Double Meanings and the Lure to Leak

Friday night. My good friend and room mate was already packed when I got back from work. With one big box and a rolling suitcase, he's bound for home in the next 4 hours. The box is not that heavy but its size makes it hard for one man to handle so I offered to lend a hand and tag along to the airport.

It was raining heavily earlier, heavier than normal for the tropical island of Singapore, and there was still a drizzle while we were in the taxi. The taxi ride was quite smooth for the most part. The driver didn't bother to engage us in conversation and my friend and I had a pleasant talk in our own dialect. It was when we turned for the exit from the expressway to the Budget Terminal when the taxi somehow lost control and slammed to the safety barrier. The driver got out to inspect the damage and when he came back in, my friend asked, "What happened?" To that he curtly answered, "Slipy." Did he mean that the road was slippery or that he was sleepy? Of course, I didn't bother to ask. What's important was that the taxi can still run and we continued our trip to the airport.

A couple of hours later, my friend was already inside the passengers-only area and I decided to grab a quick bite at the McDonald's inside the Budget Terminal. I was wondering earlier who I'll bump into tonight. Every time I come to this terminal to send someone off, I see old acquaintances. This time, it was a former colleague who happened to be sitting in the next table. She was also bound for home and her friend was there with her. I said, "So you're going home for the Day of the Dead." She smiled and nodded and her friend said, "She misses her mother." It was absurd but the timing of her friend's statement made me think that her mother is dead.

It was already midnight and I was still on the bus from the airport. I still need to transfer to another bus and there was a possibility that I'll miss the last trip. I had two choices, alight at the bus stop for the transfer and take the risk of missing the other bus or ride further and walk the rest of the way. If I choose the former and indeed miss the other bus, I will be forced to hail a taxi. So, I decided to ride further. When I saw a familiar area, I alighted. I've jogged to this place before, I can therefore walk from here. I was now about one and a quarter kilometer away from our place - still far but walkable. I have only taken a few steps when my bladder started calling my attention - the coke from McDonald's. Singapore is known for its green environment and big trees line the sidewalk. It was dark and quiet. Every tree that casts a huge shadow was an invitation to relieve myself. I was about to burst but I can still think straight - I better hold it in or risk paying a hefty fine.