Her Story, The other part of History I

Her Story

She met him when she was out selling noodles one night. She was hitting on the wood instruments that will produce a 'Tok Tok' sound and because of the sound it made, her noodles were also known as the 'Tok Tok' noodles.

She had only one bowl of noodle left that night and she was hopping that someone would buy it from her before she return home. As luck would have it, he was her last customer that day.

He was staring at her the moment when his eyes met her face. And for a long time he had his eyes fixed on her. She muttered an 'Excuse me' softly as she does not know why he was staring at her. She ain't uncomfortable with his staring, she just don't know what to do.

She told me that he was the first man that ever paid so much attention to her. He passed her three cents and she handed over the noodles. He then moved to a corner and enjoy his dinner.

Unknown to him, she was actually staring at him. She said that he was quite an attractive young man at that time. He was not very tall but he has a very muscular body. She immediately knew that he is a coolie.

Every night after that meeting, she will intentionally pass by the quarters where he was staying, and he would always come down the moment when he heard her coming. This went on for six weeks, until one night, when he did not come for his noodles.

She wondered what had happened. She walked towards the quarters where he had lived and knocked on the door, but no one answered. She went next door and checked with the neighbors. It was then she knows that he is to work till late.

She stayed there, fearing that he would be hungry when he came back from work. At around ten plus going to eleven, she heard the sounds of a group of men talking. She immediately went to one of the neighbor's house and borrow their stove.

''So that my mother could heat up the noodles..." she suddenly whispered...

By the time she came out from the neighbor's house, she could see him from a distance. She stood there quietly, waiting for him to come by. He did noticed her, and he came half trotting towards her. Without a word, he handed over three cents to her, and she, also without a word, handed over the bowl of noodles that was still warm and steaming.

The weather was very warm that day. She said that he was sweating buckets when he was having his noodles. His face was covered with so much sweat that it looked like he was drenched in the rain.

She pulled out her handkerchief, half hesitating. She's worried about his reaction. In the end, she still gave in to her feelings and she went towards him. Without a word, she started to wipe the sweat off his face.

He was surprised when she did that. There was no exchange of conversations. She continued to wipe his sweat, and he, continued on his noodles after the initial shock wore off.

"My mother told me that she could see my father grinning from ear to ear..."

The handkerchief was wet, very wet in fact. He took the handkerchief from her hand and told her that he would wash it and return to her the very next day. She managed to suppressed a grin and nodded her head.

The very next night, when she had arrived at his quarters, he was already at the door steps, waiting for her. She reached for the bowl of noodles in her basket and he, took out his three cents. He then told her that he still had not washed her handkerchief.

She tried to keep herself from giggling. She knew that he was lying through his teeth, as she could see the handkerchief hanging by his window, but she decided not to blow his cover. She wanted to let him know that the handkerchief is a gift from her to him, yet, she could not bring herself to tell him directly in his face.

In the end, she told him that he can keep the handkerchief. When she saw the reaction from him, she couldn't help but laugh. He was shy and he actually blushed. He stuttered and stammered, trying to get words out from his mouth. In the end, he just gave up and went back to his noodles.

"My mother, she was very happy with the reaction from my father..."

As time goes by, the relationship between them grew. She used to go home the moment he had finished the noodles. With every passing day, the time they spent together became longer. She decided to tell him that she had to be home by eleven thirty. This was not true.

She knew that he would spend all his time with her, no matter how late it is. But he is a coolie, he needs all the rest he could and that's why she limited the time they spent each night to eleven. He would always send her home, under the moonlit night.

"My mother told me that my father had never tried to take her hands while they were going home..."

This went on for almost a year. Him, being a true gentleman, escorted her home every night. She has always wondered why, for that one year, every night when he escorted her home, there's always moonlight.

For that one year, they learn more about one and another. They started to understand each other in depth, every little movements, every habits. They grew deeply attached to each other without one or the other knowing. The bonds in between them developed and it grew stronger as the days pass by.

"My mother said that it was a year of learning, exploring, understanding each other. Most importantly, the beginning of the blossoming of the love in between them..."

( To be continued)