Eavesdrop

Nowadays we were told to leave the doors opened at story telling sessions to address concerns parents may have about the content of the books read to the children (my own suspect is to ensure no religious influence). At the same time parents are allowed to sit in. At first I felt uncomfortable and played down any drama. I also become more conscious of my grammar just in case parents complain about my bad English. On the plus side, I can be quite encouraged by their amusement. There is this lady who seems so amused by my drama and is so easily tickled and laughs ever so readily. One of these days I am going to invite her to act as one of the characters in my story. Sometimes when I see the kids, especially older children or adults laugh at my jokes I break down in laughter as well appreciating my own jokes!

Yesterday a lady who remained ever so serious, sat at a corner of the room. She had a head scarf on, not worn in a fashionable manner, such that I wondered whether she is receiving chemeotherapy. She sat there reading unperturbed by the noise and laughter in the room. Occasionally she looked up and cast an expressionless look at us. She left some impression on me.

After each story telling session, I usually reward myself with a bowl of hot almond paste at a dessert outlet. Yesterday, there was this middle aged couple seated at a table next to mine. Their conversation was so interesting that I strained my ears to eavesdrop. Throughout, this guy kept asking intermittently the question "Why must he become a monk?", to which the same reply but in various forms "how I know", "you ask me I ask who" and " I wish I know" came from the woman. My curiosity was not satisfied as I never got further information beyond this exchange which I soon realised is more of self wonder and bewilderment by both. After a while there was a new slant when the woman exclaimed in exasperation " If he had said he wanted to be a doctor or lawyer would you have asked why". I sat there eating and thinking about the sick (my guess) woman who sat in at my story session and this couple. If this couple were given a choice between having a child who is sick and a child who wants to be a monk, which would they have chosen.

I also recalled my daughter relating to me the circumstances about one of her friends. Before this girl left for UK under a scholarship she had a boyfriend whom her parents disapproved of. Why? Because the boy was not good enough for her. It was something like the boy is pursuing a course which is not law, nor medicine nor business at a local U and is not ambitious enough or something. Subsequently they broke off and the girl fell in love with a Pakistani Muslim in UK from the same college. The parents being Christians are devastated and when she comes back for summer holiday encourages her to reconcile with the former boyfriend.

No matter how slow you take to finish a bowl of almond paste you can not pretend to linger on for long. As I left I just thought about the things we can learn just by reflecting what we see and hear, "be thankful" is just one.