Dave Fisherman's Rubbish Bin

4th April 2005, Monday morning, drizzy morning. Lessons in the afternoon, Dave follows his parents to visit Grandfather's grave for Qing Ming. Its only drizzling when they set off... On the way there, the drizzle escalated into a storm. Dave thought to himself, What a rain, what a perfect setting to visit the grave.

Reached LCK Chinese Cementry. The storm's still pouring... The silver Liteace moved into a familiar plot. The hills and turf around, so familiar... 11 November 2003, still so fresh on Dave's mind, the phone call at 10am, the crying mother on the line, "Your Grandfather's gone..." The instant burst of shock and tears...

The Liteace parked by the side of the plot. Dave commanded his parents to stay in car while he explore the plot to find the exact grave. Armed with a Dark blue umbrella, he hopped off the Van and skipped over the drain running the parameters of the crowded graveyard.

Dave briskly walked by the asle of the graveyard as he scans through the grave. He remembered his grandfather was laid to rest by the asle but wasn't sure which row was it.

Suddenly, a familiar picture striked his eyes, his heart missed a bit, his legs freezed and tears welled up in his eyes. Its Ah Gong, the same picture on his altar. Dave walked up to the grave, squat down. " Ah Gong, we're here, heavy rain, Papa and Mama can't come down."

Dave returned to car and reported his findings.
"Found Ah Gong's grave, the rain's so heavy, you still want to pay your respects?"
"Bring me there, I want to see your Ah Gong."

With an umbrella in right hand and mom wrapped with the other arm, Dave ushered her over the drains and lead her up the asle to his grave. Dad followed behind in his white disposable raincoat.

"..." Everyone was quiet in front of the tomestone for a minute.
Dave noticed mom's eyes are red and wet. "So how?" Dave trying to distract her from the returned grief.

"Return to car and wait for rain to subside, since we're here, let's not waste the offerings."

With Father in the driver's seat and Mother returned to her seat, Dave stood outside the car and thought, "Ah Gong, its been more than a year, why do I still miss a heart beat?"

"No no... shouldn't be thinking of this now... Pray for the rain to subside so you can pay your respects to Ah Gong."

"Buddhas above, would you be merciful and please weaken the rain? Let us offer our little offerings to Ah Gong. Its Qing Ming, We're here specially to see Ah Gong. For just a little while, a drizzle will do, let us burn the candles, joss sticks and joss papers..."

The sliding doors roared open, Mom's inside. " Why are you standing in the rain? Come in, don't catch a cold."

Dave climbed in and looked out from the windows, the rain clouds looked heavy and dark.

"This rain's gonna go on for days, it's a long life rain." Mom sighed

"Look at the floor, the rain's stopping, it's drizzling now. Soon, we can go down." Father pointed his fingers to the road outside the windscreen.

"Buddha heard my words, my prayers worked!" Dave thought to himself.

" Quick, let's go down and finish our stuff before the rain picks up again" Mom's excited.

Dave picked up his umbrella and went to shelter mother while father puts on his white raincoat again.

Mama quickly set up the offerings on Ah Gong's altar while Papa trys to light the candles with a box of wet matchstick. All this going on under Dave's umbrella. Soon, the offerings were set up and mom offered her joss sticks first. She said much to Ah Gong and her eyes welled up again.

Dave's turn to offer joss stick, "Ah gong, I am Ah Ti. Today's 26th day of 2nd Lunar month, Qing Ming, we're here to visit your grave. Its raining heavily. Please enjoy our offerings and bless us at home."

Papa took his turn to offer his joss stick. He returned to car to fetch the dry joss papers and burnt them in the oil drump on the asle.

"Quick, let's go back, the rain's returning soon" mom touted.

Dave sheltered mother back to the car. Stood outside the car and look up into the dark skies. "Thank you, Buddha"

Dave climbed into the car. A thunder roared in the background and the storm returned as the Liteace make its way out of LCK Chinese Cementry.

Dave is born with only 1 grandfather. His father's father died before he was born. His mother's father took over the roles of both grandfathers in Dave's life.

Dave's born with a weak body and Grandfather nicknamed him Ah Ti, "Iron", hoping he'll grow up strong like iron.

Grandfather spent numberous saturdays with Dave. The Saturday mornings at Ang Mo Kio Markets, the Saturday mornings at Jalan Kayu Market barber, the thunderous order to eat lunch on Saturday noons when Dave's eyes were glued on TV, the cheeky feet on Dave's tummy as Dave lied down watching Saturday afternoon TV, the concerned peek into the bedroom as Dave took his Saturday naps, the irritating loud orders again to the dinner table waking Dave from his naps.

As Dave grew up, he wanted independance, he became busy. He didn't visit Grandfather on every saturday. He visited only once a month. Any saturday to Dave's choice. Grandfather looked forward to every Saturday, looking forward to see his grandchildren again. Every Saturday he asked for Dave, but Dave's always busy.

Grandfather would accumulate his letters and refusing to let any others read except for Dave. Grandfather didn't understood english and he trusted Dave with his letters. From Bank statements to wedding invitations, all english letters should only be read by Dave. He'll accumulate, wait and call Dave on every 4th Friday of each month to invite him over to read his letters on the last Saturday because he understood Dave's always busy on all other Saturdays.

11th November came in 2003 and Ah Gong left quietly in his sleep. He wasn't badly ill, just his usual High blood and persistant smoker's cough. Grandfather just left quietly in his sleep. Everyone's heartbroken, Dave too...

16 months later, 4th April 2005, Dave still missed Grandfather, Mr Ang Kim Huay, the greatest grandfather around for Dave.

With Tears.