On Sat noon, still groggy after a relatively short slumber from the previous night's cycling trip with Derrick and Beesim's LSCT GL's, I awoke to check my HP.
2 sms and a missed call.
The call and 1 of the sms was from one of my customer asking for some relatively unimportant item. Hah. Today's my rest day. Dun bother me with such insignificant details. On to the second sms, which I almost wanted to erase without reading after the first's mood spoiler. Can I ever be so wrong.
It was from my "tong2 xiang1" Karen back in the fun old Ngee Ann days.
Ang Haoming had a motorcycle accident. What was described in the sms was brief but serious. It really did not look good. Immediately, I contacted her and asked for the location of the ward. When the reply of the ward in my sms include the acronym "SICU", my mood really dropped to a new low. Mobilising of the old New Town Sec Sch 4/1 classmates starting with Michael Chan and Ang Chee Keong was also immediate. Unfortunately the former was in JB while the other was still asleep and did not answer my call. It was later in the evening that I was able to contact them. Word from then spread fast. People started contacting me. People whom I have not heard from for almost 10 yrs.
Coincidentally before going to Changi Hospital to see Haoming, I had to drop by Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Christine's grandmother(paternal side) had a bad fall. It was the first time in these 2.5 yrs that I met Christine's biological father. Not the best of places or situation but he was friendly. I was really not in the mood to talk so the situation was awkward at best. I did not make a good impression of myself too, having to leave early, just so that I can travel to another hospital. Haven been so "into" hospitals since my NS days.
Arriving at Ward 33, I instantly recognise Haoming's mom and sister even after all these years. Really brings back memories when I used to live in Commonwealth Crescent and the frequent visits to his place in Holland Close. Non of the Sec Sch ppl were there yet but the former NP Student Leaders friends of Haoming(whom he was closest to ) were there including Xingyi who recognise me due to our relationship to Alvin Deng Guanghao who was my primary sch best friend and her Ex back in Jin Tai Sec. And also cos she used to work with me for a day in Haagen Daz back in '98. Complicated? Didn't think so.
When I finally went into the SICU and saw Haoming commatose on the bed with all the tubes in his body, I really cannot recognise him. I had to ask the nurse and even flip the medical record file in front of his cubicle to confirm. He was in bad shape. this is the first time I visited someone in intensive care. All the advance equipment and LCD monitors around him and having to wear a mask before entering the cubicle was really daunting at first.
From what I heard from the Student Leaders and Haoming's Sis, he had broken ribs, blood clots in the brain, pulmonary edema, and just that morning, lung infection leading to pneumonia. His brain activity is still there according to the monitors but there is no response from his retina to light source. He even had to rely on the life support system to breathe. It was really saddening to see his chest pulsating slowly together with the heavy sound of the machine assisting his respiration.
The friend that was together with him told me the whole story. Last Wednesday night, after dinner, Haoming left him and set off towards Loyang to pray at a temple cos he will be posted to Indonesia to work a few days later. Just before Haoming reached his destination, he somehow got involved in an accident with a taxi. The friend described to me the positioning of the bike, person and taxi after the accident. The case is still under investigation and is difficult to conclude as it was only the taxi driver's words against a commatosed victim's. The taxi driver is suspected of doing a illegal U-turn but that is not conclusive as there was no witnesses. But those who know me will know what I think of the taxi driver's role in this. Haoming has always been a relatively safe rider. But that aside. I just wish Haoming can just wake up. According to the doctor, he was suppose to wake up on Friday latest. But now that it did not happen, things are more complicated. There is no telling when he will come back to us. If at all.
An hour later, the sec sch classmates arrived. They include: Weijie, Eng Beng, ACK, Michael Chan and GF, Cuixuan, Merry, Weiying, Alvin Yeo, Chee Yang, Jiashun and Guohua. ACK and I agree that only in Marriage or Tragedy do we ever see such a big gathering of old frens anymore. We really rather not have that. Seriously I am not that happy about the gathering of so many people in more ways than 1.
Looking at these people, I remember how most of them ostracized and bullied Haoming back then. I do agree that Haoming did brought this to himself cos of his arrogance. My sec sch was that unforgiving. Any small mistake or show of weaknesses and that's it. You are condemned. I learnt to live through it. Maybe even played the "games" well. Nobody dared touch me at that time as they know fully well the reverberation they would receive. Not so for Haoming. His actions only brought him more enemies and rejections. From the group, I can only remember ACK and Michael being close to him and that is why I only contacted them. The rest of cos have all the right to come. I am not angry at them. They are still buddies to me but to Haoming, he could have turned in his bed if he knew they were here. They did not seem to be much affected by this incident and they made the lounge area look like a social gathering room. But that can't be helped. Just that I do not like the look of it.
I have to admit that after stepping into poly, the gap between Haoming and me have grown wider throughout the years. Each threading our own path. 2 weeks ago I even happened to meet him at Vivocity while I was out with Jane and Susan. He was in quite a rush and we did not even had time to say much other than a Hi and bye. Did not thought too much of it. It's always this sick attitude of - there will always be a next time...... Lesson learnt. Sadly.
But there were plenty of signs that is actually hinting me of this incident since Wednesday night, the night of the accident. Some more obvious than others. Come to think of it, some of them was eeriely obvious. But I shall not mention them here.
Inside his cubicle, through my mask, I tried talking to him. Hoping strongly that he could somehow be receptive to my voice. But I could not muster up much decibels. My efforts to fight back the tears choked my words even before I can speak much. The sight of him up close coupled with the memories I thought I had long forgotten was almost too much to bear.
Let's all hope he will wake up soon.
Life's too fragile
- Michael Chan.
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