April 28th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Same Old Friend
It was in 1998 when I met the Pliot. We hooked up from the popular IRC. That time, I didn’t own a mobile phone. He would call me at my house number. It still amazes me till today how we survived our earlier young adult years without the luxury of a mobile phone.
We got friendly after the first few chats. He was down in the dumps with his so-called girlfriend. She wasn’t really his girlfriend at that point of time; they were going out casually with the girl treating him like a door mat.
I didn’t like to see how he was treated by the so called girlfriend. Even though we just got to know each other briefly, I always believe everyone should be treated with sense of decency. I was there for him to pour out his disgruntle feelings and grief.
I couldn’t remember where we went during our first meeting. But I remember I got this short layered hair, face full of pimples though I was 20 kgs lighter at that point of time. I was very self conscious. I knew from experience that no one would want to see me again after meeting me, even with my gregarious and fun persona online and in reality. Well, it’s their loss actually. I am glad he called me again after our meeting.
He would call me before his flight and when he came back from his duty. It’s like a round-the-clock thingy. Common friends who got to know him later would check with me before they organize any outings. We had a blast. The endless clubbing and playing pool, foosball, dancing, mamak till morning, short trips, booze parties, crashing people’s parties, how he met my other friends for the first time in shorts in Bravo (Hahaha! We just went to a friend’s place for swimming) etc. I developed a major crush on him. Well, it bound to happen if we keep spending enormous amount of time with a particular person, no matter how hard we control ourselves.
Things turned to slow down when the so-called girlfriend came back to him. That time, they were already serious as he did not forget her and was longing for her all these while. During his absence, I plod along this life, gaining new friends along the way and started working permanently. After awhile, I got a call at 3 am from him, saying he did the worse thing that one could have done. He betrayed her with another woman.
After a few frantic pacifying calls and a few weeks trying to redeem himself, he announced that they were getting married. I attended the wedding. Deep down in my heart, I knew it wouldn’t last but I held my peace and prayed my instincts were wrong.
Unfortunately, my instincts were right. The union lasted merely 2 years (more like 6 months of normalcy, and 18 months of hell) with 2 children, excessive emotional baggage, which led to a very ugly divorce.
10 years ago, as we were laying idle basking in the hot sun in Port Dickson with the least of care and worry, who would have thought all these unhappy things would happen.
Today, as we sat at Dome, reminiscing the good old time; I noticed we have both grown so much. I’ve outgrown my silliness, hot temperamental, self consciousness and developed better self control. He, despite having to go through such difficult divorce, is taking everything in his stride. He is still as flirty as ever and how I miss that sharp sarcasm wit.
We talked about his children and mine (those trolls my mom baby sits), bitching about our common friends, politics, share market, mortgages and family. I sincerely pray that things would get better after this for him. I hope he could still find the same old friend in me, as he always has, and how he has been the same old friend to me.