Unsure if it was a positive, Bobby asked again and got another grunt, this time, louder. Confused, he looked around and realised that only him and Daniel were unpaired. Once everyone had settled down, Mrs Tham went on to the project’s details. They were to present a poster encouraging everyone to be environmental friendly. They had to display 3 different ways of recycling and a real product that was recycled.

They were to submit the project in 2 weeks’ time. Bobby invited Daniel to his place to discuss the project and received a grunt. He was starting to feel irritated by the grunts that didn’t really answer his questions. A simple “Yes” or “No” would have made everything clearer.

After school, Bobby walked towards Grandpa smiling. “Grandpa! I invited my friend today! We are going to do a project on helping the Earth!”

“Wow, Bobby, that’s great! Where’s your friend?” Grandpa looked around. Bobby turned around and found that Daniel hadn’t followed him despite his grunt. Slapping his forehead, Bobby realised that the grunt meant “No”.

“Forget about him,” Bobby frowned. “He never answer me except grunting as if he’s lost his talking ability. I don’t even know if it’s a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ each time.” Grandfather and grandson walked him together in silence.

Two days later, when Bobby greeted Grandpa, Grandpa asked, “Is that your friend?” Bobby turned around to find Daniel close behind. They hadn’t spoken at all since Bobby was often frustrated by grunts from Daniel. Bobby nodded and the three of them walked home.

At home, both boys sat at the table with a pen and paper. Bobby asked,”Do you know where to start?” He received a blank stare. Struggling to keep cool, Bobby drew some objects that was related to recycling and included a logo that he found in the newspapers the day before.

After he had completed, Daniel took the pen from him and started drawing and writing. Eventually, the paper looked different and it was better than Bobby’s with improvements. Bobby smiled. “Daniel, that’s great! Shall we do it now?” Another grunt. “Daniel, can you even speak at all? All those grunting makes no sense! I don’t know what you are thinking!”

Daniel ignored him, started packing and left the house. Bobby’s face was red from the anger and it nearly made him burst out again at being ignored. Grandpa was watching the entire episode and felt it was time to make his move. “Bobby, let’s have dinner. We’ll clean this place later.”

It was Friday when Daniel followed Grandpa and  Bobby home. He held a large bag and refused to let anyone take it. When they had settled down, Daniel took out the stuff that was meant for recycling and placed them neatly on the table. Bobby watched quietly as he didn’t know what he had in mind. After everything was placed on the table, Daniel sat down doing nothing. Bobby waited. Ten minutes later, Bobby reached out to take one of the items and followed the drawings on the paper that Daniel had added that day.

When Bobby finally finished, Daniel took the items and started dismantling them to make the changes. Bobby frowned, “What are you doing? Isn’t that what you drew?” No answer. “Look, are you dumb? What exactly are you doing? I don’t know what’s going on! Your silence and grunts are confusing me!”

Daniel continued building and left after he was done without a word. Bobby screamed in frustration. “Grandpa,” he cried. “Why can’t he simple talk? It makes things so much easier!” Grandpa patted him. “I don’t know what he wants either! If he at least tell me what and how he wants it to be built, I would know and I can help! I feel so useless!”

“Bobby, perhaps, he prefers to do it his way. Just let him do it and maybe he’ll start talking.”

“He better start talking. Grunting doesn’t really tell me anything at all!” Bobby snuggled into Grandpa’s arms. Grandpa smiled and patted his grandson assuringly. It was the day of the project to be handed in. They had to do a presentation and Daniel suddenly stood up with the poster and product in his hands. He strode purposefully towards the board and did a great speech. Bobby was shocked at his change.

After class, Bobby went to Daniel but before he could speak, Daniel spoke, “I’m sorry. I don’t talk a lot and I don’t like to make people angry.”

“Well, you did a great job. Just don’t make me confused again!” Bobby shook hands with his partner.

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Thinking back, Anisa started crying again. Gregory was horrible, she thought. Hasan just needed her help in Mathematics and Gregory didn’t have the right to say mean things. “Anisa?” a voice called out softly. Wiping her tears with her hands, Anisa turned towards the voice. It was Hasan.

“Anisa, I’m sorry that Gregory was so mean to you. I didn’t know he would do that.” Hasan looked at the ground as if a flower would suddenly grow where he was staring hard at. Anisa didn’t answer and smiled. She walked towards him and put out her hand. Hasan stared at her when he saw the hand. She was smiling at him. It was the first time that anyone had smiled so gently at Hasan that he didn’t know how to react but when she continued holding her hand out, he shook her hand.

“Hasan, we are friends. My mummy taught me to be nice to everyone who deserves it. You deserve this. Gregory can go suck his thumb for all I care. I know that we are friends because you came to find me and comfort me. Thank you.” The both of them smiled at each other.

Back in class, Ansia ignored Gregory’s snide remarks and concentrated on what the teacher was saying. Hasan pursed his lips and did the same. Finally, Mrs Lim stopped her teaching. “Gregory Chan, stand up and go the back of the classroom now!” The class except Anisa and Hasan looked at Gregory. Humiliated, Gregory stood up, the sound of the chair’s legs dragged across the floor loudly and he walked to the back of the classroom with his head bowed.

The lesson continued without any interruptions. After school, Grace and Krishna went up to Hasan and apologised for treating him so cruelly. Anisa winked at her new-found friend who winked back. Her mother had often spoke about true friends and she now understood what she meant.

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked” ~ Bernard Meltzer [Source]

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As you may have noticed, I have changed my water to using filtered water that has made the water taste sweeter than before. I’m so glad that you have noticed. Previously, the bigger sized ants, I’m not sure if they are your cousins, they loved the boiled water. I’m so glad that you have better taste than them.

However, could you please stop drowning yourselves? After getting your drink, you should definitely return back to whatever you were doing. Drowning in my water does no good to me or you since I have to pour the whole lot wasted good water to the plants who will benefit. There are so many of you drowned ants in the container that I find it unbelievable that none of you notice the potential death by staying too long.

Ants don’t have webbed feet like frogs, so, I hope your Queen ant will educate you on that part. The basic routine to quenching thirst should be: Drink, go back to work. It’s very simple and easy to accomplish. Repeat to yourselves, drink and go back to work.

Simple, right?

Sincerely,

Human Being who Needs to Drink Good Water Too

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He would often listen to her and just let her vent out her frustrations. Often, his single question would make her stop and think deeply. “What do you want out of life?” he once asked her. Six months later, she was still looking for an answer. An answer that came in the form of two homeless people she had met a few weeks before.

“It’s good to see you again, Amy. How have you been?” Tina asked with a warm smile.

Amy brightened up at her friend’s smile. “Tina! It’s good to see you too! I seem to have lost myself.”

“You are here, aren’t you?” Tina was puzzled at the answer. “Everyone is here.”

“Well, technically speaking, I am here but,” Amy faltered off.

“What is it that you have lost, dear?”

“My worth, I guess.”

“There, you just need to find it and put it back where it belongs,” Tina’s assurance gave Amy something that she had never felt before. A belief that she would find her worth was so powerful that her mood lightened for that day. Passing her some food vouchers, Amy bade her friend farewell and went on her way.

Two weeks later, she met John who was often seen with his son. “Amy! How good to see you!”

“John! It’s great to see you too! Hello, Mark. Here, your favourite sweet.” Mark’s eyes lit up at the sight of the sweets and took them with a grateful smile.

“I trust that life has been good to you,” John began.

“I think so.”

“My dear girl, you have a job, family and a warm home. Life is good!”

Stopping her thoughts in their tracks, Amy stared at John for a long time making him feeling uncomfortable.

“Amy? Is there something I said?”

“Yes, John. And you are giving me something that I have been looking for! Thanks!” She beamed at him, “I know what I can do now! There’s something I need to do, bye!” John was too stunned to react to her sudden change. Mark blinked at his father.

A year later, John, Mark and Tina were being ushered into a building and were shown to their rooms before being brought into the function room. Amy was on stage welcoming and thanking the audience. “Thank you for coming to Sweet Home. I have been lost in my life looking for my worth. I used to be an accountant working until late into the night on certain days. I’m sure some of you understand what I mean,” smiling at the crowd.

“Today is the opening of Sweet Home and it was made possible because of three people I have met. I would you to meet Tina and John. Tina, John? Would you please come to the front? Thank you.” A shuffling occurred before the two of them went up to stand beside Amy. “It’s great to see you both. These two have gave me something to do and here it is. All of you are now inside this building. A building made from the labour of trust and love. The past one year was really challenging but it was worth every minute because now, I can help others have a place to stay until they find their own sweet homes.”

Everyone clapped at this. “Without Tina and John, this wouldn’t have been made possible. As mentioned, I have three people who gave me something and I would like to introduce you to the most important person in my life, my fiance, Tom.” The round of applause was astounding. Everyone had met Tom at various stages in their lives. They were grateful to his words of wisdom and now that Amy and Tom were working as a team in building Sweet Home, they felt at ease.

A year of working hard at gaining the license, volunteers and donations was worth it. Things were difficult at first but eventually, with persistance, everything paid off.

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It’s a novella that has spent more than 10 years to be updated. I hope you will enjoy. More e books will be published soon. I hope. Enjoy!

Enter the store.

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