Her water broke. It was the 14th. But she got up, cleaned up and continued on with life. There are different ways to know a birth. You either expel blood or water. Mine was water. This is her story of how I came to be. May 15th. A voice told her to wake up and shower. It was morning. She gingerly got up to shower. Cold water in a pot. She sat and showered herself. Voice: No stop. Go to the toilet! So off she goes to the toilet. It was the old earlier versions of HDB houses at Boon Keng. Where toilets and showers are separated. Voice: Now off and shower again. By now she stopped and wondered to herself. She is in pain but this is not pain. Mother in Law (screaming out behind the door.) : Do you want to go now? she said no. She(My mom) had enough of being poked about before birth time. She decided to wait it out. The factories have churned out 3 girls before this one. This isnt pain. She got up to dress. Sat on the the long chair. Labour pains, she couldnt get up. An ambulance had to be called. My mother: I remembered the stretchers. Its the canvas ones. Made out of wood. Oh so flimsy. Your second sister and third was way easier. In fact your third sister is the foodie. I remembered walking to Jalan Sultan from Kandang Kerbau. Simply cause your sister felt like eating. So there I was in my pregnant hospital gown , tissue, purse and axe oil. : She giggled. But no. You. I couldt get up after the shower. There are no lifts. I pitied the ambulance guys carrying me. They had to manoeuvre tight small HDB staircases. The staircases now? THOSE ARE A LUXURY. Back then its such a tight fit for a woman on a stretcher. She sat in the ambulance. And that is how I came to be. I was a Kandang Kerbau boy. Dr Kowa. Now thats the name of your specialist. A nice man him. Me: Where was dad? Mom: Your dad was there for the first baby. He wanted a boy. He waited. But came out a girl. The second one, he wanted a boy. Out came your second sister. The third, out came your third sister. I think he gave up by then. So I have no idea where your dad is on that day. But he wanted a boy. He gave up waiting. AND out came you. You were the smallest baby of the lot. A birth has many stories it seems. If my struggles are leviathan. Moms would be Goliath. Happy Birthday to me.
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 05:05:26 +0000