to cherish and remember.

this time two nights ago, my grandfather finally passed on. after a week of unconsciousness, he finally left all of us for a place far away. a much better place. and he will always be missed.

i remember sunday mornings when he used to take me out on bicycle rides for breakfast. 'bicycle ride' meaning me sitting on the bicycle with my still too short legs, unable to do anything, while he'd walk next to me pushing the handlebars of the bicycle. we'd go to a packed 'kopitiam' - his usual - and he'd order a kopi-c or teh-c. then he'd get a clean saucer for me and pour his drink into it so it'd cool faster and i'd be able to enjoy it with him..

i remember late nights when he'd make 'kampua' while i was watching tv. mouth-watering noodles fried with soy sauce and garlic. i can still remember its taste.. then he'd wait for me to finish up and he'd get the empty plate from me to wash up - with me being the brat that i was who never bothered to clean up and only knew how to watch tv.

i remember always arguing with him over anything at all - in pure, nonrojak foochow. i'd argue with him whenever he'd try to stop me doing anything dangerous; i'd argue with him whenever he'd tell me to stop playing with the crabs in the drain; i'd argue with him over anything at all..

so many other memories i've had with my grandfather - all etched in my mind. all of which happened more than a decade ago, when i was staying with my grandparents in sarikei. all never to be forgotten; even if i wanted to try.

i havent been close to my grandfather in recent years due to the language barrier (i could no longer speak foochow or chinese since i moved away from sarikei). the few times i'd see him like when i went to singapore for visits or he'd come to stay with my family for a few weeks, we only had the usual basic everyday communication like 'good morning', 'it's lunchtime', that kinda thing.. but i loved my grandpa no less. he's still the sweet, no-worries, darling grandpa to me. and to all of us..

just know that we'll always love you and think of you.

we miss you.

@ 11:13 PM