When I was young, I hated eating rice and mealtimes. I love candies, ice-cream, noodles but come mealtimes, I became all but fossilised, staring onto the blank wall outside the window. Mum will say," Stop making white day dreams, stop staring at the wall and eat up. What is there to stare at? Is there a movie playing? All I can see is the white blank wall. Come-on, chew your food and swallow." A chorus of 'chew your food and swallow' will ensue from the maid. Often times she will entertain me with stories and false promises to buy me balloons and take me to the "New World" amusement park. None of these promises were ever fulfilled, they were beyond the means of a 14 year old servant girl and I sort of knew it but nevertheless, I enjoyed the tirade and co-operated reluctantly by chewing my food and swallowing it a little faster and opening my mouth bigger for the next spoonful and drinking less water in between.
Ever since then, I had now and then engage in this kind of daydreaming. Sometimes the daydreams crystallise into thoughts less fleeting. Sometimes I'll tell others what I'm thinking about to entertain or to influence or to frighten, to exhort and boss over - whatever the mood and occasion calls for. Friends or family then asked why not put it down in writing but my best friend, procrastination is not in favour so it took all this while to out-rule him.
Nowadays, I am enjoying my rice more and eating marginally faster so there is less time to create 'white day dreams'. Nevertheless, old habits die hard and now that time seems to be moving faster and faster, I thought I'd better share some of these with you.
