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Rekindling Old Friendships |
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As a twenty-seven-year-old executive in an advertising firm, my life was hectic,
to say the least. So, when I received a call from my old school chum, Ah Wah, I
was hesitant at first. I couldn't remember his name and feared that I had
forgotten a client's name. But when he mentioned our days in secondary school, I
immediately recognized him.
Ah Wah invited me to a reunion with two other classmates whom I hadn't seen
since graduation. I eagerly accepted and began reminiscing about my old friends.
I wondered if Ah Wah had finally married our pretty class monitress, with whom
he had an on-off relationship. And what about Morgen, the intelligent one who
always topped our class? Had he become the doctor he aspired to be? Lastly, I
wondered if Ahmad, the happy-go-lucky prankster, had changed much.
The reunion was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on a Saturday at the Raffles restaurant
of the Crystal Crown Hotel. Due to work problems, I arrived late at 1:45 p.m.,
but to my surprise, the waiter led me to an empty table reserved for our group.
Morgen was the next to arrive, and I was shocked at his transformation. He had
gone from a scrawny teenager to a muscular man with a medical degree and a
family. As we discussed our lives and reminisced about the past, Ah Wah and
Ahmad joined us. Ah Wah, still dashing and handsome, worked as a manager at the
hotel where we were meeting. Ahmad, on the other hand, had gained weight and
suffered from cancer, but had become more serious and devoted to his faith.
Over lunch, we caught up on each other's lives and noted the changes in
ourselves. My friends were amazed at my newfound confidence, while I encouraged
the bachelors to settle down. Despite our different paths in life, we promised
to make our reunion an annual event.
Rekindling old friendships was a delightful experience, reminding me of the
bonds we formed during our school days that could last a lifetime. |
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