A little closure for the last post, from my mother:
Before and After the Bridge
I wish I had learned how to swim, Lim thought as he hit the warm, murky water of the Singapore River. Dressed in his work suit, he floated quickly toward the bottom. He tried flapping his arms and pushing upwards, but he continued to float down to death. That’s when he remembered his time with Sophie and how he came to fly over the rail of the bridge that night.
Lim leaned over to his best friend, Michael, and pointed to the group of office girls that stood two tables away. They were laughing, sipping their beers, and glancing also discreetly around the room at guys. Each Friday the company hosted these after work get-togethers at Paulaners at the Millennium Mall.
“Who’s the one on the right, Michael? She’s really cute. “
“Cheung’s accountant on the eighth floor. Name’s Sophie. Single I hear. Shall we introduce ourselves?”
“Please,” said Lim who followed his friend over to the girls’ table. Michael was a natural at making friends. In a short time, he had everyone’s phone number and a date for Saturday night. Lim envied his way with the opposite sex. He was going places, everyone said.
Lim asked Sophia if she would like to have lunch on Sunday and to his surprise, she said sure. That was the beginning of their romance.
Lim worshipped Sophie. They always met for lunch in the employee’s lounge every work day and then on weekends, spent time together going to the movies, eating a nice restaurants, and walking through the Botanical Gardens. Sometimes they doubled dated with Michael and whatever girl he was sweet on that the time. Sophie and Michael became fast friends, laughing at each other’s jokes and comparing office stories. Sometimes, Lim was jealous, but he never showed it. He loved them both.
Then it came time for Lim to meet Sophie’s parents for dinner. Her father was a businessman who imported art from China, Korea, and Australia. He had a warehouse down at Vivo City and often Sophie helped him on her days off during open house. After a nice Chinese dinner, Lim and Sophie’s father discussed Lim’s background. Lim explained that his father had been born in Malaysia and ran a hawker stand in the basement of Tampines Mall. Though Lim had graduated from college with a business degree, he felt Sophie’s father believed he was inferior.
“Plans to enter management?” Sophie’s father asked.
“No,” Lim squeaked. The thought of ordering people around made him nauseous.
“Are you going to be a bookkeeper all your life?” Sophie’s father pressed.
“I really like it,” Lim answered.
That was the end of the conversation. Lim, however, was optimistic and proceeded to the next step. He went ring shopping and picked out a glorious ring that he hoped to surprise Sophie with on her birthday.
But he never got the chance. Shortly after Lim’s visit to Sophie’s home, Sophie began making up excuses not to see Lim. Soon he hardly saw her. Finally, he confronted her after work and Sophie admitted she was dating Michael. Michael had just been promoted to office manager. He was going places.
Now Lim floated toward the bottom of the river, his lungs near bursting from the lack of air. Suddenly another face popped through the dark water and a strong hand reached for his arm. Up he was yanked and lifted toward the light of the bridge lamp post glowing through the water. He wasn’t going to die after all.
He broke the surface, a girl’s arm pushing him toward the ladder attached to the canal wall. Other hands helped him up. He ended up sitting like a wet duck on the pavement in front of the Starbucks while someone dialed the ambulance.
“Are you okay?” his rescuer sat down beside him. “I was jogging when I saw you hit the water. Did you fall in accidentally?” Lim stared at the young girl in the soaking wet track suit.
“Something like that,” Lim said. “I am eternally grateful. “ Someone brought them coffee and they continued to talk. Lisa was a college student at Singapore Tech. She was studying to be a librarian.
By the time the ambulance arrived, they were friends. Lim’s phone was ruined but they made a date to meet next Saturday. He owed her a dinner after all. It seemed like fate, their meeting in the river. Two years later, they were married on the bridge.
