Short Story

The moment Tom got off the plane, everything changed. It was so different from London. Eight years ago, when he was only four, he left for London together with his parents and now he was back. His memories of Singapore faded as time passed and the only thing that he could remember was the faces of his grandparents.

Outside the airport, the tropical heat was scorching him. Tom was already beginning to dislike Singapore. The streets were chaotic and disorganized, run down shop-houses could also be seen along the streets. A disgusted look appeared on Tom’s face.

Tom complained to his mother, “Mummy, this place is not suitable for us to stay. Its so hot and dirty!” Mrs Tan widened her eyes and gave an angry stare at his son. Tom knew what was going to happen if he complained more, thus for the rest of the journey, he did not speak a single word. The taxi stopped in front of a shop-house. Tom did not expected the place that he was going to stay forthe next two weeks was a dilapidated shophouse. He cursed silently as he followed his parents into it.

An old woman was seating on a little wooden stool in the corridor. She looked really skinny, just like a match stick. Her skin was so dry to the extent that her veins could be seen from far. Holding a fan, she seemed to be waiting for someone. When she saw Tom and his parent, she exclaimed in a weird language that Tom had never heard before. His parents broke into tears and rushed up to the old woman. It was then Tom realized that the old woman was her grandmother, his only surviving grandparent. Amazingly, Tom did not feel anything.

“ Tom, come and hug your Ah-Ma ( grandmother in Hokkien).” Tom could not help but to go forward and give a hug. The old lady gave a pat on his head and said, “ Guai, Guai (good boy, good boy)!” Tom was showed around the shophouse. It was much smaller than the apartment he lived in London. What was in his mind the thoughts that when the “ordeal” was going to finish and when he could go back to England.

The few days of the stay at his grandmother’s house really seemed like years to him. Finally one week had passed and Tom was left with only another week. All day long, Tom felt bored and his grandmother was always seating in the corridor chatting with the other elderly residents, boasting about how clever and handsome his grandson was. The tropical heat disappeared and it started raining and Tom wanted to have some fun. That was when he thought of playing in the rain. He dashed out of the shop-house, past his grandmother. It took a few seconds for the old lady to realize what Tom was doing. Tom shut his ears and did not bother what she said. Tom felt great when the rain drops hit on his back. It was the first time since he returned to Singapore he felt happy and refreshed. He did not notice that there was a pebble beside him and he tripped and fell. Blood dripped from the the wound. He groaned in pain, lying on the hard ground. It was then he saw a hand. It was the hand from her grandmother. The old lady followed his grandson all the way. Her whole body was drenched by the heavy downpour. It was the first time Tom felt the love of her grandmother towards him.

For the rest of the week, Tom’s grandmother took care of him. She told him about Singapore and the stories of her when she was in her younger days. The old lady told his grandson about the Japanese Occupation, Bukit Ho Swee fire, the independence movement. From her eyes, Tom could see a sense of belonging towards the country. Perhaps, being influenced by his grandmother, Tom had the same feelings too.

Tom looked around himself, the people, the food, it looked so familliar to him. He started thinking about where was his true home. Is it London, where he spent almost more than half of his life in or Singapore? However, good days would surely end, Tom needed to return to London. The old lady was really dissappointed as she hoped that her grandson could stay beside her for the last few years of her life. Tom went back to London leaving this question in his mind.

Three years later, Tom stood by the side of her grandma’s grave. He said solemnly, “I love you Ah-Ma and I love Singapore.”