1. The Promise
Brothers and sisters, lend me your dreams.
There is time yet (but not much) before they fade away for good. Do you wake up at dawn to a grey morning, downcast and devoid of life? Have you lost all desire to rise and reap your rewards of the day? Is your alarm clock now lying five meters from your bed, shattered into smithereens by a most excellent effort on your part (considering you were still half asleep when you threw it)? Are you ready to give up and give in?
Listen to me then, sisters and brothers, and trust me when I say that it’s not too late. There is time yet. Don’t throw away your precious thoughts. Lend me your dreams and we shall walk together into the Garden of Rainbows.
Our hopes collects together as a phoenix egg, ready to hatch and burst into everything we can ever imagine. There will be love and wonder and magic and even world peace. And more. Just imagine it. Stars and hula hoops and blue doggies and all the power you crave. Nothing you want is ever ridiculous or too naughty. Share your secrets with me. I promise you I won’t laugh.
No, trust me, sisterbrother, I won’t laugh. Your secrets are sacred, dearbrothersister and I’ll make them come true. All of them, if you will allow me.
Trust me. Lend me your dreams.
.
2. The Persnickety Pair
A couple of livid liqueurs, conversing in questionable notes, perhaps a little floral (definitely fruity) —
Plum Wine: Don’t believe him.
Peach Schnapps: Not a word he says.
Plum Wine: He’ll promise you the world. It’s easy, talk is cheap. Don’t cost you a single penny.
Peach Schnapps: Just spittle.
Plum Wine: That’s right, just spittle. He’ll promise you the world, an entire theme park airbrushed by the local Gay Pride Parade, all the colours of the rainbow, all the fun and crazy rides that will knock your socks off — heck, why not the time of your life while he’s at it — and do you know what you actually end up with?
Peach Schnapps: Tell them.
Plum Wine: A pink flamingo.
Peach Schnapps: A pink flamingo.
Plum Wine: That’s right, a pink flamingo! Like we needed one. Like “we went to Disneyland and all we got is this stupid T-shirt” except a T-shirt we could wear, what are we gonna do with a pink flamingo?
Peach Schnapps: Not many applications for one in the present market.
Plum Wine: That’s right. It’s utterly useless! Where’s booze? The babes? The real macaroni-and-cheese? We’ve been duped, I tell you!
Peach Schnapps: Indisputably.
Plum Wine: Gah. He’s gotten me so mad. I need a bloody drink.
Peach Schnapps: Well, don’t look at me.
.
3. The Pride and Joy
You are not quite used to this feeling. You’ve let all these years go by and still, there it is. That feeling. Like you’re a young girl again, as though you can spend a lifetime falling and tripping head over heels, and it’d be okay. You can’t imagine anything else you’d rather do. You’ve found a place where you can be who you are, truly.
You’ve found a place where you can be in love.
Is it silly to want to shout out your joy at the top of your lungs, announcing this perfect moment (this promise of more, many more such moments) to the whole world, sharing in your good fortune? Is it foolish to be this happy?
You want someone to tell you it is neither silly nor foolish, that you never have to come back down again, that you can remain in the clouds, your heart ready to burst from the perfect madness of it all. You have found no safer shore than this careless bliss. You pray this smile never leaves your lips nor that forever kiss that tastes like all the colours of the rainbow.
You’re high up in the heavens and you’re not afraid to fall.
.
4. The Powderful Path
Someone’s used a pocketknife and carved the word “Powderful” on the table top. It used to be a door, now reincarnated and painted white. The stains and scars show.
You’ve met the preacher (the utopian evangelist, such a sweet and earnest man). You’ve encountered both performing pranksters, partners in peerless protestations. And you’ve met the picture of perfection, the love of your life. Or simply a promise of that fantasy. You sit at the table and wonder, do you believe?
Be it a warm cup of plum wine (梅酒) or a chilled shot of pfirsch schnapps, you don’t mind. You sure are thirsty. There is something more you need to discover, something you don’t quite understand.
Do you need directions or do you need a destination?
Maybe you just need a path and to start walking.
The Yellow Brick Road’s waiting for you. Oz and the Land of Wonders. The other side of the Looking Glass, the other side of the Wardrobe. Never-Never-Land. Somewhere you will find all the colours of the rainbow. Some day you will find all your answers. Go on. Just make sure you strap on your ruby slippers first, or your Manolo Blahniks or your Jimmy Choos. Or maybe a pair of white Louis Vuitton sneakers.
You’re good to go.
.
Credits: Photographs (taken @ Palate Palette) and design by Kenny Mah.
46 Comments
Postscript 1. This piece was constructed in the following order: First, the collages were put together from selected photographs taken at Palate Palette during a droll Sunday brunch. Next, each collage had a separate section written to accompany it. Therefore, if you feel this is a disjointed piece of work that makes no sense, you’d be right. Conversely, if you feel it flows from one part to the next according to a greater theme, you’d be right too.
Postscript 2. The author obviously has no clue and would appreciate if you did not alert him to his condition.
Postscript 3. My friends Alfred and Michael aren’t really alcoholic beverages.
Postscript 4. Those are actually white Louis Vuitton sneakers cK is wearing though.
Postscript 5. It’s okay if you’re confused; I have been for some time already and it’s nice.
Postscript 6. ‘Powderful’ is a delightful word courtesy of our beloved Malaysian English (also known as Manglish cos we obviously enjoy mangling the poor language) that bears a close resemblance in meaning to the term ‘powerful’ except it’s more so.
Postscript 7. Brownie points to anyone who can suggest some decent use for a pink flamingo.
PS #7: Hat stand, door stop, paper weight, lawn ornament, umbrella holder, jewelry (necklaces and bracelets) displayer… Where’s my brownies?
if only we could keep dreaming…
and if only the pink flamingo can fly me back to the arms of my beloved :(((
PostPOSTSCRIPT: Perhaps cK can wear the pink flamingo to go with those expensive LV sneakers? Pink does make everything else pop! (no?) See ya for dinner!
At a time when everyone is so busy looking for that elusive end of the rainbow for that elusive pot of gold where the leprachauns reign, I have chosen, indeed, to stay put and enjoy that rainbow. Seven colours, sometimes more, painted against clear blue skies.
Damn powderful, to say the least.
And damn if that pink flamingo isn’t staring me straight in the face.
Beautiful pictures as usual, and words, of course.
Talk the walk, walk the talk. Every shoe, slippers or footwears bring you to a destination but depending how you wear them; some like comfort scholls or call them comfort creatures and others walked differently perhaps with Nike that makes you run faster in life. Jimmy Choo makes you walk on thinlines cos you thread on the stilletoes; Whatever it brings you to the destination in your life the way you choose it.
Haven’t you heard? Pink is the new black or so i have been told.
Anyway, that photo looked perfectly fine….until you photo-shopped it. Now i look as though there is a thin layer of grass growing on my face.
» Shannon
I’m guessing I’d probably not wear any jewelery I’d dare display on a pink flamingo… but you did come up with many plausible uses, so brownies it is! I’ll bake you some the next time we meet. (Hopefully my baking skills improve enough by then that it doesn’t culminate in a biohazardous event.)
And you totally squirreled the meaning of brownie points!
» Jun
“…if only the pink flamingo can fly me back to the arms of my beloved…”
In dreams, it can. Pink flamingos are a symbol of ever returning, and fidelity.
» A Lil Fat Monkey
Pink flamingo + white sneakers (LV or otherwise) = a strawberry milkshake that’s surely an unpardonable mistake?
But I’ll agree with you about pink making things pop. Spectacularly, might I add. On someone who can carry it off, of course…
» Michelle
That’s a damn powderful choice: staying put and enjoying your rainbow.
My hat’s off to you!
» gina
Sweet of you to say so, dear.
» JENCOOKS
Hehehe, I guess, in brief, you mean: Just WEAR It? LOL
» Alfred
Pink is the new black? Then what is the new pink? Purple?
And it looks as though there is a thin layer of grass growing on your face BECAUSE I did photoshop a thin layer of grass on your face. One could hardly call it anything other than a vast improvement.
… I jest, I jest! I only did it cos I like the texture and how it added shadows and light to both your faces. Less boring, ma…
Pink Flamingo, that will be the new name I will serve my guest when I have my next party. Currently it has no name.
Name it after u lah. Kenn’s Pink Flamingo.
- 1 pack Marigold Peel Fresh Pink Guava Juice.
- 1 1.5 litre of 7 up or Sprite, depending on the brand you like.
- .5 litre of water
- LOTS and LOTS of ice. (crushed will be nicer)
There you go, I think the Pink flamingo goes well with brownies. Mana brownies???
My dreams: labyrinthine, cacophonous and confused. Interested. Lend it to you? Does it attract an interest? Still interested.
Funny how happiness from the same source comes in different range. Like how the smallest gesture can fill your heart with pride and love ;o). And yet the same source can be the one that makes us tear the most. So it’s never foolish to be that happy, for each experience is precious, enjoy the moment. Carpe Diem!
» keropokman
You. Definitely. Get. Brownies.
(Well, brownie points anyway.)
A drink after my own heart. So creative. And non-alcholic. Like me. LOL.
I don’t think it’d go well with brownies though. Too sweet and fizzy. A cuppa joe for brownies and nothing else, sir.
» Chin
I’ll ask The Preacher and get back to you…
» wmw
“Like how the smallest gesture can fill your heart with pride and love.
Oh don’t you know it!
I want real brownies, not brownie points….
» keropokman
Eh… buy them can or not? I dun think I can bake some that you will survive consuming leh…
Haha.. buy ah, no need lah.
If I have long leave and go to KL, I will attend one of those courses by Big Boys Oven
» keropokman
Then you can bake cookies FOR ME instead, ya?
LV to step on dirt?! *dramatic swoon*
very enlightening though it will take long to sink in , the rhytm is engrossingly sweeping and one can only take a little a time but stretch we shall
Blur today, can hardly follow.
Your pretty brains, may I borrow?
Flamingo in the garden?
Or on the apartment Boden?
Or melt it down to a pink glob
as a doorstop for the Pink Shop.
» Tummythoz
Mayhaps the dirt in question is exquisite, imported French dirt? Would that make you swoon less or more?
» backStreetGluttons
Stretch away, sir, stretch away!
» Argus Pheasant
You blur, me sleepy
For my bed I’m weepy
Flamingo’s in the garden
Else my eyes might harden
At such colour contrast
That my sanity may not last
And pray tell, what is
This Pink Shop biz?
actually, i was anticipating a description of the food at palate palette, technically or metaphorically. such a foodie, me..haha!
» Nic (KHKL)
As for the food review of Palate Palette, who knows? I still have tons of pics left. Maybe that’s another post for yet another day…
alcohol names for your friends huh. Just like naming a cocktail!
“There is nothing like a dream to create a future”
Victor Hugo
» daphne
I wonder what sort of liqueurs or cocktails my other friends would be? FBB is probably champagne, given his current post. LL? What non-alcoholic drink is there? LOL
And Mr. Hugo is most wise and right. My right now has been most definitely shaped by the dreams of the younger and more foolish me. Gotta love that guy.
Fed-Ex the pink flamingo to Bjork. Might just give her inspiration to the sequel of her infamous (ridiculous) swan dress.
Or just give it to your neighbour… four to five doors away.
» Kookymonsta
The. Best. Suggestion. Yet.
I bet Björk will love the pink flamingo! My neighbour, four to five doors away, might not appreciate it as much though.
hmm..let’s see..
we hv
baileys, kahlua, black russian, lemon volka, frangelico…
without a vision there wont be a future. =)
» daphne
With Baileys, I will definitely have visions. Not necessarily of the future though. Hehe.
LL? What non-alcoholic drink is there?
Since when I became a teetotaler ar? I’m a toddy, man.
» Lyrical Lemongrass
Toddy? Well, it figures… What with your fervent state of fermentation… your feminine farts and all…
PS#5….. how? and where? did you get the inspiration to write this???
Sorry PS#4…:P
» My Buddy Nisa
We lunched at Palate Palette: cK, Michael, Alfred and me. You were invited, remember? You declined in favour of sleeping in on a lazy Sunday morning…
Hey, Kenny - I LOVE your revamped blog. Fab! Also, love all your lovely romantic passionate posts.
» Yang-May
Thanks, dear… I hope to keep them coming for as long as I can.
Well done. I like the one with Pink Flamingo… I wanted to have one now
…. You’re really good with words… Ciao!
» equilibrium2008
Maybe I can start a mail-order Pink Flamingo business. Yes/No?
Keep those posts coming will ya?
» jason
Ditto what I told Yang May.
I probably need a destination this very moment. shoes or no shoes.
OR I can crawl over, grab my alarm clock (shattered and all) and embrace
my mundane routine life.
hmmm, insert a pic or two on the food? =)
» J2Kfm
My next post might just be about that very topic — needing a destination, or not needing one. I’m not sure. I wouldn’t really know till it gets written, which is usually how things work here anyway, hehe.
As for the food pics: there are plenty but now doesn’t seem the right time for it. Perhaps one day I’ll review Palate Palette good and proper, giving it the full attention it deserves. I’m going there again soon, to celebrate another friend’s birthday… as we did exactly a year ago!
Why, to keep other pink flamingos company of course
Pink shop is where happy guys gather,
Not a place where you’d take mother.
Flamingo now in whose garden?
Be careful not peed on by a kitten.
Have to go now to do some exercise;
Move my eyeballs if not my thighs.
» Yuri
… of course.
» Argus-cannot-slim-down-help!
Some mothers are out and proud,
Love their boys without a doubt.
Yet little kittens that pee all over,
May not be adored by the mommy dowager.
I’d stick with dormant flamingos,
Or gym eye candy before they disappear like dodos…
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