather lonely, but I am able to stay focused, usually completing what I set out to finish for the weekend. Sometimes, I think this arrangement helps me stay sane from the hectic life of a teacher in Singapore.

The atypical can be deceptively simple like a dinner on a Wednesday evening at the cheap steamboat buffet at Marina South. He loves it for the char siew while I target the live prawns and (when the live prawns have all been eaten) the frozen prawns.

No More Bruises

Why is a HDB car park so full on a Friday night? Don't the residents go out?

"Haven't seen a new bruise the whole week," you announced as you finally backed into the only available parking slot.

"You sound disappointed."

Later at home, I could see that the old bruise on your right tricep has started to heal. The centre of the bruise has regained the usual healthy skin colour leaving a swirling ring of purple.

Mysterious Bruises

I am worried.

You woke up with 2 bruises the size of fifty cent coins, one on each arm. You don't remember what could have possibly caused them and I don't remember seeing them the night before.

You said, "I know someone who had such mysterious bruises before. It could be caused by some blood-related disease."

"Is it serious?"

"Fatal," you said.

"You should see a doctor tomorrow."

You said, "Let's wait and see if more of such bruises crop up."

Castro, San Francisco

Sis and I took mom to Castro.

Mom was noticably uncomfortable walking down Castro street after we told her that it was a gay district. She refused to acknowledged that same sex couples were holding hands freely. She grumbled when I bought souvenir rainbow flags with stands. She preferred to wait outside the boutiques while we shopped.

I was noticably more impatient with mom for I felt sad that she was still unaccepting of my being gay.

Then she asked if I had called you on the telephone since we left Singapore and I knew I had misunderstood her. For whatever reasons she was uncomfortable with Castro, it wasn't because I was gay.

Your Birthday

Lunch and a movie?

UOB gives special discount to card members who dine at selected restaurants on their birthdays. We should take advantage of it.

Also, we have been planning to catch The Da Vinci Code since way before it was released but just never got around to doing it. Unfortunately, not many cinemas are still showing it. Good thing you are off tomorrow so we can catch it during one of the afternoon screenings at Golden Village.

We are still together.