It is out of good intentions that Shao Xiang wants a barbecue session this Saturday as part of a get-together months after commissioning from the army. Apparently, he organized something similar weeks ago for his own circle of secondary school mates. The turn out wasn’t as expected when participants who initially promised to show up back out at the last minute. Oh he was pissed. Much to my surprise, there are differing decisions as to why one back out from joining.
So to avoid similar complications to this Saturday’s gathering, we decided to inform everyone we have invited about the prevailing cost which sums up to an affordable $15. We also indicated that we have already done the ordering, so any forms of backing out is strongly discouraged.
Kwok Rui first message, “One man down, Kenneth wouldn’t be joining us.” And next, “Wei Te’s not joining us.” The latest one was, “Don’t count Yongjie’s girlfriend into the list.”
Still, I don’t wish to jump to any early conclusions even at this juncture. Kenneth told me that he will be having some family commitment (a dinner of sorts). Wei Te will be working on that evening and Yonjie’s girlfriend is ill.
I know it’s wrong to post names and all, but I’m seriously not getting personal at anyone on this matter. I will appreciate early notification from Kenneth, but I understand that family commitments can be very last minute as well. I admit I was irate when Kwok Rui first text me on the phone, but not any more now.
Wei Te shouldn’t have agreed to confirm when he knows he will be working on that fateful day. Then again, we would have been delighted to know earlier whether he can make it. As for Yongjie’s girlfriend, hope she’s getting well now but I couldn’t understand what’s so serious that she needs absolute rest from Tuesday all the way till Saturday.
Up till this point of writing, I will be lying if I told anyone of you that I wasn’t speculating that the reasons they had provided were probably not the actual accounts of what’s happening. I will have to apologize if I have painted an ugly picture of the listed individuals, but what I have said were not groundless insinuations.
I have a strong feeling that these are only the birth pangs of an event which might go very wrong. As much as I want to feel optimistic, I can only be thoroughly assured on the actual day itself.
This entry seems to illustrate a very insecure young man attempting to organize an event, and keep having vibes about no one turning up for the event and end up have to pay for everything. It’s not about the cost, but it is definitely worthwhile to spend money to reveal the true colours of “friends” you thought you had.
After all, I mentioned the entire event was (and still is) motivated by kind intentions, not by monetary benefits.
4:46 pm on January 9th, 2008
They are still good enough to inform before the food is booked. So count ourselves lucky.
12:10 am on January 11th, 2008
Lucky i reconfirm the list with u, i know some will fly kite which i expected. So cannot blame. Now the list is more or less confirm liao. The money just fix it ba. If some did not appear, the money we can share among us loh, need not u pay the remainding mah. But yj wife said might be lah.. maybe will come after she recover ba.. Cheers bro..
12:29 am on January 11th, 2008
Cannot blame? I don’t see why one should not be responsible just because we expected one or two may play us out at the last second.
11:23 pm on January 13th, 2008
still, it was a fabulous night.
problem being, there’s not enough sabal sotong. damnit.
9:58 pm on January 17th, 2008
Didn’t know the sambal sotong was a hit until I tried it for myself. The stingray, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to get raved at.
Now I know what to get more the next time round, if there’s any. The garlic bread couldn’t make it. Haha. Anyways, it’s an incredible night and it’s rewarding to receive positive comments from most people. Ironically, seems like those whom I construed to be busy people were the ones who turned up without much questions asked.