Mom's BirthDay

Hey all, shared this with you all at mom's 70th birthday celebration....in memory of mom and si kar teng!


Things are beautiful if you love them ~ Jean Anouilh

Excitement buzzed in the small little one bedroom apartment. All the kids were running around trying to make the apartment as clean and tidy as possible. We had another hour before mom walks the 3 km home from work, it would enable our family to save 20 cents each day. We had it all planned. We would all hide quietly in the little apartment as mom turns the key, then she would search for us, and then we would all jump out of our hiding places and shout, ‘Happy Birthday!’ Then we will sing her a birthday song and then…but there was no more ‘and then’ cause we did not have any present for her.

Suddenly, our spirits dampened as we realized that we could not afford to buy our dear mother anything. And it grew very quiet.Suddenly, 5th sis appeared from under the bed with a triumphant grin and a worn out handbag in her hand, ‘I’ve found a present!’ The gray leather had faded considerably, some parts was even looking a little moldy. It must have been one of those things that Dad picked up at Sungei Road.

We looked around for wrapping paper. But we had nothing. Groan. And then 2nd brother said, ‘hey, let’s wrap it in old newspapers!’ We dived into it, and layer after layer we wrapped the bag, feeling once again the excitement and grandeur of our schemes.

‘She’s coming, she’s coming!’ 3rd sis shouted from her lookout post along the 12th-storey corridor, and we scrambled to find hiding places, which was a little difficult since it was a small place. And we tried very hard to keep our sniggering down…all these excitement caused 5th sis to wet her pants. I laughed and then cupped my mouth as I crouched behind the shoe rack.

The key turns, and the door opens slowly. Mom takes a cautious look inside, a look of bewilderment came over her. Where is all that usual noise and commotion? She steps in and I bit my lower lip, trying very hard not to break in laughter. Then with great gusto, we all sprang out of our hiding places and screamed, ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’

We sang the birthday song, but there was no cake nor candles…although we did have a birthday present. Mom peeled off the newspaper layer by layer, playing along with us as she kept saying, ‘I wonder what it is?’Finally, from the newspaper emerged the old, worn-out handbag. Mom was visibly moved, she hugged it to herself and told us she loved her present. We all cheered and felt so very proud of ourselves.

Mom kept that handbag for a long long time.
Presents need never be expensive, just given in love.