Since his death, a lot of things had happened. I felt he was always around watching over me. He’d always bugged me to get a house but I didn’t as I couldn’t afford it. He said he’d help but I said it was the monthly payments I was afraid of coping with. So I never bought one till he died.
After much guilt and persuasion from my parents through the years, I finally said to mum that I will try to get a house. We would drive around to check out the signs posted on some places. Then someone told my mum about a house and we went to look at it. The family were still living there and happily let us in to view.
It was nice, clean and its condition was very good as it didn't need much renovations and the house number got to me. 118. Loosely said in Cantonese, prosper everyday! Also, it was within the same area as mum’s place, near enough to drive or walk, far enough to be out of sight! *hahaha*
Two days later, I put a deposit. Within the week, I was looking for a sufficient bank loan. Almost gave up cos I was being given really bad deals till mum said go to her bank. True enough…it worked out. The family were moving to a new house which was still being renovated thus we came to an agreement that they stay on till the bank was ready with their cheque, which usually took a couple of months, 3 the most.
Dad passed on in mid March, we found the house in May. My older brother married in mid May and mum had gone for the wedding only to return in early June. Just after securing the bank loan application, mum left for her holiday and I continued the mad runs to the bank and lawyers and work.
A day before mum was due to return home, I was watching the puppies playing in the porch. The other adult dogs were busy sniffing and mucking about in the garden whilst two others i.e. Guzz and Sayang, were happily racing around the house.
I could hear the quick and loud tapping of their nails hitting the cement as they turned the corner from the back of the house. They were neck to neck and breathing fast and checking out the other. You could feel the excitement in them as they charged towards the front, towards me! I only had the wall on my left and the car on my right as these two came closer without stopping.
Immediately I pushed both puppies under the car and just managed to lift one leg up as Sayang went under me but alas! Guzz the devil slammed through my other leg at the same time and there I was…short lived super girl; more like a bowling pin being bowled over. Up into the air I flew and landed a couple of feet ahead onto the hard floor! I landed flat hard on my front, knocking the wind out of me. Stunned for awhile before the combination of short breaths, reality and pain ran through me; I lay there... quiet.
I called out for help who was already on her way because she heard the loud thud as I hit the floor! Yep, it was loud. *ouch!* I tried to move slowly, like a scene out of a movie where a fallen body from a tall building lies; my left arm was by my side while my right was above my head. Can’t remember how my legs were but I’m sure you can imagine. * hahaha *
The puppies, stunned at having been shoved rudely under the car; crawled out to me. Licking my face, toes and fingers as if to comfort me and eventually began nibbling to get me up to play. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry cos it was both painful and funny at the same time. Not to mention, the other buffalos were unaware of what had happened and continued their games in the garden!
Anyway, I suffered a small fracture at the base of the radius of my left arm. The orthopedic surgeon said I did not need an operation and placed me in a moulded cast securing it with crepe bandages. I was in cast for about three weeks, then in a sling for another two weeks. All in all, I was off work for 6 weeks.
It was during the early weeks I had all the time to go to the lawyers and bank whenever needed to sign my life away for this house. It was all going smoothly and in one month, I was told the cheque was ready! The family whom I bought the house from were surprised and I ended up collecting two months’ rent from them.
All this time, the search for a house and coming upon this one; the frustrations at the banks for a loan and achieving at the same one that secured my parent’s house; the fall and eventual healing process; the running around in getting the necessary papers done up; the fast process and house rent I collected; the much needed and not really needed renovations completing in one month; picking the right days from my hectic work schedule and the moving in….all of these, started out with lots of stress and bad tempers but they worked out properly each time as if led by some unforeseen source.
I felt my father was the one who led me to this house, who helped me to cool down and calmly make some decisions, who helped me see that behind every mishap, something good came out of it. After all, it was his wish that I get my own house and I believe this was his work.
He doesn’t haunt me no, but I know he is there. Watching, quietly showing the way as I live my life as when he lived. I still miss him but I know, he’s always here for us. Behind every dark cloud, there’s a silver lining and my dad is my silver lining. * Smile..*
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