It’s the eve of National Day!
Blake is celebrating it for the first time ever! Last year, we didn’t do much to join in the celebrations cos… I can’t quite remember now. Haha!
In any case, Blake went to school dressed in a red t-shirt and checkered shorts, all ready to celebrate the nation’s birthday in school!
Waiting for my parents to pick us to have breakfast together
His t-shirt is pretty special. My mom bought it from a flea market in Australia. The little octopus was handcrafted, and sewn onto a t-shirt from Gymboree – high quality children’s t-shirt! I would say it’s a one of a kind t-shirt for sure! Thanks, mom!
Tried to get him to take a photo with me, but he was busy counting cars going in and out of the car park, in his own language. Haha!
After having breakfast, and on the way to school, I switched to the front camera mode (very lousy 1.3mp, but nice effect!) and Blake was more willing to take a photo with me
***
Just want to share something that happened last night, which made this particular National Day even more special.
Last night, I came across good men who came to Singapore to work; who ever so kindly lend me a helping hand when I needed one.
Sean was chasing after Blake, who ran into the car park unexpectedly, and did not realize that his pouch, where his mobile phone was kept, was left open. It probably dropped off in the midst of this frenzy chase, or it could have been pick-pocketed when Sean brought Blake to have a look at crabs at a nearby coffee shop, which was rather crowded. I was not with them at the time, and when I found out from Sean that his mobile phone was gone, I panicked. It was a brand new mobile phone, used only for a little over a month.
I asked Sean to show me their route from the point of chase to the coffee shop, where I found them. For the next two hours, after Sean took Blake home, I spent it prowling the route, hoping to find his mobile phone.
While looking for the mobile phone, a group of foreign workers had just ended work, and were piling onto the lorry. I approached them, asking them if they saw Sean and Blake playing, and if they saw a mobile phone lying around. I told them the mobile phone was missing.
They must have heard me wrongly, because their faces went pale, and they started to panicked.
One of them asked me, “How old is the boy? How tall? What he wearing?” I was puzzled. I was wondering why he asked me all these questions when I was looking for a mobile phone. Then I realized that they heard ‘small boy’ and ‘missing’, and instantly thought I was looking for my son!
I calmed them down, and told them Blake was safe at home with Sean, and it was a mobile phone that was missing. They relaxed a little and shockingly, got out of the lorry and started looking for the mobile for me! They asked me about the brand, model and colour of the mobile phone, and started combing the entire car park with me to look for it. One tried calling Sean’s mobile phone, but to no avail.
After helping me search around the car park twice, I told them to forget it. It was probably gone for good already.
I thanked them profusely, and after they left, I continued searching for a while more. Sean called, and told me to return home, to forget about the mobile phone.
When I got home, I told Sean what happened, and how the foreign workers had helped me unconditionally, not seeking rewards or anything, just out of pure goodwill. It really made the difference between having to go to bed feeling horrible (due to the loss of the mobile phone), or going to bed feeling grateful.
Despite the loss of the mobile phone, I experienced first-hand the kindness and contribution some foreign workers bring to Singapore. They had a long day of physical/construction work (they do renovations), yet they did not hesitate to help me when it was time for them to head back and rest. This really opened up my eyes, with a whole new perception towards foreign workers.
I went back to find them earlier today. I had bought drinks and biscuits for them, as a way to say ‘Thanks’. To my disappointment, the group of kind workers was not there. I hope to be able to see them again, to express my thanks once again.
P.S. Blake’s hair looks different because I made a failed attempt in trimming his fringe on my own, when he was having his bath. It looked really nice when his hair is all wet, but after it dried… Sigh.
