theolivebird - Tumblr blog

[theolivebird]

When I fainted in the wee hours that morning, I told my husband, "I want to go to the hospital." Now, you see, it wasn't easy for me to come to that conclusion, for I was as obstinate as a mule. For days, I battled with the virus with spare servings of paracetamol. "All I need is rest," I thought.

When we got to urgent care, my heart was quickly seen. In no time, the ecg sketched a pattern of my heartbeat. I looked at the nurse quizzically and asked, "Why is this necessary? Is it because I fainted?" She nodded her head and left me in bed.

Quite strangely, there was no queue, so I was whisked to the doctor's room. She asked if I had experienced chest pains as my ecg readings showed a heart attack or an imminent one. A heart attack? Me?

I'm 34 years old, slim, and fairly healthy. I don't drink or smoke. I am fairly even-tempered. I sleep early. Even if I don't exercise, I do walk a lot. A heart attack? Me?

The doctor agreed that it's odd given my clean history and whatnot. But she did put in a referral to the cardiologist and insisted that I get a second look. I said, "Yeah, I better not take the risk. I am a mother of two."

So, rage, rage against the dying of the good night for no-one is promised tomorrow's light.

[theolivebird]

My younger daughter insisted that Father Christmas had stolen her dress. He has been on her naughty list since.

[theolivebird]

I think I've lost my eloquence these days.

[theolivebird]

Airdrops

To some, they mean crypto coins.

To some, they mean life.

[theolivebird]

You should've seen his eyes light up. He sat frozen in his seat in disbelief. He never expected his story to be one of the best in class. He never knew he could write.

[theolivebird]

Oh, never mind the hours or exhaustion. I can take it. My grandmother carried bricks on her head to build our flats. My mother worked long hours as a housewife and seamstress. It is in my blood to work — and to work hard. When others complain, take breaks, or cut themselves some slack, I work. I make no complaints for it is in my nature to work. I enjoy it.

But please, make it so that I can be successful at it. Give me the conditions to support my success. Now, that is only fair. I must be able to do a decent day's job. That's all I ask. So, please, listen when I say, "It's just too much to cover." Do not wish away the problem or suppose I am satisfied with baseline work. I cannot enjoy a hard day's work if I haven't gotten most of it right.

[theolivebird]

My 5-year-old daughter said, "But Mama, do you know that playing together is important too?"

[theolivebird]

And it occurred to me —

thirteen-year-olds have never fallen in love.

[theolivebird]

Beyond the barricade, crane, and dust,

it was picturesque enough for even

Cezanne, Monet, and Renoir.

[theolivebird]

Mr Magnimus' trade with Time

“Welcome to my grand machine, folks closer to death or closer to birth - the same in-betweens.” Mr Magnimus, the master manipulator said. The machine was a gamble - as tempting as the jackpot. It promised enlightenment after, if you’re lucky. Otherwise and nevertheless, you would’ve spent your soul just as Mr Magnimus wanted.

Into the heart of the machine, participants put on their headgears and whispered excitedly to each other in anticipation. Mr Magnimus rubbed his hands in delight and set the machine in motion. In that moment, the machine vanished.

Unbeknownst to the folks, they no longer exist. More rightly, they neither existed in the moment before nor the present and later moments. They don’t exist. They have been set on a spiral back and forth in time.

They saw what was before their consciousness and what will be after its end. In this thwarting of time, they lost themselves. They saw no trace of themselves in the greater movement of time.

As the machine re-appeared in present time no more than a minute later, Mr Magnimus complimented himself for the timeliness of his machine. One by one, the participants stumbled out. Most of them weary as they had beaten time with knowledge. Mr Magnimus begged “Give it another ride! Who knows what you’ll find? Being once an audience to a grand show is fine, being twice an audience is great delight!”

Most of them laid down to rest and had no strength or reason to rise. There, they became Mr Magnimus’ loot for trade with Time.

But that was not the end. After some time, a young man walked out of the machine steadily. He saw that moments pass to moments, and life simply is. “Ah, a lucky one” sighed Mr Magnimus as he counted a soul less and a life-month less.

The young man left the space with Time and never looked back.

[theolivebird]

"Come back in twenty minutes," the shopkeeper instructed impatiently as she stepped away from the counter.

Lee had been in this business for the past thirty years, so nobody could tell her to hurry. As she stepped into the dark room and turned on the table lamp, she muttered, "Nobody uses film anymore. I should do something about this room." Then she sat down in front of the seven-year-old Samsung monitor screen that flickered from time to time. With a smack to the side, the screen steadied for several minutes - sufficient time for Lee to load the photos from the computer outside.

What she saw through her thick-rimmed glasses made her lean back instinctively. Her heart beat steadily as she examined each picture. The tiny fingers and toes were no bigger than the button magnets on the noticeboard. The dress she had on was a doll's. Her curled up form was like a puppy fresh out of sac. Then came the family portrait. Lee clicked 'print' immediately and walked away.

I must not cry. He'll be back soon. I have work to do. I have customers to serve. I better clean up this mess. Lee berated herself as she sought to control her emotions. But when the first tear fell, another came, and another. She lost it. She sat shrivelled on the floor, violently heaving with every memory of her little Jackie.

"Hello? Is anybody in? I've come to collect my pictures," a young man hollered. Lee scrambled for a mask and set her sunglasses on her red nose.

"Here. Take it," Lee said brusquely, pushing the envelope of developed photos across the counter.

"Thank you," the young man said quietly as he stepped out of the old Fujifilm store. The envelope felt heavy. Why did Sarah insist on doing this? What's the point? He cursed as he walked back to his car. In a fit of thoughtlessness, he threw the envelope onto the backseat, and the contents fell out.

There was an old photo of a young lady cradling a beautiful baby doll.

[theolivebird]

I stepped into an old Fujifilm store at Bras Basah Complex this morning. On the left, there were three touchscreen monitors that allowed customers to print photos via bluetooth. On the right, there were frames of every size displaying stock photos - the graduation and wedding variety. Behind the wall of frames, the shopkeepers peeked, asking, "Yes, you need help?"

"Yes. Can I print photos here?" I replied.

"How many?"

"Well, it depends. It's cheaper to print more, right?" I asked, pointing to the placard by the monitor.

"Yes. You choose first. Let me know if you need help," she said.

In a few minutes, I had chosen about 18 photos and started the bluetooth transfer. Unfortunately, it took about 2 - 3 minutes per photo, so I printed only 8 of them.

At the counter where I made payment, there were different types of cameras - analogue, disposable, and Polaroid. There were different types of film too, but they seemed costly to develop. A customer came in to enquire, and the uncle replied, "$14 black and white, plus scan. $18 colour, plus scan." Hearing that, the young man thanked him politely and left.

Alas, the smiling portraits play ghosts in this dying trade.

[theolivebird]

I didn't pick up her calls.

Why should I? Why would I?

Shall we both lament what had happened?

What futility, what vanity.

It's over now. It's all over.

[theolivebird]

Mr Gaiman what is your favorite ice cream flavor?

I think the ritual of stabbing Julius Caesar on the Ides of March is an important Tumblr tradition that needs to be maintained for coming generations.

[theolivebird]

I'm awake at 4 in the morning because my 5-year-old is congested and coughing. When she was barely 3 years old, she had a case of acute bronchitis and had to be warded the moment we stepped into a&e at midnight. Till now, that fear is at the back of my head.

[theolivebird]

Most of my students gave me good feedback for my lessons in Term 1. I'm keeping these pictures close to heart. 🩵

[theolivebird]

The moon marks the passing of days.