Continuous Writing - While you were waiting at the school gate...

While you were waiting at the school gate for your mother to pick you up after remediation class, a lady walked up to you.

Finally the clock on the wall struck half past three and the dragging of the chairs and the exchange of greeting between the pupils and teacher were heard. After that, the pupils ran down to stairs as if they had been waiting for the remedial lesson to end.

I walked briskly towards the school gate, eager to see my mother waiting for me. I looked out of the gate but I saw no sign of her. It was unusual of her to be late. I sat on the bench and read my story book. Then I saw a figure approaching me, I quickly kept my book and was ready to hold the hand. When I looked up, I was so embarrassed and shocked!  

Ending 1

The hand belonged to Ms Chua, my principal! At that moment, I could feel the blood gushing to my cheeks and the rest of my face. I was sure my face had turned as red as the tomatoes. My hands turned cold. Panicked, I apologised feverishly. I could imagine how amused Ms Chua felt. I felt the relief when I saw the smile on her face telling me she did not mind at all.

As if searching for the appropriate words, Ms Chua held my hand and gestured me to sit down. I could never forget the serious expression on her face. Slowly and calmly, she broke the news to me – My mother was involved in an accident while on her way to pick me up. She was taken to Tan Tock Seng hospital and my father was on his way to the hospital.

Flabbergasted, I was at a loss of words. My mind went blank. The spoken words that followed were mute to me. My mind was spinning. Before I knew it, tears had wet my entire face. Ms Chua offered to take me to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, my mother had been in the operating theatre for hours. I saw my father pacing up and down the aisle, I could feel his anxiety and the fear of losing my mother. Fighting back my tears, I walked up to my father and hugged him hard. I reassured him that my mother would pull through and we would be a happy family again.

Speechless, tears just rolled down my father’s cheek. I knew at that instant, the situation might be worse than I had imagined. I looked at Ms Chua, hoping to get some assurance from her that my mother would be fine. I guessed at that moment all she could do was to lend me a shoulder to cry on.

Finally, the surgeons were out from the operating theatre, exhausted. They broke the news that my mother was out of danger but she would need to be under observation and be put in the Intensive Care unit (ICU) till her conditions stabilised. Upon hearing that, the fear and anxiety were immediately lifted from my father and me.

We turned to Ms Chua and thanked her for being there with my family. She left shortly after and my dad and I went to the ICU to look at our feeble woman of the house. I began to realise how precious and fragile life can be and also, in times of crisis, the support we get from our family and friends is so valuable and important.

Ending 2
The hand belonged to a stranger! Her pink blouse and white skirt showed her fair skin while her sandals added a few inches to her slim frame. Her glasses, perched at the end of her nose, enhanced her delicate features.

She smiled and asked me if I knew of anyone by the name of Joshua Tan. At that instance, I had no idea till she gave me more descriptions. Joshua was also in Primary 5 and he was a new foreign pupil. That rang a bell as I remembered Mrs Mak mention we had a new pupil joining Pr 5-9.

I told the lady to follow me to the staff room where she could make her enquiries. After that, I left to wait for my mother. While walking towards the gate, I saw my mother with a boy. He was obviously feeling lost and perspiration had drenched his shirt. I walked up to them and discovered that the boy had missed his school bus and lost his way home.

I read the name off his nametag – Joshua Tan! Was he the boy? I began to ask him a string of questions which he did not seem to understand. Slowly, he began to utter a word in mandarin “bu dong” which means he did not understand.

Speaking in mandarin, I asked him if he was from Primary 5-9. He responded and I took him to the office to meet his mother. When his mother saw him, she iwas so glad that he was safe and sound that she immediately gave him a hug. His mother thanked me and Aunt Celia, the office liaison officer for helping to look for her son.

Walking towards the gate, my mother was waiting patiently for me. I was prepared for her to give me a lecture for taking such a long time to send the boy to the office. On the contrary, she patted me on my shoulder and smiled. I knew she was proud of me!

Joshua’s mother thanked my mother for bringing her lost son back. As my mother was not very good with words, she just smiled at them before we walked home. 

During assembly the following day, my principal mentioned my name to the school and commended the help I had rendered and that she was proud of me. I was flabbergasted as I thought it was only our duty to help our fellow friends. Well, that acknowledgement had made me the star for the day. Now, I believe it pays to be kind.

Courtesy of Mrs Mak