Joy And Sorrow

Today is a day of mixed feelings... of both extremes.

I was not as productive at work today as I would normally consider myself to be. The euphoria that started yesterday still lingered on and created much distraction for most part of the day.

My new toy on my desk charging and syncing with iTunes was just too much to ignore by everyone. No, this much revered communication-cum lifestyle gadget is not to be blamed... the people owning them are, me included.

Today, several iPhone-owner friends came over to my desk upon hearing the news that I have joined in the unofficial "Your got an iPhone... wow!" group. They willingly shared their tips of a better iPhone experience especially with third-party software.

Were too, those who fancy this revolutionary gadget stopped in their path to ogle at it. I was just as ecstatic today as I was yesterday when I first held my very own in the palm of my hand. I have yet to start exploring my iPhone...

"I have bad news to tell you, Ayah." Wifey paused over the phone. "Andy died this afternoon."

My heart just sank. Andy is one of the gentlest hamster we have in HamsterVille. He was born in HamsterVille and had been with us for the past couple of years.

Lately, he was not feeling too good after we discovered he developed a growth around his scent gland. It got bigger until he bit it bloody about to weeks ago.


Since then I had been nursing him; cleaning his open wound and feeding him antibiotics and the nutrition paste the Vet had given, apart from his normal diet of dried food and vegetables. He had been drinking lukewarm water mixed with pure honey which he loved.

He was considered too old to get the growth surgically removed and may not survive after that. Just after a week of nursing, it was encouraging to see his lump reduced in size, he regained his appetite but he turned for the worse.. kept panting somehow. He lost weight despite his good appetite.

"I fed him the paste and he drank a good amount of honey water too this morning." I told Wifey after a long pause. I always fed and checked on him every time I thought of him which was quite often. I made it a point to feed him every morning morning before I leave for work.

Deep down, I know Andy was not getting better. He stopped playing on the wheel as often and not anymore these few days. He became half awake most times, but still would try to come toward us when being called.

I was not sure if he was in constant pain, but guess it was his time. The pain should stop.

"Andy cried," Wifey replied "his eyes watered... Sonny showed me." Sounding sad over the phone.

I knew it too. He looked at me when I called him this morning, but was not too weak to come to me. I noticed Andy's watery eyes when I picked him up to feed him.

"Hey, how are you boy?" I talked to him as he was drinking the honey water through a syringe. "Andy's a good boy. Good boy." I had never seen him "cry" before this. I did not feel good when I left for work.

Most probably it was too painful for him towards the end. "Maybe he was sad to say good bye to his partner Angie and us." Wifey thought. Maybe we all were just being too sentimental.

"I buried him under the tree." Sonny pointing to the direction of the 3 palm trees beside our block,

I nodded as I entered the door coming back from work, "Poor Andy. We did our best for him here. Now he is in a better place." I replied.

"Now his pain has stopped." Sonny reassured everyone. Both Wifey and I nodded in agreement. I made my way to the bedroom to change...


"Sonny has something he wants to tell you." Wifey changed subject. I was puzzled.

Our son pulled out his Dunman Secondary School Report book and handed it over to me. It stated 6 A's and 3 B's for his first term tests on the 8 subjects.

Wow! Hurray! My heart screamed and jumped for joy as I kept my composure.

"I'm first in class." Sonny added calmed, but I could see it in his eyes that his heart is jumping with joy and ecstasy. He should.

"Well done son! I know you have it in you to always excel in what you do." I complimented him... rather plain come to think of it. "This means we're on for a celebration."

I promised Sonny that I would reward him with a hundred dollars if he was within the top 10 spots in his class of 41 students. Wifey promised him her hundred dollars if he was in the top 3.

Guess he has earned S$200.00 for being number one and for his efforts... consistently studying and revising with Wifey's tireless guidance. On top of that, Sonny has already earned several "ten dollars" for each subject as top scorer in his class.

It was such good news for us. It is a good indication that he has made a good transition from primary education to secondary and all the culture shocks that he has to go through as far as secondary school is concern.

Today has been quite a day of two extremes. Loosing a beautiful pet at one end, and a happy celebration of our only child achievements.

The sorrows and joys of life... still we must life passionately everyday and make it matter.