Another day, another traffic jam. Bumper-to-bumper. You are groaning in the seat next to me. Used to be we didn’t have to drive as much, when we lived closer to work. When we renting an apartment a mere ten minutes walk away from our offices. That was, what, three years ago? More, really. Time passes so bloody fast. So innocent then. Things aren’t always easy; it gets difficult and discouraging, it does. But we, we have learned to get tougher. We have learned each other.
It hits me. I turn to look at you. You sense this, and the shrug of your shoulders tell me you expect me to say something silly and mushy, yet again. (You are right, of course. You know me well.)
“You know what? I love you now more than before. More than when we first met, more than when we celebrated our first anniversary, more than last year. More than yesterday.”
I look at you and wait for the usual sarcastic comeback you are so good at. It’s part of our daily banter, part of your charm; it’s how I know you still pay attention to what I say, even when it’s nonsense and inane.
Instead you look right back at me and say, “I do, too.”
Your fingers tighten around mine. Our hands wrapped in each other. I squeeze back, and I drive us home.
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What We Have Been Up To, Part XIII
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HOKKAIDO RAMEN SANTOUKA • Tokyo Street, Level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Copyright © 2011 Kenny Mah Ying Fye. Pictures by Devil CK.
~ RAMADAN REFLECTIONS ~
Part I • Chicken Soup for the Soul
Part II • Compassion
Part III • The Zen of Road Rage
Part IV • Ginkgo Barley Beancurd
Part V • Good Man
Part VI • Satisfied
Part VII • A Pretty Girl is Like…
Part VIII • Swim! Swim!
Part IX • Our Moment in the Sun
Part X • More Now Than Before
Kenny Mah believes in the good in people. He has been blogging for over ten years. No, his hands aren't tired. Yet.
OMG the tamago egg is perfect!! Those guys are really serious about their ramen! the only time i’ve seen egg done in this way in japanese food is my kitchen. :P
@Michelle Chin: And I am very serious about my ramen and seasoned eggs too, hehe. Love the stuff. Now, if only I can get an invite to savour the flavoured eggs you make in your kitchen…
You’ve been together for a few years now, two loving sailors on the ship of life,
Sometimes you know where you’re going,
Sometimes you just go where the wind blows.
You’ve seen the world many times over,
Sometimes enjoying what the voyage has to offer,
Sometimes crying over its cruel blows.
Yet you’ve never abandoned your ship nor shipmate, holding on to your sure rudder.
Enjoy your Raya Holidays, my dear. :)
@Jemima: Thank you, my dear, for such a lovely poem and even more touching sentiments. *hugs*
As for our Raya holidays, I’m off the entire week so thus far it’s been sleeping and eating on REPEAT mode, haha.
I guess this is a sorta apt bookend to the earlier entry on road rage. And it makes me think of that classic song, ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ :D
@Sean: Firstly, how on earth are you already awake so early on a public holiday (especially when you were probably drinking till the wee hours of its eve)?
Secondly, oh ya hor – there was an earlier Ramadan entry set in the comforts of our car. Nice observation.
By the way this is the last Ramadan Reflection as today is the first day of Eid ul-Fitr. Selamat Hari Raya to all my Muslim readers!
You ate FOUR eggs.. you pig!! haha
@ciki: Nein. I ate one egg and Devil ate one egg. Some greedy, egg-crazed food blogger (coughs, sean-yoong-of-eat-drink-kl, coughs) was the one who gobbled up TWO. But I’m not saying who lah.
*giggles*
Just ate at Santouka yesterday too… the shio ramen is really nice and love the flavoured egg too. I’m gonna go tell my hubby now that i love him and see what he says. :P
@Baby Sumo: Yay! You enjoy the shio ramen too – that’s my favourite.
Let us know what your hubby’s reaction is, okay? Hehe.
Awwwwww.
So sweet.
Happy for both of you.
@Yin: Thanks, dear. Have a blessed Eid ul-Fitr and a wonderful holiday!
Time is a funny thing. It tempers edges, but deepens what’s existing, if it’s already solid. May you have many more drives home, a lot more sarcastic banter, and all the little things that weave the ordinary and the extraordinary together into life.
Selamat Hari Raya, m’dear! Peanut soup for CK!
@Spindle Girl: Thank you, dear and Selamat Hari Raya too!
And yeah, when’s he gonna make some African peanut butter soup already? *chuckles*
aww, one of the sweetest post yet :))
@rokh: And savoury too? (Thanks to the seasoned eggs and ramen?)
*chuckles*
How sweet! It’s certainly these little moments that count… these moments that are reflected upon always. ;)
@daphne: Maybe that is why this entire month of reflections have been so fulfilling. Now, let’s see what’s up for September…
That is so sweet. I’m very happy for you! :)
@Luuworld: Thanks, mate – and guess what? It’s Malaysia’s National Day today! Selamat Hari Merdeka to all fellow Malaysians!
Such a lumm post ;)
Eh, I just ate at Santouka today!
@Pureglutton: Selamat Hari Merdeka to you, dear! And hooray for your Santouka experience. Yummy ramen for our national day – why not, right? Hehe.
Ouh, alas, I’m on duty for work throughout this week’s public holidays … which means (relatively) early nights and early mornings for yours truly. Sniff, sniff.
Btw, just realized that “Ramadan Reflections X” sounds almost like it could be the title of a mutant superhero story. X marks the spot, it truly does! :D
@Sean: Early nights and early mornings are things of wonder. I miss them during holidays when I sleep in till noon… *chuckles*
‘X’ merely means this is the tenth and last Ramadan reflection. But one does hope it hits the spot, ja?
what comes after ramadan reflections though? your readers demand some spoilers! :D
@Sean: Spoilers? But, uhm, that would spoil it for you guys wor…
you are always so sweet in your words..i wonder your other half is just as sweet as you are? actually this is terrific, instead of getting angry and shouting at motorists when stuck at traffic jam, why not think of something sweet to say to the person next to us, rite?
@lena: My other half? Hmm.
*chuckles*
Think of it like a teaser trailer for a movie, to whet everyone’s appetite and heighten their anticipation. (Of course, the danger there would be if the trailer were actually better than the final product. Hehe) And speaking of stuff like trailers, now that ckiong.wordpress.com has featured a hit video clip in a recent entry, shouldn’t lifeforbeginners.com do so soon too? :D
@Sean: Hard to have a trailer for a movie/series that hasn’t even been conceptualised yet, much less written.
But I’ll get there somehow.
P.S. What hit video clip? *makes innocent face*
Sometimes the difficulties in life make us forget to say “I love you” to our beloved~
@Choi Yen: That’s why a reminder every now and then never hurts. *hugs*