trippingdifferently

A few months ago, i wrote this post, whining how little progress i had made with my writing.

Well, i’m happy to say… there has been progress!! Although no more words have been penned directly into the story, i have spent the last few weeks, every Tuesday afternoon, sitting at a cafe with my writer-friend and we both work on our WIP (Work-In-Progress). And we have both made progress! Making that date weekly has kept us both working because we made that commitment to meet and write and in a way held each other accountable. If it was just me, myself and i at home, sitting at my computer, trying to write, i would be distracted by the Internet, the chores which need to be done, the emails which need to be read etc… So i wanna publicly thank my wonderful writer-friend (you know who you are 😉 ).

Now i said no actual words were produced in the last few weeks so what have i been doing. i have been getting re-acquainted with my story and my characters; figuring out exactly who they are and how they affect the story and what stories need to be told; plotting essentially.

i re-read the whole (uncompleted) novel and found some horrible writing in it. But i also surprised myself in finding some interesting ideas and writing.

In my post in June, i showed you the beginning of the story. Now i would like to show you a possible end to the story.

It has been two years since I had last returned to Singapore. Two years since we have seen each other or even spoke to each other. I have kept up with only Tiffany. There has not been even an email to say HI How are you, between me and Trisha and Twyla. I wonder how they are. I wonder if Trisha and Max had decided to give things another try. I wondered how my little nieces, Phoebe and Pearl are doing. How big have they grown. I think about Twyla and her soulmate and the lover she married. Has she resolved everything – are they still that perfect little family which made me believe in fairytales?

I walk into the room, not knowing what to expect. I mean I know that I will see everyone – after all this is grandfather’s funeral – he passed away at the ripe old age of ninety-nine years old. He was very strict – like there is no drinking during mealtimes till you finish eating your meal – this was an absolute rule, no exceptions. But he loved us all, every one of his twelve children and every one of us, his nineteen grandchildren. We may not agree with his methods of expressing love but there is no denying he loved us.

Just like there is no denying I love my cousins. I may not always agree with them on everything but I love them. I love my sunshine Tiff Wiff. I love my strength Trisha and how I miss my soulsister Twyla. I miss talking to them, laughing with them, discussing with them, I even miss fighting with them.

Then I see her, Lala sitting at the reception desk…

All the raw angry emotions and all that guilt comes rushing to the surface and a song I heard so very long ago as a teenager comes to mind…

From the album It’s a weird existence, by The Ordinary People.

Song – Older Now

every now and then
I meet some people who seem just too familiar for me to say I don’t know them.
But I just can’t recall their names – it’s a shame
And when I try to – i’m just too afraid – a mistake?

Yes I have seen these faces from all those different places that I have been before.

But instead of our usual hellos we don’t seem to talk anymore.
Why? I really don’t know.

Maybe we’re just older now
to understand that people need friends around though I will be standing there for anyone

I remember brighter days when all of us – we used to say, “Yeah, I will remember you always!”

but instead…
maybe…

i’m always told things do change
nothing real stays the same
only the memories – they remain

so I remember…

so – so long now all my friends
hope we can all meet again
don’t know how – I don’t know when
– someday

I may be older now but I am definitely afraid – I have no idea how to face them. I miss them, I need them, I want to say Hi and pick up where we left off – actually pick up before where we left off. Yes all that remain are indeed just memories.

I turn and leave. I will make up some excuse to tell mum and dad.

i have written a few other endings but this is the from the point of view of the same character as the opening scene i shared.

So what do you think?

syc

PS: The writing on holiday project didn’t happen!