When Friends Text You

Hey, said Kenneth, remember your blog, it's almost midnight.

I read his message and thoughtfully put aside my book, The Double Comfort Safari Club. I had skipped Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, if only because I couldn't find it anywhere. But it was true, I had only looked for it in two places.

And I searched my mind for joyous happenings today. It is a little harder to do that when I'm low in energy. A series of sleepless nights, the heat, the mosquitoes, the waxing moon.

I came home and crashed effectively on the sofa only to be shaken awake by my father. My mother was on the phone.

After listening to me mumbling sleepily for a bit, she said good night and hung up.

And Arnold, who had been lying patiently close by watching me, pressed his cold cold nose on me.

Wakey! Wakey!

And again, I wondered, what joyous thing happened today?

Well Arnold, for starters. He seems to have recovered his appetite and is eating like a horse. His normal food for the day, his dog biscuits, his little treat that Mary bought for him. And then he tells me (in that special language of his) that he wants more.

So I give him summore biscuits.

And when I take him out for his walk, he cavorts like a puppy. It warms the cockles.

And then, I got two responses for a story I wrote which came out in this week's paper.

One was by a columnist who has now become a friend. And he said:

That was a powerful and moving interview. He bared his heart and you honored it with your writing - creative, empathetic, honest.

And another friend said the story had made her cry.

So two good things. Also I realise that Publika's char kueh teow (which I tried for the first time today) is one of my all-time favourites. Which means that Jacky and Simon will be dragged there when they come visit. (Good char kueh teow is always a cause for rejoicing).

And if I had to add another blessing it would be Kenneth's message to me that triggered this post.

It means that someone, a friend, is reading this blog.

Good night.