I often times ask myself this question...when I was full on working in restaurants...arriving early in the morning and only coming home at midnight..We can't sleep early obviously because I had just spend the entire day at work n when you get home at night after work, you'd want to catch up on things you didnt get to do while you were away at work...for me,..a couple of things...I like the quiet of the night most...so you can imagine how long I try to stay awake. I wish people could call the night day n day, night. I'd function better if it were so..anyways, by the time you get to bed...you're not getting the full eight hour needed sleep..You get to work n you're a bit groggy n your engines not full on until you've down two cups of coffee n your hands are not warmed up until you're half way thru that carton of onions. Perhaps, that's why the dinners are always better than the lunches in all restaurants...the cooks are just not awake yet..Funny.
the day goes by n by nby..n by the time you realized...you'd had almost gone thru an entire year and its time to plan the christmas n new years menus.
we're in there almost 12 hours a day cooking, 6 days a week and we are never at birthday parties or christmas parties and festive celebrations...festive celebrations for me use to be stressful long days, double turn reservations, clorettes, coke, and hearing the count-downs from the dinning room n champagnes popping...then its the usual sms es and the lonely walk to the changing room n saying to yourself...another year goes by.
So back to the subject initially bout not spending my time for a worthier cause...I've finally found my worthier cause this year and I've turned down several job offers for this cause..n I'm so glad I did...but was insecure to begin with cooking just 4 days a week n worrying about not making rent. Anyway that cause is my Son... :-) I think its important that father n son develope a great bond. Don't get me wrong..my wife does almost everything for da kid but what I mean is by just being there and being around matters more than if youre not.
I've reprioritized my plans, I'm still wishing for A Star, just takes a little longer this way. But I'll like to thank God for Tristan..if it hadn't been for him..I'd still be bull-dozing my way around n forgetting to smell the roses.
Ok Ok..back to the picture bit..my dad just lost a dear friend of his to cancer...Poh Huat's his name. Young chap...Not even 55 I think..He's worked with my Dad for almost 30 years...He's what they call a production manager. He's like a sous chef to my Dad I suppose n Dad was really not feeling it when Poh Huat was on the verge. He bought a tin of green asparagus on his last week..He asked me to make a healthy meal out of it.. I looked at the tin..I looked at him...I said..." don't think this will do him much good Dad...think what he needs now is more emotional support". Poh Huat passed away three days later. Victim to cancer. I remember him well..as a kid I'd run around in dad's ad agency n the guys he worked with were still with him till he left advertising. So I remember Poh Huat of course...my Dad's sous ..I remember his smile most and the kindness in his eyes...that twinkle. He doesn't drink..nor smoke...nor party like a wild animal. On his off days, he loves to go fishing...his passion..He quit advertising recently to help in his Dad's incense business. Shortly after....cancer...passed away.
I was cleaning thru some mess today n saw a print out of his picture...the picture captures just about everything of a good human being..whatever that means...genuine...It put the warmth back into my heart..n it reminded me of a few things..R.I.P Poh Huat.
No comments:
Post a Comment