Finally, the monsoon drain in sight. Ah Peng twisted and broke a dry twig from a broken branch of a 'cherry' tree. I was about to ask her why she needed it when she scurried off to the drain , leaving me staring behind her.
Just as she reached the edge of the drain, she squatted down. I hurried towards her, afraid that I might miss anything interesting. Ah Peng used the twig to poke into the water in the drain and as she did that, tiny grey guppies swam around it. I was gleefully looking at them when Ah Peng spoiled my mood.
Mischievously, she gave the twig a shake and the guppies shot away in all directions, dispersing like a blob of light grey paint dropped from a height. She chuckled and told me to squat down. She gave me the twig and suggested that I 'teased' the fish in the water too.
Together we squatted at the edge of the monsoon drain .The drain was silted up and its sides had fallen in. There were oil slicks floating on the water, possibly from the mechanic's workshop located just a few yards away. It was a miracle that the tiny guppies could thrive in such a condition.
Time seemed to fly by. We did not realise it as we were so engrossed 'communicating' with our aquatic friends. It was almost midday and our stomachs were beginning to groan. As we were about to get up to go home, a familiar shrill voice from behind made us jump up. We turned our heads and to our surprise, we saw Ah Peng's mother!
Oh, gosh! The shade of the big cherry had blocked off most of
the hot sun , so much so that we did not realise it was nearly
lunch time. Ah Peng's mother had come home from work and
she was still in her smelly work clothes. As she pushed her
bicycle and walked away, Ah Peng sheepishly followed. Her
mother muttered something which I could not comprehend,
and I saw her pinched Ah Peng's left ear.
I felt scared and I ran off home as fast as I could.
I almost tripped and fell down. Wearing flip flops too large for
one's feet is very dangerous, I realised then.
Just as she reached the edge of the drain, she squatted down. I hurried towards her, afraid that I might miss anything interesting. Ah Peng used the twig to poke into the water in the drain and as she did that, tiny grey guppies swam around it. I was gleefully looking at them when Ah Peng spoiled my mood.
Mischievously, she gave the twig a shake and the guppies shot away in all directions, dispersing like a blob of light grey paint dropped from a height. She chuckled and told me to squat down. She gave me the twig and suggested that I 'teased' the fish in the water too.
Together we squatted at the edge of the monsoon drain .The drain was silted up and its sides had fallen in. There were oil slicks floating on the water, possibly from the mechanic's workshop located just a few yards away. It was a miracle that the tiny guppies could thrive in such a condition.
Time seemed to fly by. We did not realise it as we were so engrossed 'communicating' with our aquatic friends. It was almost midday and our stomachs were beginning to groan. As we were about to get up to go home, a familiar shrill voice from behind made us jump up. We turned our heads and to our surprise, we saw Ah Peng's mother!
Oh, gosh! The shade of the big cherry had blocked off most of
the hot sun , so much so that we did not realise it was nearly
lunch time. Ah Peng's mother had come home from work and
she was still in her smelly work clothes. As she pushed her
bicycle and walked away, Ah Peng sheepishly followed. Her
mother muttered something which I could not comprehend,
and I saw her pinched Ah Peng's left ear.
I felt scared and I ran off home as fast as I could.
I almost tripped and fell down. Wearing flip flops too large for
one's feet is very dangerous, I realised then.
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