New Year’s Eve. Last day of a year spent without many hours in the company of my best friend. Stranger still, given this year we became neighbours. I fly west, you fly east. Our hours never seem to match. Every meeting is precious; we never know how long we would have to wait before we get to see each other again.
So today you ask me out for tea (or I ask you; it doesn’t really matter and neither of us have good memories anyway). Just the two of us. Just like the good ol’ times.
I walk to your low-rise apartment block. I ring your door-bell. You come to the door, not quite ready, as usual. You talk funny to your cats, in your own cat-language. Good thing they are cats otherwise they’d be terrified of you. (You name them after football stars you happen to fancy – Nakata is a favourite.)
I ought to be terrified of you too, but it’s too late. We’ve known each other far too long. We’re family, we’re brothers, we’re always gonna be late for our own dates with ourselves.
We get in your car (always a triumph of courage for me given your joyous disregard for basic traffic rules and the presence of other motorists) and you drive me all over town, changing your mind on where to have tea half a dozen times. When we finally sit down and order your Earl Grey and scones and my mint and ginger and carrot cake, it’s as though we’ve been doing this forever. It certainly feels that way. We can’t remember; our defective memories are a blessing.
We chat and we change topics like pages of the daily paper being flipped. We use shorthand, we laugh, we whisper, we understand without saying, how despite being so different in so many ways, like night and day, perhaps that’s what makes us the perfect pair. Nothing goes with night quite like day, after all.
You tell me you miss our lazy Saturday afternoons at Starbucks, in the Borders Bookstore. We would sit down and drink coffee and read our books and never say a word to each other for hours. Why does it feel like we used to have all the time in the world? When did it get to that we no longer do?
Sometimes life is like a musical. Big songs and dance numbers. There will be lulls, there will be intervals, but mostly we remember the songs and the dances. When was the last time I danced with you, in this musical of our lives?
But I’m not Yul Brynner and you’re not Deborah Kerr. I still have my hair (for now) and you are far more beautiful than Ms. Kerr. The most beautiful, the most happiest girl in the world.
You sure are something wonderful. May you always know this, forever and ever.
.
.
Copyright © 2011 Kenny Mah Ying Fye. Pictures by Devil CK & Kenny Mah.
~ My Best Friend the Diva ~
Part 1 • Boo Boo Kitty!
Part 2 • You Taste Like Tong Sui
Part 3 • Merdeka (also featuring Msiagirl & Lyrical Lemongrass)
Part 4 • Mona Nisa Smile
Part 5 • Secawan Kopi
Part 6 • The Most Happiest Girl in the World
Part 7 • The Domestic Goddess (and Her Boys)
Part 8 • Like Tea for Tai-Tai’s
Part 9 • The Diva and I
Kenny Mah believes in the good in people. He has been blogging for over ten years. No, his hands aren't tired. Yet.
It’s a funny little thing, isn’t it, time. It almost feels like, the closer (physically) we get, the less time we actually see each other.
But it is something wonderful, this having someone to love. And friends to share. And good good coffee.
@Michelle: That’s the thing Diva and I have both learned (fortunately) – it doesn’t matter if we truly don’t get to see each other all that often, so long as we have each other in our thoughts constantly, and in our hearts.
Some bonds of friendships go beyond words or distance. With Diva, it often involves adorable pulses of actual physical violence, but you know, in a I-love-you-but-that’s-stupid-so-I’m-gonna-smack-your-arm kinda way.
Something wonderful indeed.
Maybe we all have less time nowadays because we spend so much time in bloody traffic jams. =_=
@J the chocoholic: Oh dear. ‘Tis the post-school-holiday-and-year-end season. So, aye, the traffic jams have returned with a vengeance. The rain this morning didn’t help much either, did it?
I concur on that.
I have lived as an alien in foreign lands for years and strangely the ones I consider kindred spirits, we just pick up from where we left behind,some months some longer. No effort required, no awkward smiles. I love how hearts can be linked eventho we can be miles and miles apart.
@possum: Yes, the threads can be picked up with greatest of ease, despite the miles and months (sometimes even years) that may have been between us. That’s when we know – true friends we are.
What a lovely friendship. :-) Here’s to more stories of you and the Diva.
@Lyrical Lemongrass: All hail the Queen! What good fortune to have Your Highness gracing my humble web log…
To heck with the Diva, here’s to more stories of you and me, my udon-slurping Queen! Hehe.
Aaww….such a sweet dedication. It must be a great privilege to be on that list :-)
@Pureglutton: Oh there’s no list and there’s no privilege lah. If there is any at all, I guess the privilege is all mine to have friends like her… and also you, my dear.
*hugs*
this post made me wanna catch up with my best friend again and wine and dine as we used to do so many years ago.
and a cat called nakata? must be one handsome cat!
It’s time for another spoof of LFB’s writing. Then again maybe I’ll just copy and paste this time since this perfectly describes my relationship with my BFF. U should see how I jumped in glee when she asked me to keep her company at papparich. Least she’s decisive, unlike that diva of yours. Lol
they say sometimes people become influenced by their pets. does a woman with cats slowly grow to cultivate cat-like qualities? i can imagine the diva being as elegantly sinuous as any feline, but i’m wondering about the other attributes we often link to cats … a strong sense of independence. a keen awareness of one’s surroundings. some aloofness. i’d hesitate to add cattiness, cos i don’t think cats themselves are catty (depending on how you define it, of course!) :D
You are the envy of many because it is obvious that you have found a special friend in the Diva & she in you.
Diva must have change your life just by being part of it.
I believe Diva is someone who makes you laugh until you can’t stop and she will convince you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open.
May both of you have a friendship that lasts forever.
What you tok? I’ve been visiting ur blog nearly everyday lah.
I think you should do a story about….ummmm….salads.
KENNNNYYYYY!!!
eh next time say lar wanna put my pic… then I wear nice nice and take nice nice pic.
Btw the pic you took of me is gonna be in the newspaper on Saturday or Friday… something lidat :D
Rainy Thursday mornings are for bed. And tea for two. And on the occasions of our solitude, perfect for a cup of ginger-lemongrass tea. I’m so glad you got to spend time with your favourite Diva.
@mr sekimachihato: Have faith, my friend, you’ll catch up with your best friend again some day. And everything just latches on and continues, like a conversation that never ended, only paused for a moment as the two of you went on with your lives, only to return to this same moment, different.
Nakata? Not sure about the cat but the former soccer star he’s named after sure is delectable! Heh.
@alilfatmonkey: What? Another spoof? I should seriously consider charging royalty fees for all these adaptations/inspired-by works. Hehe.
Actually, I think both you and your BFF are decisive guys lah. It’s just me and my best friend who can take hours pouring over a menu to decide what to order, changing our minds a hundred times. I dunno who’s worse, the Diva or me.
Either way, when Devil has to go out with us, we drive him nuts. (And I don’t mean the heavenly nuts sorta way neither. Heh.)
@Sean: I’d almost agree with you except I don’t think cats, in general, are terribly forgetful, segue from one topic to a drastically different one in mid-sentence with no warnings at all, get attracted to thickly-bespectacled global economists with very long last names (and very long first names for that matter) propounding one controversial theory after another… or recall fondly watching a Chinese-American lesbian indie film together as their most memorable bonding moment with their best friend.
And she’s not catty at all. If anything, she’s sometimes as blur as a sotong! Ahem.
@jemima: Thank you. That’s very kind of you. Usually the Diva makes me laugh just by being herself.
*runs off and hide from diva*
@Lyrical Lemongrass: Yes, and everyday is a privilege, an honour, Your Royal Highness! Hee.
A story about salads? You mean those gay salads you make for Bald Eagle and you? Whatever would I write about them, I wonder?
@Nisa/the Diva: Cis! Are you saying I don’t take nice pictures of you! The nerve!
Anyway, obviously others disagree with you on my photography skills if the pic I took of you is appearing in the newspapers this weekend. So there.
*loves bickering with best friend, so fun*
@Spindle Girl: I am very glad I got to spend time with my favourite Diva too.
And the only thing better than a cup of ginger-lemongrass tea on a rainy Thursday afternoon is a glass of Bundaberg ginger beer mixed with freshly-crushed mint leaves. Heaven, I tell you.
“Sometimes life is like a musical. Big songs and dance numbers. There will be lulls, there will be intervals, but mostly we remember the songs and the dances.”
When it comes true friendship, intermissions don’t really count. =)
NIce one, Kenny gor gor.
…Bundaberg ginger beer. All right that does it. This must appear on the Birthday menu. I’ve never had it that way, you see!
Ooooooooh sotoooooooong…ahem. I mean. Sotong is good! In curries! Salt-grilled! …ok, I’m just making things worse.
@Vern: No, they don’t, do they? *hugs*
@Spindle Girl: The Diva is so gonna love you for suggesting she goes well with curry or grilled with salt. Hehe.
I think I should stop while I’m ahead and run away -right now-, isn’t it? Do I get to meet her at the Birthday? She sounds wonderful, if a bit intimidating…
(But I do love sotong curry. And I love salt-grilled sotong even better.) Your Diva probably adds a touch of class and piquancy to all of those when she has them for dinner!
@Spindle Girl: Trust me, she’s not intimidating… more strange and bubbly and rather beautiful. She’s the closest thing I have to a brother so you might guess she’s not particularly girly or Barbie-like.
Which is a good thing.
And all this talk of sotong is making me hungry! Oh dear, and just after lunch summore. There goes my waistline!
Not particularly girly or Barbie-like is indeed a good thing! I’m the one with the sharp pointy objects all over my room, after all…
Bah what waistline? You managed those pants, right? :)
@Spindle Girl: On Pointy Objects – I’m guessing the Diva has had extensive experience with those, too. *winks, winks*
On Waistlines – True, I did manage to fit into those pants again, all five pairs of them. Now let’s keep it that way, shall we? *guffaws*
All FIVE pairs of them? Waaaaaaaaiow, you’re doin’ good mate. :) I thought it was just two! Congratulations!
One night of lovely curry sotong shouldn’t up the waistline though… *grin*
@Spindle Girl: Oh no, to win the bet with Devil, I had to fit into all five pants by the time of our Krabi trip last September. So yes. Yay for me! (Thanks, dear.)
And since you’ve persuaded me so, I guess one night of lovely curry sotong shouldn’t really do much damage to my wide (but no-longer-expanding) waistline… Hehe.
reminds me of my own diva, being at borders and all. but urs name her cats after footballers?! nice. i have this plan of naming my (future) dogs after them too :D
@Jun: I know one cat’s Nakata after Hidetoshi Nakata, another’s Lukas after Lukas Podolski.
No clue who Ben is named after though. Ben Foster? Are goalies considered famous enough? (Since Diva mostly names them after the more news-worthy ones, to the best of my knowledge.)
I wonder what the names of your (future) dogs might be?
happy new year kenny! it’s true that sometimes, we need to slow down to savour relationships and friendships. Just a bite will do.
Nisa, you won’t need to wear very nice because your expression usually the main focus, attractive enough :)
@daphne: “Just a bite will do.”
Oh dear. I don’t think the Diva would appreciate taking a bite out of her, even if just one.
I guess, uhm, you meant a less literal interpretation of savouring the relationship. Heh.
@Prodigal Lulu: Trying to butter up our Diva, are you? Hehe.
haha, where got. I just telling the truth that Nisa does has an amusing character. lol
@Prodigal Lulu: Wah, now you mean the Diva makes people laugh ar?
Hehe. I know what you mean lah. She’s adorable.
even a short ‘how are you?’ sms from friends will make my day sweet enough
@lena: Couldn’t agree more, dear. It’s all about the smallest things in life.
Oh, and ‘How are you?’ *winks*
i’m good..blop hopping, mostly food blogs and coming here has been ‘rejuvenating’ for me..it seems like part of daily reads.
@lena: Blog-hopping can be such a sweet addiction, ya? Especially food blogs – in which case, it’s more of a sweet-sour-spicy-savoury addiction, hehe.
I oughta know; I’m an addict too. Hehe.
Hope my posts may always ‘rejuvenate’ you after a long day! *hugs*
global economist? Is he well-known? The only one I can think of, offhand, is Paul krugman, and he doesn’t match your description :D
Chinese-American lesbian indie movie? I watched ‘the kids are all right” at last, and that would fit your description, except for the Chinese bit =) not a bad movie, but I was underwhelmed. I think I’ll try watching it again. I love annette bening, but I didn’t feel her performance here was deserves an Oscar.
And finally… Sotong? Don’t cats eat sotong? :D
@Sean: You’d have to ask the Diva on that one, I’m afraid. I’m sure she’d be more than delighted to discuss this particular subject with you. Good luck. Hehe.
No, you’re quite right. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore aren’t Chinese-Americans the last time I checked too. I’m surprised you haven’t tried googling “Chinese-American lesbian indie movie” already. Or have you, and you’re just being coy with the results of your search, hmm?
Cats eat sotong? No one really knows what those furballs eat. My guess is their own fur given what they cough up sometimes…
I’m sure she’d be less than pleased if I tried calling her at this exact moment to discuss the matter (speaking of which, you too seem to be up past your regular bedtime, mr Mah. Hmmm)
Google! How could I have forgotten to do that. Errmm, Joan Chen, eh. I’m pretty sure I haven’t watched this movie before. Maybe someday when I’m 60, I’ll see the title while browsing online for a movie to watch (I figure DVDs will be obsolete by then), and I’ll wonder why it sounds vaguely familiar.
A lot of animals cough up strange things. I recently found out that owls also regurgitate their food in the form of pellets. A discovery from watching that “guardians of ga’oole” (or however it’s spelled) animated flick about talking owls :D
@Sean: I doubt it. She’d probably be busy having a, uhm, video-conference with her boyfriend in Kabul right now, what with the time zones and all. (And I blame the HK-style yin-yong on the rocks I had late last night for my current state of non-slumber. Gotta cut caffeine out altogether, I’m afraid; no more half-measures.)
Joan Chen’s not one of the Chinese-American lesbians though. Just thought you’d wanna know.
You learn about birds barfing up stuff from a cartoon. Oh joy. I can totally understand why you so rarely read books now, what with other, more excellent alternatives to gain useful knowledge.
Wah, if ever there existed an “uhm” full of meaning, it’d be in that sentence of yours right there. Way better than a pregnant pause. But it makes it even more imperative then that I don’t become a mid-coital phone interruption for her :D
I’m not even sure what HK-style yin-yong is (it sounds like dessert, not something I’d associate with caffeine). How to wake up for work like this. I give thanks to Odin The All-Seeing that I only plan to be in the office at noon =)
I haven’t seen Joan Chen in anything for ages! I can’t even remember what her last movie was :D
And yeah, someday I’ll be able to write a book titled “Everything I Know, I Learned From Hollywood” =)
@Sean: All I’ll say is that I didn’t imply it; you inferred it. Not that that indicates your inference is necessarily incorrrect, of course. Ahem.
HK-style yin-yong is sorta like our cham ais, except it’s their unique mix of the milk tea and milk coffee. Plus, having it on the rocks means that the beverage is chilled not by adding ice to it, but resting the entire vessel in deep dish of ice-cubes so that as the taste is never diluted and it’s kept cool until the last drop.
I love that.
Frankly, I’ve no clue what movies Joan Chen worked on aside from this indie flick and ‘The Last Emperor’.
And someday, I’ll write a book titled ‘Everything I Ate in KL, I Learned From Sean First’, hehe.