[ilikeoldchangke]

Matthew : You…. Look down on my boy why ? Because he sells chicken rice?? Is that it ??

Kate kept quiet and looked at Ah Keong who was desperately trying to get his Dad to shut up.



Matthew shrugged him off and continued.

Matthew : I’m telling you… Ah Keong… can afford not to lift his finger and live like a king…. .. for the rest of his life ….. burpppp….. you know he has 3 properties ??? do you ??? along Bukit Timah ?? har >!!



Gabriel cut in at that point and I could see Matthew getting a little more agitated.


Gabriel : Matthew…. My Sister Kate….. She too can afford not to work for the rest of her life if she chooses to…. And yes… we know about Ah Keong’s properties… …. I was the one who ask him to buy it…



Matthew : You shut up !... I’m not talking to you…. Young punks these days….. you all have no respect for the elders….


Ah Keong : Enough !.. I’m sorry guys…. Pa… let’s go !...


Matthew : Let me finish !...

Matthew pointed a finger at Kate, accusing her of tying Ah Keong down at the coffee shop.


Matthew: You chose to stay at that coffee shop…. That is the reason why…. Ah Keong chose to stay there….If not for you…. We would have built an empire…. Just us father and Son… burp…



Ah Keong signalled to a couple of his guys and they came over. Together with much difficulty, they dragged Matthew away back to his table.


The next few minutes became a little awkward and we each pretend our dessert was the most interesting thing ever.


2pm

Gabriel took the stage and addressed the gathering in the restaurant.


He started off with a brief summary, of what has happened the past year. Gabriel congratulated the elders that has started new business or opened a new branch. He updated the group about a fund which each elder contributes to each month, the returns it has made and how he plans to grow it for the future.


Terry made a snide remark as he shook his leg and picked off pieces of meat from his teeth.

Terry : KNN…. Every month I pay CPF still not enough… still must pay this one…


Ben : Then you don’t pay lor…. Got people put a gun to your head ask you to pay or not….


Terry : Fuck off la… I got wife and kids to feed you know…. Unlike you… every month here I bite, there one chunk…. I eating grass at the end of the month…




Ben : You’re contributing the least to the fund, …. Still want to talk so much…

Terry slammed his palm on the table and stood up again.



Ben : What ? Am I wrong ??? ….. you ae sai ( can make it ) … pay more la… ! … yours is a dying trade…. Nowadays still got people want your obiang ( dated ) gold design meh ?>?


Lucy decided to step in and she added.


Lucy : Ben ah Ben….. I commissioned Terry to build me a ship leh…. Are you saying I’m dated too ??


Ben laughed heartily and replied.



Ben : Aiyoh…. Of course not…. Who dare to say you are dated ?? …. Haha

Lucy laughed too and asked Gabriel to please continue.


Gabriel went on a little more on some boring housekeeping matters before coming to the highlight of the birthday lunch.

Grandma’s birthday song of course.



A cake was brought out and a smiling grandma sat in the middle while a half-hearted happy birthday was sung before everyone clapped, no doubt glad that it was over.


I stood beside Kate and asked why Gabriel and Andy did not get Grandma a present.

Kate : We did. We pooled together and got her something, it was delivered to her place last week.


Jake : Gold too ? Your grandma really likes gold is it ?


Kate laughed and said actually she doesn’t.

Kate : It started some time back when each other the elder wanted to show off who’s doing better than the other…. And being the uncles they are, they decided to see who brought the biggest…



Jake : That’s really dumb…

Kate : Keep your comments to yourself…


The cake was cut and distributed, not everyone ate it.



Terry : Eh Gabriel… hurry up la…. You think what ? You hosting national day rally ah….

I could see Gabriel trying to hold it in as he took the mike again, this time round he went straight to the point.


Gabriel : I won’t beat about the bush…. My term as the head of the organisation is up…. I’ll be stepping down and we would need to elect a new leader…

There was a sudden drop in the noise level and everyone went back to their seats.

Gabriel : It’s been an honour to serve….


Terry : KNN la… you think you minister ah ….

King : Terry …..


King opened his mouth finally and Terry shrugged it off and sipped his tea.


Gabriel : With immediate effect… I’ll be stepping down and we’ll be nominating the next leader…


He paused and continued after looking at each of the elders at their respective tables.


Gabriel : I’ll be nominating Andy…. To take over… and as for the rest… you know the drill…



Kate whispered and explained to me that anyone can put themselves up to be a candidate for the nomination as long as he has at least one elder supporting him openly.


Gabriel just declared his support for Andy, effectively making him a nominee regardless if the rest supports him or not.


Gabriel skipped Andy and called out Ben’s name to the floor.

Gabriel : Ben …. Anyone ?



Terry : HAH!.... maybe the ghost la…hahah…

Ben ignored him and shook his leg, digging his nose with his left pinky.


Gabriel : Terry ? … anyone ?


Terry : I vote myself can ? hiak… hiak… hiak…

Ben : Diam la ( shut up ) ….. you can’t even speak properly or type a email… want to be the head…. Dick head more situable…


Gabriel : Moving on… King?

King smile and waved his hands gently, gently refusing the offer.


Gabriel hesitated before calling out Matthew’s name.

Gabriel : Matthew ….

Terry : ME!!... I support brother Matthew !!!


Kate whispered to me that they’ve already expected this to happen and that Matthew would most likely put up a good fight. He has the resources and power to influence the other elders.



Matthew stood up and was about to speak when he covered his own mouth and retched.

He waved wildly and Ah Keong guided him to the bathroom.



Gabriel : Let’s wait for him to be back…


Jake : I have a question.

Kate : What ?


Jake : So what if you become the head ? What’s so special about that ?



Kate : Your word would be the law. And… every elder is obligated to follow your instructions…

Kate gestured to the gathering of men in the room and gave me a little more insight into her grandfather’s history.



Kate’s grandfather helped each and every one of them before, one way or the other. It was a debt they swore to repay.

Jake : So there’s no contract binding them to this ?? It’s all base on what ? Trust ?

Kate : King’s warehouse was burnt down in an accident… my grandfather gave him the capital to start over…. Terry was in a lot of trouble because his partner cheated him of his money,a substantial sum, he would have folded and gone into debt if not for my grandpa.


Andy’s parents operated rent free for years when they started their business in a shophouse along beach road. Ben took over the reins of the rice distribution business set up by her grandfather.


Roland is an orphan and his education was paid for by Kate’s grandfather while Lucy’s mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she was on the verge of being sold into prostitution since her mum worked as a mummy in KTV clubs but thankfully she was rescued in time.



Matthew was on the verge of suicide after losing his girlfriend to someone better educated and well to do, Kate’s grandfather was the one who introduced his wife to him and they had Ah Keong. He also chipped in the capital for Matthew’s construction business.