What I Did on Sunday


The first light found me yawning on my way to church in Papa's car. I had slept early the night before but a sudden suffocating feeling jerked me awake around 2 a.m. Despite my heavy eyes, I could not resume sleeping. I killed time reading some short stories and surfing the Internet.  When Papa's Myvi arrived at my gate, I was really overcome by sleepiness.

On the way, we dropped Ah Hui, my catechist older sister at the bus terminal in Padang Kerbau, where she took a bus to Batu Niah. The town's church congregation depends on her to run their Sunday school.

Half an hour before the Sunday Mass started, a man led the congregation in reciting the rosary. I closed my eyes through the session, too sleepy to thumb through the beads. From time to time, Papa launched into his usual coughing fits, but he kept declining my proffered bottle of mineral water. He did not see it fit to drink in church. 'There's nothing wrong with it,' I gasped. 'You're unwell.'  'My cough is caused by my medication,' rasped Papa. 'Drinking water doesn't help much.'

I could barely pay attention during mass. I just went through the motion and in the fog of my sleepiness, I could more or less hear the priest stress the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit work among us. The rest, I did not not have the foggiest idea. After receiving the Holy Communion, my Sleepiness eased a great deal and I was wide awake. Sorry, God, I had not been paying much attention.

After Mass, my parents and I drove to 2020 Cafe for breakfast. I had some dim sum and my parents divvied up a bowl of porridge. Then, Papa returned to church for his cell group meeting and Mama went to read newspapers in the library. I looked for some suitable novels to buy at Popular Bookstore in Bintang Mall. A novel entitled 'Gone Girl' caught my eye and I bought it without hesitation. My colleagues and students told me it was wittily written and I wanted to find out how interesting it was.

An hour passed and Papa came to pick me up. I found Mama smiling from ear to ear and she told me she had won the 4D Lottery. She would return to Seria for her prize. I was happy for her.

I spent the best part of the afternoon napping at home. By five I went to Papa's house for dinner. School reopens tomorrow and I hope I can cope with the first day well.

Comments

suituapui said…
Gone Girl? Isn't there a movie by that name or something? Seen it somewhere. Maybe my blogger friends blogged about it, those into reading...a lot!
January 11, 2015 at 7:10 PM
sintaicharles said…
yes, it was a hit among my students. I like to read but my reading speed is slow. it takes me one to two weeks to finish a book.
January 12, 2015 at 9:12 PM
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