Max Got Long Arms Taking This Selfie Header

Life Can Be Like This

Just over 24 hours ago, four friends of both similar as well as divergent interests and age group*, were looking forward to an evening of fun, blogging strategies and dining at a cool place. Where else, but to the place which I have sang praises and have even put up a blog post. Yes I was looking forward to introduce my young friends to the Dancing Crab, whose name itself evokes the promise of coolness and fun. {* Truth be told. Of the four, I am the only one who qualify for Singapore’s Pioneer Generation Package.}
Ambience at Dancing Crab

Ambience at Dancing Crab

After lots of to-and-fro on WhatsApp and Facebook messages, we had finally settled for a super early dinner at 5.30pm. My three friends – Grace, Kelly and Max- waited for me at the designated MRT (our mass transit) station – the Botanic Gardens Station. Yes I was to give them a ride in my car to go to Dancing Crab for dinner. They were early and so was I – the appointed time being 5.15 pm.
Botanic Gardens MRT Station Exits

Botanic Gardens MRT Station Exits

My friends exited the station and waited for me at the bus stop along the busy Bukit Timah Road from 4.50pm. I arrived at the station at 5.10 pm and waited for them in my car at the taxi stand which is located at the Cluny Park Road, just a couple of hundred metres off busy Bukit Timah Road. (Please see my map.) And so they waited and I too waited! Meanwhile we were wondering and getting anxious as to what could have gone wrong. Do we need to prove and argue who is right?

My iPhone 5s Hung Up On Me

My iPhone 5s Hung Up On Me : Max Taught Me This Later: Re-set By Depressing The Menu & On/Off Buttons Simultaneously 🙂

They waited for me for over one hour and I waited for them for about one hour. How come! Just before I left my home, I realised that my iPhone (the 5s no less) had “hung” on me. So I posted a message at Facebook, log-off and proceeded to the “agreed” pick-up point.

Facebook Messages - I logged Off Before Reading Grace's Reply!

Facebook Messages – I Logged Off Before Reading Grace’s Reply!

Meanwhile they tried all means to reach me. I have not their mobile numbers (they are all in my “dead” phone. So I could not reach them even if I could just borrow another phone. Finally I decided to go home, just about 10 minutes away, and checked my Facebook! And my son Lawrence, who is in London, called the home phone just as I was logging onto Facebook. He told me Grace messaged him on Facebook and gave me her number. Immediately I called her from my house phone. I could certainly hear the relief from her voice. My friends had searched for me, practically around the world! Bravo Grace, Kelly and Max. We have become overly dependent on mobile devices.

Happy Faces

Happy Faces Still – Apres The “Ordeal”

Despite a late night watching the World Cup match between Switzerland and The Netherlands, I woke up early this morning. Hmm, my mind went back to the fun evening before. For some, the boo boo could have resulted in anger and possibly an even worse outcome. I was half a mind to share the story in a blog post – the protagonist being my “hung” iPhone (which I took a photo in case I cannot “prove” to my young friends). We don’t have to win arguments anyway. Good friends believe in you and they care and understand.

Dancing Crab's Famous Flaming Moonshine Tiger Prawns

Dancing Crab’s Famous Flaming Moonshine Tiger Prawns

My procrastination to do a post was erased after I read Patric’s post on his Facebook Timeline. He wrote “There’s really no point of getting angry when someone did a mistake. I mean, when you get angry, that person gets upset. Then both become more upset. So next time you feel angry, hold on to it for 10 seconds (or so) before you speak.”

Combo Bag with Signature Sauce - Is What We Came For

Combo Bag with Signature Sauce – Is What We Came For

All’s well that ends well. Now did Shakespeare said that? Never mind that our dinner became 7.00 pm instead of at 5.30pm. Yet we really had a good time. The moral of the story is – to have friends who care, overlook mistakes, work hard when need to and find time to celebrate and have fun – so that “Life Can Be Like This.”

Max Got Long Arms Taking This Selfie

Max Got Long Arms Taking This Selfie

Be cheerful and strive to be happy.