Hazia’s Reflections

Newspaper Man 1987…

When I was 15, I was admitted to University Hospital for 2 weeks. I wasn’t sick or anything, I was under observation for a medical condition that I was born with. The doctor had to do a series of tests. My parents arranged a single room for me. Bored to death, I did a lot of things to fill time. Mainly I read, sketch and paint.

Every morning, this man will come to my room to sell newspapers. He was probably in his mid to late 20s. I would ask for magazines too. So, it became an understanding that he would get all the reading materials that I wanted. Let’s say I read every single local magazine ever published that month:)

For some reason, normally my mother wasn’t around when he came. Naturally, he started flirting with me. At the same time every morning, he would poke his head at the glass pane of the door to my room.

We didn’t talk much until my last day there. He poked his head as usual and I asked him to enter. I told him that I was checking out later in the afternoon. He seemed surprised. Only then did he ask me what was I admitted for. I told him I was only under observation. That was the last time we met.

Newspaper Man 2007…

Guess who I met just now. Yeah, I went out on a date with the newspaper man:) Nope, not the delivery guy from above, this was the Sub-Editor, remember? We had our first and last date in November last year. See ‘The Slip’ in May 2007 to recall:)

He finally came online this afternoon. I asked him what time would he finish work and he asked whether I’d like to go out. Hence, we agreed to meet for teh tarik in Bangsar at 9.00pm.

I was slightly late (fashionably late konon). I didn’t know he was going to be so punctual, all the way from KL in heavy rain and peak hour traffic. I found a nice table outside at the Mamak corner and sms him. My bright canary yellow parassol-like umbrella was a drag but I couldn’t find any other umbrella at home.

It took him a while to spot me as he didn’t recognise me. I knew he wouldn’t. LOL! So, I waved and smiled at him. He came to my table and sit on the chair facing me. After talking a bit, he paused and looked at me for a while. He pointed out that I seemed ‘different’. Was I rushing the last time we met? LOL! Of course la, he just dropped by at my office building with very little notice, what do you expect.

Tonight I was dressed for it. I contemplated putting on jeans and tops. But there was this voice in my head that screamed ‘No, you’ll do no such thing!’ LOL! So, I wore a casual black top and long skirt with black & white strokes. Complete make-up and no glasses too. I also put up my hair, it was too warm to let it down. Not to mention, I’ve lost weight quite a bit eversince.

Hey, he didn’t wear his glasses too. Otherwise, he seemed the same, clean cut Chinese look. He was in office attire.

From the moment he sat down, we started talking naturally. That’s the thing about this guy. We hardly knew each other, our chats were very brief, he’s really boring online. We had only met once for around 10 minutes and spoken on the phone briefly maybe twice. Despite all that, we hit it off like old friends.

Perhaps because we moved in the same circle, I don’t know. But there wasn’t any akward silence or anything. We laughed naturally too. My friends asked whether there was chemistry. It wasn’t a fiery explosive kind of interaction or anything like I was used to feeling. But yes, I did like his company and I think it could grow into something more. At the very least, we could be good friends.

Too bad he couldn’t stop coughing 1.5 hours later (he wasn’t well to begin with) and we had to go. Otherwise, I would have liked to continue talking some more.

Oh, before leaving work just now, he called me from his office. Yeah, I was relieved, I recognised his company’s number. It was the newspaper. Either he really worked there or he had good access to the facilities. LOL! He also asked when was my next media visit to his office. I should do that soon, make sure he has a desk there. Just for my own peace of mind. LOL!