Farewell - Ele & Co.
Yesterday I did jack all in the morning, bumming around home. But then in the afternoon I washed my car (I absolutely adore my car!!!), bought some take away to eat, and then left home at about 5:30pm for the YL meeting.
I got there right on time, and as I exited the elevator, I was greeted by Tommo who was standing in the doorway, presumably checking out who was coming. I walked into the room to see his colleague Rob and some dude called Panesh or something.
We sat around talking a bit, mainly about whatever they were talking about. After a bit past 6pm, Tommo started the meeting. Kate H arrived moments later, and then Daniel. I had heard them talking before about Caramel coming late. She was the girl who I met before on the ghost tour, and who I had a very brief crush on.
I was a bit surprised that there weren't many people at the meeting, it was a far cry from Daniel's days as chair when we'd get at least ten people. They attributed it to it being late in the year and the students having exams, but my own theory was that Tommo was just not as good a chair as Daniel. I like Tommo, and I think he's got a great social personality for the position, but I think in terms of handling the orders of the meeting, he needs to tone it down a little.
Caramel arrived in the latter part of the meeting, and I was questioning myself as to whether that was even the same girl. Sure, she may have had glandular fever, but she looked so much more pale and frail than I had remembered. It was like as if she aged five years since the ghost tour. Maybe the lesson here was to not go for women in their 30's because they can't hold up their appearances for much longer?
The meeting didn't seem very productive, I learnt a bit about the proposed laws, but that was it. Daniel left early, and Rob and Panesh left as soon as the meeting was formally closed.
After that Tommo, Kate and Caramel started talking about other stuff, slightly related to YL, but not really. I don't know why I stayed, but it got more awkward the longer I stayed. Tommo even said I didn't have to stay, lol. I told myself to stay till 7:30, even though I was supposed to leave at 7 because I was meeting Ele and everyone at 7:30. I did manage to pick up a bit of goss though, which was that Tommo and Wruth don't get along anymore, because they both went for chair and it was a tie, and Tommo ended up getting it.
Finally at 7:30 I just got up and said "I think I have to go", after sitting there for 30 minutes listening to a conversation I knew nothing about. It's like being a chatroom and not talking, watching other people's conversations and they're thinking "what the hell is that guy doing here?"
I made my way down the city quickly, half glad that I was late because it made me seem busy. I was expecting a call from Ele asking me where I was, and I thought I'd joke that I didn't know we were meeting up, and then turn up behind her.
But the call never came. When I got there they were nowhere to be seen. I walked around the G-Star shop, our meeting place, and still could not see them. I went to the bathroom and then returned to check. Still nothing. I called her, and after a few rings, my call was rejected. Then I got a message from her saying they were at 68 Liverpool St.
Great, thanks for telling me.
I started making my way there when she called. I answered and she asked if I got her message. I said yes and she told me the name of the Korean restaurant they were in and that it was near the card and board games place we went to before.
I finally found the place and walked in to find them seated at a table. Tracy, Ele and Eva were seated on one side, and Michael L was seated on the other. I had no choice but to sit next to Michael L, directly opposite Ele.
I half joked and half had a go at her saying that I had been waiting an hour, to call her and have my call rejected, and then to find out that the venue had changed and I hadn't even been informed. She said she was in the process of texting me when I called, hence her rejection.
The three girls seemed like they were captivated by the songs playing on the tv screen above Michael L's head. When Michael L asked why they were so entranced, Eva negged him saying they were better looking than him. This was something I noticed last time, and she did it a few more times on this night, and I wondered how Michael L would take that. Was he the type to get violent and boil over? Or would he just take it in jest?
I told them I was promised a stripper and asked where she was, and then suggested Ele be it after looking around unsuccessfully. She laughed a bit and then pointed at Tracy, seemingly out of nervousness. Hmmm.
Over dinner we talked a bit about my work, hypothetical cases, but what stuck out later on was Ele's problems at work. Although she returned to work this week, she still wasn't enjoying it. It looked like the stress had gotten back to her. She said there was this lady at work who didn't like her, probably because Ele was in her former position. She seemed really distressed about this, and it looked like it was starting to get serious as she and her manager had had a discussion about it.
At the end of dinner we discussed briefly what we were going to do, and although Eva and Tracy suggested ice cream, Ele said Kings Cross, referring to the stripper thing again. I said we could just save money and have her do it, and this time she said she and Tracy would do it, looking at Tracy. Tracy played innocent and then said no, but Ele still had a smirk on her face.
At one point Ele just started giggling to herself, and when Eva asked her what was so funny, she said she was just happy to be out, because she hadn't been this happy since work started.
To my surprise, Ele paid for dinner. I was pretty sure I wouldn't have to pay, even though I tried to throw in my $20 only to have it thrown back, but I was always under the impression that everyone would just split it amongst themselves.
Eva at one stage asked for Michael L's wallet and Michael L asked why because he had no money in it. Tracy said something about them being one entity anyway, and I said they were both on the one balance sheet, but somehow their silent response was anything but.
After dinner we walked around the corner to a Honkie dessert place where we had dessert. I noticed another neg from Eva when Michael L's dessert arrived. She said it looked like him - messy and cold. Hmmm.
During dessert, Ele again started giggling to herself. Eva put the back of her hand on Ele's foreheard as if to test her temperature, and Ele repeated that she hadn't been this happy since work started this week. I joked that she was just happy that I was leaving, and she went along with it.
Linda's name was brought up momentarily in a conversation between Ele and Tracy, and then Ele said to me that she didn't invite Linda because she wasn't sure if I liked her or not. I didn't know how to answer, so I stayed silent.
Michael L was the one who suggested we leave after finishing dessert, even though I kinda wanted the whole thing to linger on, knowing that this might be the last time I see Ele in a while.
Ele had to buy a phone card, so we went to the convenience store with her across the road. When we finished, we stood outside, deciding how to finish up. Michael L wanted to go home, and I suggested that we walk Ele home and catch a taxi. By 'we' I actually meant Tracy and I, but they took it to mean everyone.
Michael L was sort of like "she lives so close, she can go by herself", so I joked that we should just let her go and feigned walking away, which made Ele playfully plead for us to walk her home.
So we started walking her home, and from early on, Eva grabbed a hold of Ele's right arm as they walked together. Tracy was on her left, and I trailed behind with Michael L and his boring conversations. I was kinda quiet, because I had in my mind walking with Ele alone, trying to both savour the moment and tell myself to move on because it wasn't worth troubling myself with.
As we walked past the construction part of the Harbour, I noticed she turned around a few times to see what I was doing. It was as if she didn't really want Eva to hold her. At least she had me on my mind. I just pretended to look at the pictures on the plaster boards surrounding the construction.
Tracy somehow managed to swap with Michael L and she started talking to me, telling me about the time she got rolled for two dollars. I briefly interrupted her as I said I needed to go to the toilet we were about to pass. When I came out, we resumed walking, and headed to a lift that took us up onto the bridge. I was still stuck with her as we walked along the bridge, with her asking me about my move and about Shuing when I mentioned his name.
When we arrived opposite Ele's place, Michael L started looking for a cab and I said we should wait until Ele goes into her house first. Ele hugged Eva goodbye, slapped Michael L hard on the arm, and then turned to me. I had my hands in my pockets, not expecting a hug but ready for it. When it came, we put our arms around eachother and I patted her on the lower back, asking "are you happy I'm leaving?", referring to the line of joke earlier, and she said "not really".
A taxi soon came and we all got in. I took the front seat and looked at her and she looked at me, then I looked ahead. We initially decided to drop me off first, but then Michael L said he forgot Tracy had moved so we dropped her off first. The driver missed a turn at her block of apartments, and she told him so. I think he found her to be a bit rude because she didn't say "please". I think a lot of people may think this way of Asian people, but I don't think they intend to be rude, it just comes off that way.
After dropping her off, the driver did a u-turn and smacked into the curb, and then moments later had to pull over because the front left wheel was making a noise. He pulled a part of the car out and chucked it onto the footpath and then got back into the car.
I asked Michael L if he wanted to be dropped off next, and he was so indecisive, but I could tell he wanted to go home first because earlier he had complained about it being late, so I told the driver, but by then the driver had already started heading in my direction. When it came close to my house I gave Eva $20 but she tried to give it back, so just before I got out I gave it to her without leaving her a chance to give it back. I thanked them for the night and got out of the taxi to go home.
I got there right on time, and as I exited the elevator, I was greeted by Tommo who was standing in the doorway, presumably checking out who was coming. I walked into the room to see his colleague Rob and some dude called Panesh or something.
We sat around talking a bit, mainly about whatever they were talking about. After a bit past 6pm, Tommo started the meeting. Kate H arrived moments later, and then Daniel. I had heard them talking before about Caramel coming late. She was the girl who I met before on the ghost tour, and who I had a very brief crush on.
I was a bit surprised that there weren't many people at the meeting, it was a far cry from Daniel's days as chair when we'd get at least ten people. They attributed it to it being late in the year and the students having exams, but my own theory was that Tommo was just not as good a chair as Daniel. I like Tommo, and I think he's got a great social personality for the position, but I think in terms of handling the orders of the meeting, he needs to tone it down a little.
Caramel arrived in the latter part of the meeting, and I was questioning myself as to whether that was even the same girl. Sure, she may have had glandular fever, but she looked so much more pale and frail than I had remembered. It was like as if she aged five years since the ghost tour. Maybe the lesson here was to not go for women in their 30's because they can't hold up their appearances for much longer?
The meeting didn't seem very productive, I learnt a bit about the proposed laws, but that was it. Daniel left early, and Rob and Panesh left as soon as the meeting was formally closed.
After that Tommo, Kate and Caramel started talking about other stuff, slightly related to YL, but not really. I don't know why I stayed, but it got more awkward the longer I stayed. Tommo even said I didn't have to stay, lol. I told myself to stay till 7:30, even though I was supposed to leave at 7 because I was meeting Ele and everyone at 7:30. I did manage to pick up a bit of goss though, which was that Tommo and Wruth don't get along anymore, because they both went for chair and it was a tie, and Tommo ended up getting it.
Finally at 7:30 I just got up and said "I think I have to go", after sitting there for 30 minutes listening to a conversation I knew nothing about. It's like being a chatroom and not talking, watching other people's conversations and they're thinking "what the hell is that guy doing here?"
I made my way down the city quickly, half glad that I was late because it made me seem busy. I was expecting a call from Ele asking me where I was, and I thought I'd joke that I didn't know we were meeting up, and then turn up behind her.
But the call never came. When I got there they were nowhere to be seen. I walked around the G-Star shop, our meeting place, and still could not see them. I went to the bathroom and then returned to check. Still nothing. I called her, and after a few rings, my call was rejected. Then I got a message from her saying they were at 68 Liverpool St.
Great, thanks for telling me.
I started making my way there when she called. I answered and she asked if I got her message. I said yes and she told me the name of the Korean restaurant they were in and that it was near the card and board games place we went to before.
I finally found the place and walked in to find them seated at a table. Tracy, Ele and Eva were seated on one side, and Michael L was seated on the other. I had no choice but to sit next to Michael L, directly opposite Ele.
I half joked and half had a go at her saying that I had been waiting an hour, to call her and have my call rejected, and then to find out that the venue had changed and I hadn't even been informed. She said she was in the process of texting me when I called, hence her rejection.
The three girls seemed like they were captivated by the songs playing on the tv screen above Michael L's head. When Michael L asked why they were so entranced, Eva negged him saying they were better looking than him. This was something I noticed last time, and she did it a few more times on this night, and I wondered how Michael L would take that. Was he the type to get violent and boil over? Or would he just take it in jest?
I told them I was promised a stripper and asked where she was, and then suggested Ele be it after looking around unsuccessfully. She laughed a bit and then pointed at Tracy, seemingly out of nervousness. Hmmm.
Over dinner we talked a bit about my work, hypothetical cases, but what stuck out later on was Ele's problems at work. Although she returned to work this week, she still wasn't enjoying it. It looked like the stress had gotten back to her. She said there was this lady at work who didn't like her, probably because Ele was in her former position. She seemed really distressed about this, and it looked like it was starting to get serious as she and her manager had had a discussion about it.
At the end of dinner we discussed briefly what we were going to do, and although Eva and Tracy suggested ice cream, Ele said Kings Cross, referring to the stripper thing again. I said we could just save money and have her do it, and this time she said she and Tracy would do it, looking at Tracy. Tracy played innocent and then said no, but Ele still had a smirk on her face.
At one point Ele just started giggling to herself, and when Eva asked her what was so funny, she said she was just happy to be out, because she hadn't been this happy since work started.
To my surprise, Ele paid for dinner. I was pretty sure I wouldn't have to pay, even though I tried to throw in my $20 only to have it thrown back, but I was always under the impression that everyone would just split it amongst themselves.
Eva at one stage asked for Michael L's wallet and Michael L asked why because he had no money in it. Tracy said something about them being one entity anyway, and I said they were both on the one balance sheet, but somehow their silent response was anything but.
After dinner we walked around the corner to a Honkie dessert place where we had dessert. I noticed another neg from Eva when Michael L's dessert arrived. She said it looked like him - messy and cold. Hmmm.
During dessert, Ele again started giggling to herself. Eva put the back of her hand on Ele's foreheard as if to test her temperature, and Ele repeated that she hadn't been this happy since work started this week. I joked that she was just happy that I was leaving, and she went along with it.
Linda's name was brought up momentarily in a conversation between Ele and Tracy, and then Ele said to me that she didn't invite Linda because she wasn't sure if I liked her or not. I didn't know how to answer, so I stayed silent.
Michael L was the one who suggested we leave after finishing dessert, even though I kinda wanted the whole thing to linger on, knowing that this might be the last time I see Ele in a while.
Ele had to buy a phone card, so we went to the convenience store with her across the road. When we finished, we stood outside, deciding how to finish up. Michael L wanted to go home, and I suggested that we walk Ele home and catch a taxi. By 'we' I actually meant Tracy and I, but they took it to mean everyone.
Michael L was sort of like "she lives so close, she can go by herself", so I joked that we should just let her go and feigned walking away, which made Ele playfully plead for us to walk her home.
So we started walking her home, and from early on, Eva grabbed a hold of Ele's right arm as they walked together. Tracy was on her left, and I trailed behind with Michael L and his boring conversations. I was kinda quiet, because I had in my mind walking with Ele alone, trying to both savour the moment and tell myself to move on because it wasn't worth troubling myself with.
As we walked past the construction part of the Harbour, I noticed she turned around a few times to see what I was doing. It was as if she didn't really want Eva to hold her. At least she had me on my mind. I just pretended to look at the pictures on the plaster boards surrounding the construction.
Tracy somehow managed to swap with Michael L and she started talking to me, telling me about the time she got rolled for two dollars. I briefly interrupted her as I said I needed to go to the toilet we were about to pass. When I came out, we resumed walking, and headed to a lift that took us up onto the bridge. I was still stuck with her as we walked along the bridge, with her asking me about my move and about Shuing when I mentioned his name.
When we arrived opposite Ele's place, Michael L started looking for a cab and I said we should wait until Ele goes into her house first. Ele hugged Eva goodbye, slapped Michael L hard on the arm, and then turned to me. I had my hands in my pockets, not expecting a hug but ready for it. When it came, we put our arms around eachother and I patted her on the lower back, asking "are you happy I'm leaving?", referring to the line of joke earlier, and she said "not really".
A taxi soon came and we all got in. I took the front seat and looked at her and she looked at me, then I looked ahead. We initially decided to drop me off first, but then Michael L said he forgot Tracy had moved so we dropped her off first. The driver missed a turn at her block of apartments, and she told him so. I think he found her to be a bit rude because she didn't say "please". I think a lot of people may think this way of Asian people, but I don't think they intend to be rude, it just comes off that way.
After dropping her off, the driver did a u-turn and smacked into the curb, and then moments later had to pull over because the front left wheel was making a noise. He pulled a part of the car out and chucked it onto the footpath and then got back into the car.
I asked Michael L if he wanted to be dropped off next, and he was so indecisive, but I could tell he wanted to go home first because earlier he had complained about it being late, so I told the driver, but by then the driver had already started heading in my direction. When it came close to my house I gave Eva $20 but she tried to give it back, so just before I got out I gave it to her without leaving her a chance to give it back. I thanked them for the night and got out of the taxi to go home.
posted by toey | 10:03
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