Bro, this post is for you.
This post may sound a bit gay-ish, but it's not. Its for a friend of mine who had pass away today.
More than a decade ago, together with my family we moved to 497H Tampines Street 45. While I live on the second floor, you live on the fifth floor. I don't know for what reason, my mum get to know your mum. We then went to kindergarden together with Zhi Hao. Everyday after school we will run across the field and see who will reach the other end first. On rainy occasions we will see wild mushrooms and pluck it out.
Then came primary 1, we entered the same school, and even the same class. Till primary 3, we were being group to different classes. But still, we meet up everyday and would hang out at our house area to play. I still remember me calling your house every single afternoon just to ask you what time to meet, where to go today. Together with few other kids, we would roam the area from 5pm-7pm, and then 8pm-11pm with one hour break in between for dinner.

We even join the same CCA together, basketball. Those were the days. Of course there are quarrels but things went back to normal the very next day! Occasionally your mum will bring us for a swim at Tampines Sports Complex. We would play block catching, marbles, basketball, or even finding things to burn. The scar on my finger now was from you bro. We were burning some twisties wrapper. But heck, those days were fun.
All this fun we had ended at secondary 1, when I had no choice but to move to Simei with my family. But occasionally we would meet. Time flies, we all grew up. Your mum would often call my mum up and talk on the phone. Each time I hear updates from you, I'm glad that you are doing well. I even heard from my mum that you were going to sign on with the army. I was thinking, it would be great because in my mind I was thinking, you signing on with the army, me with the police, both protecting the country. And when we meet up one day, we sure have a lot of things to talk about.
The last time I saw you was on MRT few years back. When I was on the way to school. Though we didn't meet for years, we had a lot of topics to talk on. We don't have the stranger feelings. Perhaps it's because of your strong cheerful character.
Till one fine day on the 6 May 2011. I heard a terrible news from my mum. She said that you were in ICU. She didn't tell me much more details. I got in touch with my cousin, she said that you were in coma. For some reason, the virus from your high fever affected your liver, and then your brain. Doctors couldn't verify what virus is that. I went to see you at SGH. The few times that I saw you in SGH, I couldn't pluck out the courage in me to talk to you. I was standing there motionless. Images of us playing when young kept flashing in my mind. My friend, I regretted. On Thursday I was suppose to go and see you but I couldn't make it. I regretted.
That was the last time I could have see you. Today while waiting for the practical lesson to start, I was surfing the facebook and saw updates from your brother that you have gone. I sat there thinking for very long. I couldn't believe what I saw. My friend, I never ever imagine this day would come. Seeing someone close to me gone for no apparent reason.
As I clear my mind I started to think, since young there's a lot of first time I did with you.
- RIding your bicycle and finally get to cycle on 2 wheels
- First few hokkien vulgarities *smile*
- Going to the Muar, Malaysia with your family. Yes my first time overseas.
- Going to swim.
*there were other things but I can't recall now*
My friend, I'm proud to have you as my buddy. We grew up together. We play, sweat and bleed. The wildest days of my childhood life. I bet not many kids nowadays would experience such things. And it's always good that our parents were not so strict then. My friend, thank you for the memorable days as a kid. My friend, I'm proud to have you as my buddy. For all we know, you will always be remembered in our heart, as a strong, cheerful, happy, optimistic young man.
We will meet again, someday, somewhere.
In loving memory, Hoo Shuwee.
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