NUS has an awful resemblance to our society; to survive it, the university is probably a place of choice to start the journey off. And communal living is akin to sustaining in a scaled-down version of this dastard society that we live in.
Staying in Temasek Hall, and knowing the fella who lives three blocks away from you, in a corner tucked away from view is not completely impossible in its entirety. Not when you have residents who go around with their citizen-journalism ambitions, value adding to what you already have heard from yesterday’s supper.
Bloopers of today doesn’t get covered up like media regulated countries do. Technology definitely augmented the quality of news we hear in hall today. Through the momentary bits of information popping up on the instant messaging screen, you can probably learn a lot more about the person than the face-to-face communication you have had over dinner in the communal hall.
It’s been great knowing you in hall. The announcement could have been done in a much expedient manner. Certainly it’s not timely, and definitely it could have been sooner or much later. The former, of course, could have been inflicted with lesser pain. The sound of fast-paced flapping flip-flops followed by your appearance at my doorstep made my heart skipped, a little. I knew the news was coming. And it’s ironic to hope that this saga tides over as soon as possible, and at the same time wishing that it never happened.
The disclosure, accompanied by cliche apologies was the only way to express news of such nature. Future relations will have tensions, and the aftershocks of each tremor may take a while to heal. Still, thank you for the times you have allowed to make acquaintances become viable friendships. A myriad of images filled my mind moments later after you revealed the message, with sudden revelation that the semester had just begun. I felt like a minority, mocked and possibly jeered at. As masochistic as it might sound, the pain no doubt assuaged my fears and turned them into make-believe self-confidence that I could use to distract myself.
I am hopeful that things will continue as before, but we know that the harsher facts are often otherwise. It doesn’t help much to learn that our hall’s corners lurk with people who thrive in small talks, who will inevitably exacerbate matters and skew perspectives. It’ll take a lifetime to offer our audience with individual editions of this dramatic account. Explanations and clarifications will not come in handy as the cynics and skeptics are always present to prove their alternative vantage points true.
Sigh. Life has its own unfortunate manner of siphoning us in and spiraling us about; and until now, I’m thankful — for your sheer optimism that filled the hollows of negativity that I once find trouble to occupy.
Take care and all the best.