Anticipation

I was supposed to have an appointment at 6 p.m. yesterday. However, the appointment was cancelled at the eleventh hour.

Because of this, out of the blue, I decided to call up a close friend from my primary school days in Johor Bahru, Yusrin Faidz. He is the only person from those days that I still manage to meet, albeit sparsely, over the years. We were even in the Scotland around the same time. In fact, Yusrin and his family were at Glasgow Airport when I first set foot there.

Anyway, we spoke about a reunion of sorts although nothing concrete was planned. Then I called up another primary school friend, Shazali. I have only been exchanging messages over Facebook with Shazali since we managed to trace each other a few months ago. This would be the first time that I actually speak to Shazali since 1985!

Interestingly, when we spoke, it was hardly noticeable that we have not seen each other for nearly a quarter of a century. He is based in Pasir Gudang, but he told me that he would be playing golf in Shah Alam today. I suggested that we meet up, and he said it'd be good to get the others as well.

So, I called up Yusrin again and told him about the proposed meeting in Shah Alam. He immediately called up Norizuddin, Wan Alimi Zaki and Adeline. Only Adeline could not make it. Norizuddin and Wan Alimi agreed to attend.

Flashback 1985 - Seated: Adeline (on teacher's right), yours truly (on teacher's left), Wan Alimi (next to me), Yusrin (seated, second from right), Norizuddin (seated, extreme right), Shazali (standing back row, extreme right).

And here I am, waiting in anticipation to meet up with old friends from my childhood years. I have not met Shazali, Norizuddin and Wan Alimi since I left Johor Bahru in 1985.

I am anxious and excited, but at the same time, I remember someone saying to me:

You will find that your best friends are those from your childhood. They chose to be friends with you because of who you are, and not because of who you have become.