40 years and still discussing

Finally.

Took Ches to see my favorite scuplture by Botero down at the river. (The Singapore River, which other... -_-) He asked me why was it my favorite, couldn't really explain it. Guess I felt an affinity with the fat, muscular pigeon. Went to the beanbag place aka my enclave. (Note to self: Really must stop drinking coffee. Gives me eyebags). I was a chatterbox for the day. Yay! Ches looks the same really, but different too. Aged? Definitely less stressed. Stress and lack of sleep does many different things to lots of people. For us, we just got thinner and sickly-looking. He's not that scrawny now, in fact I think rather... 'beefy'? Sounds so sordid. The 'right' size; sounds better... Just looks more relaxed- and healthy looking. Sort of like how travel matures you, everytime I come back from a trip I sort of look different. And he's been around the seven seas! Showed me his certs, realised that I've got one of the top students of SP on my hands here... Still the same old ches, humbly saying it is truly the grace of God that enabled him to do so well academically. Love that about him.

Well it's been 9 (!!) months since I saw him... He's ...taller, surprisingly. There's still hope for guys my age. =) Was just wondering to myself, thinking that it's rather sad that I don't treasure people only when they are gone/leaving then I start to realise what an important part they play in my life, etc, like Mr BestFriend, only that I take them for granted until our disparate lives ensure that we only meet once or twice a year, despite living less than 1 km away... And hopefully I'll be able to meet Ches more than once, or twice, this year...despite him living across the Johor Straits. Some of my friendships are meant to endure despite the distance, I hope. Perhaps the ones that I want to keep close and treasured. For no good reason except that it's just one of those -'you know', like something that you like very much and can't bear to throw out with the spring cleaning; even though it's old and needs replacement. (That would be my cupboards - old, that is; not that I'm feeling attached to them in ANY sense.)

So, finally finally finally after long months of emails I get to chat with Ches and tell him in 2 hours everything in my life the past 9 months. It was great, seeing the same old sarcastic smirk again and the straightforward replies. And of course 'gloating' to the rest that he only met ME ME ME and no one else. He made me promise not to tell anyone he was here, not to tell MW, nor Roger, nor Ben, nor Kim... that would be 4 people complaining 'why you are here and you never tell me?' Ohhh I feel so privileged. I just fear I'll go tramping down to MW's this weekend and blurt out how exhilarated I am to... oops. Shush.

Promised to visit soon, after CNY... And also promised to name my first dog after him. Hee... That would be 3 years later when he returns and we have reached a quarter-life... Maybe we will meet 40 years from now and finally complete discussing on 'The Purpose Driven Life'. If we're still alive, if we still remember each other, if we remember to discuss it. (Perhaps the book would be a 'classic' by then). Then I can tell my grandchildren : "Just 40 years ago, I was reading this book..."