That's My Boy

I breathed in hard and my eyes were almost popping out when I saw Sonny's 3rd Term exam results. I was speechless. Wifey was the total opposite.


A Few Days Before...

"Do you want to attend the Parent-Teacher Meeting." Wifey asked while handing out to me Sonny's school acknowledgement form.

It was for Saturday, 13th September 2008 at 9:00AM.

"Please sign if you decide to go or not," Sonny said coming into my den... well, a computer room and gym room in one, my personal space in the home, "they'll hand out the report book afterwards."

"Yes, we should go..." I replied Wifey, "since it is the first time to attend such meeting in Dunman, I'd like to know how things go."

I signed the form to attend with Wifey. Sonny will have to go too if the parents wanted to meet the teacher to discuss.


Saturday Morning

"Ayah, wake-up." Wifey shook my arm. It was only 7:40AM

I looked at the clock and saw it was just too early to wake-up on a weekend. "It still is early..." I said barely waking and closed my eyes to continue my sleep.

"I have to make the bed and clean-up the house before we leave..." Wifey replied, "wake-up, wake-up Ayah!"

"Take a bath first while I do some cleaning." Wifey continued, "I go next once I'm done." with a strict voice... more excited than usual and lively that day.

"Sonny, take a bath!" She hollered. Zipping here and there, busy, busy like a bee!

On the other hand, I was a walking zombie with a sole aim to only reach the bathroom... and yes, out the window I noticed a sunny and beautiful morning.


Journey Of Wonder

We took the Shuttle Service 293 from our home. It was a direct bus ride to Sonny's school... the convenience we also got apart from getting into one of the best schools in the east.

Slowly, as the bus ride got closer to Dunman Secondary School, more and more of parents with their Dunmanites boarded heading the same destination.

Eventually, it was like a school bus full of students.


Once alighted in front of the school, everyone was ushered to the main hall where seats were waiting and the school principle already addressing from the stage to the two-third full auditorium. It was only 9:05AM.

Seated down, to the left of the stage was a row of desks with all the secondary class teachers waiting with stacks of their students' record books.

Behind the seats was a row of desks with HODs and teachers waiting for the meetings with parents after the school principle's half-hour presentation that would start at 9:30AM.

Like us, there were a lot of concern parents attending this meeting.

By 9:15AM the auditorium was already full. The lady principle started her presentation to welcome everyone and flashed many slides showing the students various cumulative progresses, achievements and areas of improvements to date.


Addressing some misconceptions and concerns from the parents, the principle was quite candid.

Giving perspectives and advices, citing some real examples from parents' inquiries she had received over the months and the types of students and their gripes with their parents.

As far as I am concern, she had given a very good assurance and confidence that our children are in good academic and holistic hands.

Then it came to the record book collection when the presentation ended.


That Moment

It was like a swarm of bees. Many parents flew over the rows and rows of seats trying to get to the left side of the hall to collect their children's results.

It was incredible that they were able to sit still and patiently during the whole presentation. Pumping hearts with anxieties wanting to know their children's performance more than the children themselves. That was only 3rd term... imagine when it is the final year.


While the swarm was thick, Wifey and I sat and completed the survey form that was given out upon our arrival. By the time we had finished, it was a breeze for Sonny to collect from his class S-1D.

Coming back from where we were standing, Sonny opened his record book and stopped for an instance. His jaw dropped to the floor, eyes opened wide tracing down the lines in the book.

Seeing Sonny's facial expression, we began to panic. Both Wifey and I scurried over to Sonny who just stood there staring at his report book.


"Oh My God!" Wifey almost screamed amidst the buzzing hall.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.... 7 As!" I counted excitedly as I trace down the rows in the record book.

"Congratulations, Sonny!" I patted his back. Wifey was already giving him a tight bear hug... not letting go and kissing his cheek.

Sonny was soaking it all up, still dazed apparently, as we made our way towards the centre of the hall.

His classmates then started calling his name from the far end. They were trading record books to check each other's results out. Jumping and laughing excitedly as they teased one another.

Sonny joined them as we looked on.

They swarmed, surrounding him as they looked at his record book. "I know do did very well, no need to see, I just know it!" One of his girl classmate teased.

"1, 2, 3... 7! Wow! So many!" A few of them excitedly said while giving him pats and punches on the arms. "Wah! too much, you!" They joked and shook hands to congratulate him. Some senior students came over to congratulate him too when they heard about his results.

I finally got to feel how the parents felt when their children received awards on stage during the school's Prize Giving Day we attended just last month.

Thank you Almighty for your gift of this Son.
Thank you for this opportunity for me to feel proud of him.
Thank you for blessing me with this lady that's standing beside me
Whose tireless efforts to help him with his studies
Who has nurtured him so wonderfully.
Thank you.

It was like a slow motion scene unfolding before me as I said my silent prayers of gratefulness, looking at my Sonny being truly proud of himself and with friends sharing his happy moment.

That is my Son. I am blessed.