I headed to mum’s yesterday night for dinner. It’s a touch and go agenda coz I had some orders to bake for this weekend. So, just as I came down the stairs, I saw a familiar frail old man at the cozy corner area. In his bermudas and sleeveless top, he was walking pretty slowly and disoriented. Upon closer look, it was actually my grandfather.

You see, mum fell out with grandpa 3 years ago and I guess she totally switched off after putting up with his antics all these years. My grandpa was never the normal kind of person. He dabbled with a lot of things that aren’t really allowed in terms of religion and let’s just say he’s the kind that you should-not-ever-cross-his-path-else-you’ll-get-hurt kinda person.

So I came up to him asking him what was he doing… He didn’t even realize it was me. He was partially blinded. When I repeated my name, he broke down, told me he got off the wrong stop at Jurong Kechil and walked all the way (which was freaking far) and kept asking for directions to mum’s place. I accompanied him up.

Of course mum was surprised. Yayi Ali was asking forgiveness from mum and the rest of us. Mum was put on a guilt trip coz each time we asked her if she wanted to visit during raya, she just shrugged it off. Mum may seem unreasonable to do that to her own father but he did things far worst that made the family just shut out. He was admitted to the hospital recently and no one came. 🙁 By then, mum & me were bawling out eyes out. he kept hugging me and telling me that he doesn’t have any other family members. But he’s happy that he came by today, so if he dies tomorrow, he knows he has met all of us… *sebak ok* He went on saying he tried coming over but took the wrong bus and went all the way to Woodlands checkpoint, scolded by the officer… alahai… *water dam broke* It’s been 3 years since I last saw him.

I stayed a while longer. I know mum must be hurting the most, coz after all it’s her father. I hope Yayi Ali would mellow down his temper and I hope mum can move forward from this. Before I left, I hugged him and he asked forgiveness from me… felt so wrong.. gave him some $ and just minta maaf from him for being absent from his life…

🙁