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"You don't have to swim faster than the shark, just faster than the guy next to you." - Anonymous
Monday, October 03, 2005
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
Sometimes we need a jolt to shake us out of our complacency. It was thus last Friday night that I was in the office at 8:30pm, busily engrossed in my work when my mobile rang. I looked at it absently before answering – it was an unfamiliar Seremban/Melaka number.
“Hello?” I said gruffly.
“You don’t remember me” slurred the caller.
Great, I thought to myself. Another one of my buddies is shit-faced at some pub somewhere and decided to give me an emotional call to unload his problems.
“Please identify yourself” I demanded.
“You don’t remember me” slurred the caller again, clearly having difficulty with his speech.
By this time the hair on my arms had stood straight and an eerie uneasy feeling overcame me – the voice was all at once familiar and yet distorted.
“It’s Bruno” slurred the caller.
“Joe lah, Mr Dave” he went on, painfully pronouncing his name.
“Oh my God, Joe! I’ve been calling you on the mobile but I think you’ve cut off the line!” I exclaim.
(Backgrounder - Joseph Bruno is an ex-soldier who worked for me as a Marketing Executive when I was General Manager of a hotel in Port Dickson. We became rather close and used to go drinking after work. By some strange coincidence the other Marketing Executive Flora, Joseph and I shared the same birthdate, so it became sort of a tradition to celebrate together. When I left the hotel we still kept in touch by telephone, especially on our birthday)
“I had a stroke, Mr Dave” he said.
Everything fell into place all at once and my heart sank. A horrible sour feeling flooded my mouth. What a terrible thing to happen. Joseph was the only breadwinner in his family and he had three teenage kids. Many a time I had eaten his wife’s home cooked meals at his house.
“I’m so sorry to hear that, Joe. How are you coping?” I asked, feeling totally helpless and frustrated.
“I’ve been jobless for eight months” he slurred.
“Is there any way I can help?” I asked.
“I just wanted to call and tell you I’m still alive” he said, quoting an “inside” joke between us.
“Don’t joke, Joe!” I reprimanded him “Can I assist you in any way?”
“Thank you, but we’re managing, Mr Dave. Where are you working now?” he asked.
“I’m now GM at xyz club, Joe” I said rather lamely. “You know, I also suffered a nerve condition that required me to be on steroids. My body jammed up and I put on thirty pounds, Joe” I shared with him.
“At least you can still talk clearly” he said. “And work to earn money” he put things succinctly into perspective.
“Yes Joe” I admitted, somehow feeling ashamed of myself and yet not knowing why.
“Can I come visit you?” I asked.
“Of course” shot back the reply, “looking forward to see you – you still owe me a birthday greeting.”
“Happy Birthday, Joe” I said softly, nearly choking with emotion.
I put down the phone and leaned back in my chair, fighting my deep sadness for my friend. Several clichés ran through my mind – there but for the grace of God go I and I complained I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet among them.
I won’t be around in KL next Sunday - I have an old friend to visit in Seremban.
Comments:
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trust u 2 throw us a curveball like this after all that "how 2 bonk women" series. an eye opener indeed.
marsha
marsha
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posted by 
: 11:01 AM
: 11:01 AM eh dude, this time you made me sad to read your blog. life is short, man. get your groove going while you till can.
- the stoned musician
- the stoned musician
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posted by : 11:03 AM
: 11:03 AM this is all due to karma, dude. every action has consequences.
- living confusius
- living confusius
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posted by : 11:08 AM
: 11:08 AM
what can i say dude.. one minute we're alive with passion and ambitions.. next minute, its...
hope he's feeling better dude.. our prayers is with him..
but it brings me to a epiphany.. moral of the story is.. got to live life like there's no 2moro everyday and better still if u can still get ur cockstands everyday with the girl of your dreams..
life is short.. nemind,..
cock is short.. aiyoooyoo..
Post a Comment hope he's feeling better dude.. our prayers is with him..
but it brings me to a epiphany.. moral of the story is.. got to live life like there's no 2moro everyday and better still if u can still get ur cockstands everyday with the girl of your dreams..
life is short.. nemind,..
cock is short.. aiyoooyoo..
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