Hi, PK, it is a long time since I met you ? Where have you been? This was part of my conversation with an old time friend, whom I have lost contact for past 5 years.
His reply was " I am staying in the Pangkor Road apartment but I am not in Penang most of the time. I shuttle between my condo in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.Three weeks in KL and two weeks in Penang lah ".
I continued to press for more information from him. " What have you been doing after your retirement 10 years ago?". " I read alot and I read very thing that I can get my hands on. I make myself busy doing the computer surfing" came the answer.
Yeah, looking at him, he has aged alot. He works for a big bank during his prime years and now he wearing a simple singlet and a short pant with a dangling bag by his side. Wondering in the Pulau Tikus market during his spare time. I wonder why do we dress down when we get old. The image of him wearing a long sleeve shirt, a long working pants and a smart tie with a well comb hair came to my mind. It was a totally different image. His hair now is silver white and he has aged so much. Am I looking at my reflection in the near future after my retirement ? Yes, I believe so but I will dress up a bit better. I promised myself that I will look better.
After seeing him, my thoughts is troubling me. How many ten years do I have ? How many times I will meet him again before resting for good ?
" Hi, keep in contact with me. Call me when you are in KL ? We should meet up again" he insisted. I took down his handphone number and I promised myself to call him. We bid each other goodbye and we walk away in opposite directions. I have experience many times with my friends and each time , the same conversation arises. " We will call each other or keep in contact , man " was the few favorite parting words. But, it often finished this way and that is the end of it. If we ever meet again, we will greet each other and the same promise to keep in contact will be the same parting words.
Life is an irony, why are we so busy to have contacts with our friends ? Is the foundation of friendship so shallow and can only bond by monetary gain or when we seek help. There no free lunch and it is true. Most of the time there is a motive. Can be make our life simple and reach out to touch real friendship instead of an agenda to to benefit our self. Think again, lets have good honest free lunches to enjoy each other's time and friendship. It it all within us.
Namaste.
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