Iris of Nostalgia

A muffled, familiar tone was playing in the distance over and over again.

As if instinct, I stretched my hand towards the pile of dirty clothes, as if a desperate predator searching for its prey. Underneath the layers of filthy clothes, I felt my cellphone. Like a prize, I took it to my face and squinted my eyes to see the time.

5:31am was on the screen. The blue light emanating from the screen of my phone gave the room an eerie aura.

I clambered off my bed and trod to the toilet with my toothbrush. Everything seem like a dream still, as if someone had placed a blotting paper in front of my eyes, making everything I see, unclear and blurry. I hate this feeling. Morning blues I assumed.

In the toilet, I saw someone familiar staring back at me. I stopped and contemplated the pasty figure.
I really hated him. Looking at him makes me feel like as if I were looking at myself, mimicking my every move.

I blink my eyes; He blinks his eyes.
I lift my left hand; He lifts his right hand.
I slap myself with my right hand; He slaps himself with his left hand.

Fed up, I started brushing my teeth ignoring the fact that he was doing the same thing in front of me.

When I was done brushing, I scampered out of the bathroom. I Looked behind me for any signs of the mime. He will be gone until I return to the toilet tomorrow morning. I really hated my college's toilet.

(Walked to my room)

I produced a key and unlocked my room's door. The sound of my keys made one of my roommates stirred in his bed. Silently, I shut the door. The alarm clock on the table designated 5:45am. I thought to myself, still early.

I flopped onto the plastic chair in front of my study desk.

I was in a car. I looked out of the window, it was dark. Everything outside tore by in a blur as the car sped ahead. With a cursory glance, I saw the speedometer indicating, 100km/hr. Shifting my attention out the window again, I saw a green board rising from the horizon. The words written on the board looked like gibberish initially, but later it became clear; and on it were a few simple words. Klang 13km. Tentatively, I turned my head toward the driver's seat, my eyes pin-pointed on the face of the driver reflected off the rear mirror of the car, I saw...

I was reeled back in front of my study desk by the vibration of my cellphone. I flipped opened my cell and half expected Sarah's message. I opened the message:

Sarah Ho
15-Jan-2009 5:56 am
Hi. Comin now.

I slipped my phone in my pocket and headed downstairs. As I walked in the morning breeze, the Imams shouted their prayers towards the heaven. Their amplified voice reverberated across the entire campus. I bowed my head to look at the book I clutched in my hands as I walked out the gates of my college, as if paying a solemn respect for the efforts that the Imams have made that their God may hear their prayers.

Walking with confident up Sarah's car, we headed for my church's morning prayer. A different kind of prayer to a God who is benevolent, omnipotent and omnipresent.

*The End*

Well, I have to admit that I am currently a bit emo. I thought back of a song which reminds me of a lot of things. Well, you might say, not the best memories lah... I will share the lyrics with you guys.

Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
And I'd give up forever to touch you,
cause I know that you feel me somehow,
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,
And I don't want to go home right now,

And all I can taste is this moment,
And all I can breathe is your life,
Cause sooner or later it's over,
I just don't wanna miss you tonight,

And I don't want the world to see me,
Cause I don't think that they'll understand,
Where everything's meant to be broken,
I just want you to know who I am.

Metaphor

Yesterday stopped at the traffic light.

As it sat, Today tore by in front of it,
At a life-threatening speed.

And Tomorrow turned the corner, following
Slowly behind Today. It would reach its
Destination all too soon for anyone's liking.

Yesterday sat, its engine idling slower slower.
The light, never to be green again,
Stared at Yesterday with a baleful
Red eye.

What an amazing metaphor Cindy Booth had given Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

I Know Where Yesterday Has Gone by Cindy Booth.
Comtemplate this...

Ice-Cold; Hot-Spots

When I first went back to my college, I heard my friends commenting on the University's Upgraded wireless, Aruba if I were not mistaken. They were telling me that the connection was fantastic, and one of my friend even told me that he had supposedly downloaded "Spiderman" in less than 3 hours, I was skeptical at first.

Immediately, I rushed back to my room, turned on my friend's laptop, and streamed videos on Youtube. Surprisingly, the legendary connection speed wasn't a fable afterall. I didn't even need to pause when I watched the video, it played smoothly to the end. No buffering, no nothing. I was overjoyed.

Unfortunately, things changed when I went back to my college after the holidays. The wireless connection was bad as ever, maybe even worse compared to the previous semester. I couldn't log onto anything at all. My facebook, hotmail, even Google took forever to load. I am starting to wonder what was the upgrade about if the connection was as sucky as ever.

Writing this blog in the faculty's computer lab makes me feel uncomfortable. Well, maybe it is a good way to keep my blog short and straight to the point.

Post more updates next time.