When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain
Siren's Song
Monday, October 20, 2003
I long for the time when I still read for leisure. How long ago was that? Aeons? The time when I read Hinton's The Outsiders, Voight's Homecoming, Hugo's Les Miserables, Rice's entire series on Lestat and his partners in crime, Sheldon, and even Blyton. Plus, who can even forget the good old days of the Bookworm Gang? How about Lone Wolf, Hardy Boys, Three Investigators, Fantastic Four or Famous Five? What of Matilda, an exquisite little girl whom God created when He was in an extraordinary good mood, who is godammit smart? Do you recall the Twits, or James and his giant peach, or Charlie and his chocolate factory, together with his frail grandparents and Willie Wonka? *screams*
I prolly can, and will, weep in remembrance.
Just this morning, I was counting my blessings as I read recent publications on alcohol and its effects on memory. They actually made me chuckle. Alright, I confess, not full-blown laughter, but furtive snickers which I hastened to suppress. They tickled me so, because they remind me of friends I know. James, Johnny, Xiulin, Janine, Zhiyang, Rob, Malin... Jimmy. Even Chien. Among many many others. Yea, Pete too. Peter Poon, that is. The other Pete doesn't drink at all.
R-e-m-i-n-d. It's as though I've reached a terminal stage in my literary journey. Reading no longer inspires. It has ceased to be the cause for dreaming and imagination. Like pirates in adventurous dreams, and conquest and queens on the throne... It's as though the boundaries of my world was drawn a long long time ago. And Lord knows when I lost the ability to expand my mental territory. Caged by the limits of my own make-believe world; shackled to the norms of adulthood.
Matilda. I wished I had her power to lift things up into the air. And try I did, but pencils simply wouldn't levitate at my command. I still hope for her power every now and then, although the interval between such puerile wishful thinking seems to drag longer and longer. I shall try to put her in my thoughts more often from now. At least try.
"How can I go up to a person, insult him in his face, watch him think and ponder over what I just said, and not comprehend, and then I just smile and walk away."
I'll teach you how.
XXX, you awed and impressed me so much, and left such an absolutely indelible impression on me, that I would sincerely like to nominate you for the most prestigious Darwin Awards for the good of humankind. Really, please, allow me.
Smile, and walk away, with that twinkle of glee in your eye; for the Darwin Awards commemorate those who better our gene pool... by removing themselves from it. Muahahaha.
