Son's Success Story

Wifey & I in BBQ Chicken. Sonny somehow dodged to having his picture taken

"I like drumsticks... lots of drumsticks." Sonny quipped when asked what he wanted for his lunch treat I was giving.

So, we order family -sized Hot Hot Drum, an eight-piece crispy chicken drumsticks coated in hot and spicy Korean sauce.

We went to BBQ Chicken, a Korean barbecue restaurant at the basement of E!Hub near Downtown East at Pasir Ris for family lunch out. I was treating Sonny lunch for achieving more than Wifey and I expected results on his final year examinations.

It was our first time dining at BBQ Chicken, since the restaurant was awarded the Halal certification... the food, ingredients and preparations used are abiding the Islamic requirements.

Seated in low sofa with legs crossed, a leisurely and comfortable ambience to dine in, the place and food were a good combination for a family dining.

We finished our lunch off with a Korean version of our local Ice Kacang called "Pat Bing Soo." Some parts of the world would call it a snow cone.

A nice desert, but the powered stuff formed part of the topping was a little strange for me... but nice. Well, anything sweet is always nice and sinful at the same time.


Two Weeks Ago...

"So how's the result?" I asked Sonny about his final year examination results over the phone. I was in the bus on my way back home.

"I did OK, but I'd want you to see it for yourself." Sonny replied making me more anxious than I have ever been today... and for the past few weeks.

"I don't want to jinx it, Ayah." Sonny's usual retorts every single time of the exam day whenever I asked him how he did on his exam papers.

I called on Wifey to find out from her instead, but she was out grocery shopping. So I had to stay patient for the length of the bus ride and to find out only after reaching home.

Once home, Sonny's school report book was already on my desk in front of my iMac.

I did in record time changing into my home clothes and waltz smoothly to my desk to find out how Sonny did for his Secondary One final year exams.

1, 2, 3, 4... I counted the letters in the list of 12 subjects.

Wifey came in, almost sneakily, tip-toeing into the gym room.

"Wow!" I exclaimed to her.

"I know, I know!" Wifey replied excitedly and nodding her head in agreement and started crying. I hugged her and held her hand while she cried and started to compose herself.

The PC game songs SPORES emanating from Sonny room drowned her cries. Sonny was not aware of the drama-like scene happening in the next room.

"I can't..." I said but apparently together with Wifey, "believe it." at the same time. She nodded her head again, wiping her tears off her face.

I called my son into the room. He came in, looked at his flushed and teary-eyed mother's face and said "Why, what happened?"

"Congratulations, my son!" I exclaimed.

Sonny gave a wide smile and asked, "Did you see my class position?"

I did not. I was excited enough just counting the first letter in the alphabet that was listed in each row of subject on the page in his report book. Before I could locate the "Class Position" row, Sonny exclaimed "I got first!"

Wifey started to be teary-eye again and said "I knew you can do it..." she paused a second and continued "you only needed someone to push you to achieve your full potential."

For a lack of composure, she summarized Sonny's capability and the lack of it quite completely. She gave Sonny a bear hug and kisses all over his face.

Sonny had attained 9 "As" and 3 "Bs" out of his 12 subjects all Secondary One students in the express stream had to take.


A Promise Is A Promise...

Then it came down to business.

While walking back home from Hari Raya Aidilfitri morning prayers at Darul Ghufran Mosque, I challenged Sonny to do his utmost effort to better his previous exam results.

I promised if he could top his CA2 exam results of 7 "As," I would reward him S$50 for each additional "As" he attains after that. I also promised him that if he was among the top 5 in his class, I would give him another S$50.

Wifey challenged him and promised to give him her S$100 if he was to be among the top 3.

Well, I owe Sonny S$70... S$10 each for his 7 "As." Another S$100 in total for his additional 2 "As" and another S$50 for being first in class. That totaled-up to be S$220.00 from me. With Wifey's S$100 as promised, Sonny is richer by S$320 when he brought back his report book home!

Both Wifey and I are overwhelmed by his achievements.


Prelude To The Finals...

Last Thursday was our proudest moment for Sonny.

The day before, he brought back a plaque for 3rd Best Web Designer award he won for his creating his school's Computer Club website. He is also co-managing the site together with the teacher-in-charge .


It was not so much that he got 3rd, but the fact that the torch was given to him, a Secondary One student instead of the traditional third-year student from the last year student in Secondary Four before they take their GCE "O" Level and leave for their tertiary education.

He made himself the first Secondary One student ever to be given the responsibility, sighting his potential and capability in website designing, the club teacher-in-charge and its members gave him the honor. And won an award for doing what he likes.

The plaque is displayed on the shelve in his room among the other framed certificates he was awarded with throughout his school life to date. He is rather an accomplished student when he puts his mind to achieving something he is passionate about.

Just a few days before this plaque, he came back from school happy to tell his Mom that his group was announced to receive the best award for his Cultural Fusion project amongst the entire cohort in Secondary One.

The special mentions during the assembly was for the group's efforts in executing from conceptualizing and research, right down to the doing-up the classroom to become a 5-star restaurant, complete with correct etiquette of everyone there.

Him being CEO of the restaurant, together with his chef, waiters and front-line staff wowed the teachers who came to appraise the projects by the 8 classes. It was such a hit then, that it became a talk of the day in the teachers' lounge that many other teachers came by to check out his group's restaurant for themselves.

The group apparently had a very busy day attending to their "customers." They were expecting six appraisers, and they got more than a dozen customers dining in their restaurant. All were impressed with the whole experience.

The group had set the bar higher for the secondary one students next year.

To my brilliant Sonny...

Congratulations!
I am so proud of you.
You worked hard and did your best.
It's all paying off in the end.

To my sweet Wifey...

Your relentless efforts in supervising
Consistently assisting him in his revisions.
Always guiding him in preparations for his exams
To achieve a fruitful and proud outcome.

It certainly is not the sweet ending to a story, but a beginning of another stage in Sonny's academic life.

May he excel to achieve his dream and stay happy in life.