巧遇

每一天, 我们都常在固定时间上下班, 久而久之, 你是否有注意到原来身边有很多是你不认识, 但也和你在同一个时间上下班的陌生人? 渐渐地, ‘见面’的日子久了, 就会产生一种‘似曾相似’的感觉…

2011年2月
一年前开始报读韩语课程, 每周一和周三都有课. 下课回家时已是晚上九点多.

那一天, 同学提议到Raffles Place转换地铁, 我也没多想就同意了. 意外的是, 就在地铁驶入Raffles Place之前, 让我见到了他的背影... 我怎么都没发现我们都处在同一个车箱里!

过了这么多年, 还能这样巧遇是我从来都没想到的. 屈指一数, 已经有十五年了! 这是什么样的缘分? 真是让我难以理解.

而他...还是那样有型有款, 外型依然那么酷, 就连岁月的痕迹都难以察觉.

一同搭乘往同样方向行驶的地铁, 我这才明白为何我们这么多年没见. 原来他已经搬家了. 下车前, 他往我的方向看了一眼, 似乎在对我说:“朋友, 我已经不在以前的地铁站下车了.”

这一次的巧遇虽然让我感到既兴奋又意外, 但心理却也知道这样的巧遇很难再有.

1996年
故事应该从这里开始说起...

公司在年头从Raffles Place迁到了Novena, 因此上班的时间也得跟着调整了.

过了一阵子, 我开始注意到和我‘一起’上班的陌生人当中, 就有一位外型挺酷, 长得有型有款, 大约二十来岁的男士. 经过多次的观察, 才发现他住在离我家两个巴士站附近. 而他上班的地点就在Somerset地铁站那一带.

几个月下来, 我不禁会想:“他是否也有注意到我的存在???”

1998年
刚从国外留学归来, 换了新公司, 上班时间也和以前不一样了. 一起上班的陌生人当然也换了. 我也自然而然地忘了那两年前一起上班的酷男…

1999年 - 2001年
或许是因为住得近的缘故, 偶尔(几个月一次)在外出的途中会在地铁站碰到那位酷男.
啊…三年前的记忆又回来了…

2002年 - 2006年
换了工作, 这回上班的地点竟然是在Somerset地铁站附近! 可是, 也许是上班的时间不同, 又或许他也已经换了公司, 从来都没在工作地点或上下班的时间碰到那位男士.

但…巧的是, 我们偶尔还是会在外出的途中擦肩而过.
哎…这是什么怪缘分啊?

2007年 - 2010年
公司又迁到了Raffles Place.
不知道为什么, 再也没遇到酷男. 很自然地, 我也把他给淡忘了…

2011年3月
两周过去了, 又是周三, 同样有课.

在回家的途中和同学在聊天的时候, 竟然再次见到他. 真是令人难以思意! 这一次, 不知是哪来的勇气, 我竟然拿起手机玩偷拍. 虽然知道这么做不对, 但心里想:“这一次应该是最后了吧?”

Farewell, My Boss...

Last night, after I got home from my class, I checked my phone and realised that I have many emails to be read. Did a quick scan through the email subjects and one of them caught my attention. It was an email from my ex-colleague and the subject is the name of my ex-boss. Instinctively, I knew that something must have happened to my ex-boss. With a heavy heart, I opened the email only to confirm my fear. My ex-boss has passed away on 19 December 2010...

How did it happen? Why was I not informed earlier? Was it due to his kidney problem which I knew back in the time I worked for him in 1995? There was no answer to my questions...

Memories of the time I have spent with my ex-boss came flooding back. He was a wonderful boss, a caring and understanding boss. Never lost his cool and was always very patient with us. I remembered the time when my ex-colleague and I went to KL to have a short holiday, my ex-boss invited us to stay with him and even took the trouble to show us around KL. And that... was the last time I met up with him; the last I spoke to him. I recalled that I sent him an email to thank him for his hospitality after the trip, but how I regret that I did not put in the effort to keep in touch with him further from then on... On the positive side, I am grateful for those memories of my trip to KL, of the time I have spent with him. It just feels like there is something for me to hold on to, despite his departure from this world.

Farewell, my boss... I am sorry that I could not bid you farewell earlier. But I am sure we will meet again one day... in our Father's kingdom.