Ben : This one… this one…. KNN…. CB ( curse ) … walk like that…you guess….what’s his name… ?? Kar kui kui ( walking with legs apart ) ….fucker….
Jackson : I don’t know… haha..
Ben : You don’t know ??? KNN ( curse.. ) walk like his balls damm big like that… of course is call big bird la…. KNN…. Jalan Malu…. Might as well stay sesame street… tio bo ?? ( correct or not ? ) …
That was my limit and I burst out laughing and so did YIling.
Yiling had a short burst of chuckle but she immediately cleared her throat and moisten her lips with her champagne while trying to regain any semblance of dignity.
Ben : ahhh… you see… Uncle very direct one… I don’t mince my words one…. Bloody hell all these fuckers…..
The manner in which he speaks reminded me of some punk Regimental Sergeant major talking shit with you back in the army.
The Malu Malu walked past the table to talk to their men in the seats behind and Ben immediately directed my attention to the newcomers.
Ben : ah… ahh… lai liao lai liao ( coming coming ) …. You see… another bunch of fuckers…. Hahah..
Looking over to the newcomers, I waited in anticipation of what Ben would say.
Ben : These one… the monks ah… Jiak Jeh one ( Vegetarians ) …..Bacon…. ah Bacon… you know or not… ?? Bacon…
Yiling could not resist correctly Ben and she interrupted him .
YIling : It’s Vegan… not Bacon….
Ben popped 2 more peanuts into his mouth and chuckled.
Ben : I no go school one Mei nu ( pretty girl ) ….hahah…. you give me tuition want or not… hahahah…
Yiling : Tsk !… stop it….idoit….
Ben laughed and went on.
Ben : You see the first guy…wah lan eh…. Every year get fatter and fatter…. Where got people Bacon… no vegan eat until so fat…. This kind of fat is not normal fat… this is the laughing buddha fat…… correct or not ?? haha
I looked at the guy Ben was describing and the image of a laughing buddha burnt itself into my mind and I could not stop giggling. To be honest, the guy Ben was describing looked really like the laughing buddha with his big earlobes and wide smile.
Yiling pressed her eyes shut too as she rest her right arm on her folded left while trying to stifle another outburst with her fingers.
Ben : the one behind… the one behind…. Jia lat… poor thing… This one is Ji gong… you know Ji gong… ?? every year get more and more skinny….damm poor thing…. Must be his friend in front eat all his food….
Jackson : hahaha… ok .. ok… stop…
Ben : look… look !!.. what the fuck man…. Come Ritz even uncle me also wear a proper shirt la… his t-shirt… look… KNN… worse than the rag I use to clean my lorry….
Yiling burst out laughing while trying to keep the champagne she was holding from spilling.
The last one of the monks is of normal build and I was on the verge of clutching onto the sides of my stomach by then.
Ben : Ahh… this one.. this one…. He just come out from squatting in prison one… you see… his hair…. Oh ni Ku one… ( bald ) …. Perfect for the monk look…. OEI !!!! BOTAK !!!!
Ben stood up without warning and shouted a greeting over to the last of the monk he just teased.
The guy waved back at him, obviously well acquainted with the humorous Uncle Ben.
The monks too went over to the table where their men were sitting first and Ben sat back down, chuckling and asking for a refill of his beer.
Ben : Bacon ….ah… Bacon my lan par ( Vegan my ass ) …. Last night Botak and me we just went KTV and finished a Tua pao .. ( alcohol )… hiak… hiak.. hiak…
Jackson : haha.. but… but… Monks can drink ??
Ben : They are not real monks la dey…. Even if they are…. You ever heard of the saying…. 酒肉穿肠过，佛祖心中留… ( what you eat passes through your stomach… the Buddha’s teachings remains in your heart ) … haha…. Bacon my backside ah…. Hahah
Yiling : ahaha.. stop it…
Ben had no intention of slowing down and I could see a tall lanky looking guy walk in alone.
Ben : arh… ah… this one…. KNN… another fucker I tell you… haha….The thieves…. Know or not… he’s the chief…. His name… Art Lee….
Jackson : Art Lee ?
Ben : yes…his name is Art…. Arty farty the Art….. stealing is an Art… know or not….
Jackson : haha.. ok….
Ben : Everything also steal one…. Never get caught before one… except once when he is younger…. Ahh… KNN fucker… got money don’t want to steal… go NUS hostel steal school mate’s lingerie….haha
Jackson : are you serious ?? hahah…
Ben : Yah…. Not many people know…he got caught by his father last time…. I good friend with his father…. Bloody fucker….steal Lingerie can eat ah… haha…
Lowering his voice as if he was sharing a dark secret, Ben spoke closer to me and Yiling. Yiling was trying to remain uninterested but I could see her curiosity was piqued by the eloquent Ben.
Ben : his secret nick name….i call him….. Art Lee Bra Bra…
I burst out laughing so hard that tears filled my eyes while Yiling spit out the Champange she had already drunk onto the bowl in front of her before laughing with her eyes closed while clutching the sides of her tummy.
Ben : ah… ahhh… you laugh… you laugh…. Bloody hell…. One day steal your teh kor ( underwear ) …. See what happens….. ahh.. you laugh…
YIling : hahah.. Ben !!! stop it !!! haha
Ben : ok la.. ok la…. Mei nu ( pretty girl ) ask me to stop…
Yiling : You’re very irritating you know… !!
Spreading his arms and gesturing to his chest like a player who just scored a goal, Ben remarked with a smirk look on his face.
Ben : haha.. yah… but girls all like irritating men like me ok !! hahah…
Yiling rolled her eyes and shook her head but there’s no hiding that she was amused by Ben.
I was still enjoying the rest of my laughs when I saw Ben’s body language change.
His eyes darted to the last group and he adjusted his sitting posture.
Ben sniffed and rubbed his nose a couple of time before taking a sip of his beer.
No he has nothing to say for the last group.
No name calling, no taunts, no greetings.
Nothing to tease about for the last group to enter the ballroom. Folding his arms and going back to his violent leg shaking, Ben just looked at the approaching guest.
A young and really pretty looking girl stepped into the ballroom. Her youthful features and powerful bearing felt as if an invisible aura had just cast a spell into the ballroom itself.
She’s dressed simply in a black lace dress that revealed just enough of her shoulders such that the bust line puts a focus on her full breast.
The dress hugged tightly onto her body, accentuating all the curves at the fight place. Her legs are as long and flawless as Yiling’s if not better, youth is a strong currency after all.
Instead of heels, the girl had on a pair of sneakers as if the rebellious streak inside her shunt the call for women to be in heels.
Stepping in with her hands behind her back like a general inspecting his troops, the girl’s eyes scanned the ballroom. It did not take long for her to lock eyes with the woman sitting beside me.
Time might as well have stood still as the 2 women faced off across a distance of less than 20 metres.
The men tasked with keeping the head of the Rajahs safe joined their boss in the ball room, their eyes void of emotions and their weathered face pretty much says they have seen it all.
I muttered under my breath to Ben as he swirled the contents of his glass, or rather what’s left of his beer.
Jackson : they look angry…
Ben : The Rajahs….? ….
Ben smirked and finished his beer with a shot gulp.
Ben : They’re always angry….
…………………………………………….
Ben muttered softly under his breath.
Ben : Watch out for Rachel …… she an absolute….
Before Ben could finish, Rachel was already at the edge of the round table.
So her name is Rachel. The head of the Rajahs.
She does have that vixen look. Rachel is like that hot babe you see at the club you want to bring home for a nice of fun but she’s out of bounds because of the number of men around her.
Her slender arms are toned and fair, she works out definitely.
Her posture, the way she walks, the look in her eyes, gives off the vibe that this is not someone you want to trifle with.
Sure, you can fuck her, she might fuck you too, the question is whether can you keep your cock after the deed.
Rachel : What are you whispering about Ben… ? do share …
Despite a couple of decades younger than Ben, the manner which she speaks is as if she considered him to be her junior or in the best case, similar, in terms of mileage in organisations like this.
Ben : I sharing with my new friend here !!!…. where to get the best…. Chicken…… …. wing…. Right or not… ?? Jackson … !!
Jackson : Yes .. yes…. Chicken wings….
An older man I estimate to be in his early fifties stood out prominently for the Rajahs. He’s really tanned but I could tell he is of Chinese Descent. His hands are heavily scarred, his face looks scary enough on it’s own and he didn’t need the tattoo running down the side of his neck at all.
I could see a similarity in features especially the nose between him and Rachel.
Another younger chap is definitely a body builder. He’s ripped and he has several piercings on his lip and eyebrow. His fingers looked a little deformed, I don’t know, something seemed wrong with them. They kept opening and clenching like a claw as if he’s suffering from some illness.
Turning her attention away from Ben, Rachel gave me a half second glance, obviously I’m not worth more of her time.
She turned instead to Yiling.
Rachel : Hi Yiling….
Yiling : Hi Rachel ….
Rachel picked her seat, choosing one that puts her directly opposite YIling.
Maybe she intents to eye fuck Yiling for the rest of the dinner because that’s the vibe that she gives. Yiling’s expression is one of ‘ I’m not interested to entertain a little girl like you ‘ written all over.
Turning to Yiling, I decided to spend the available time before the arrival of the VIP to brush up a bit on the setting of the dinner.
Jackson : What happens now ??
Yiling unfolded her arms and angled her body towards me.
There are 12 seats at the table. 2 seats for every family. Either the head or representative, together with the one that will be conducting the auction.
The head need not necessary be sitting at this main table but most of them usually do.
I noticed that Rachel took the seat on her own and I was surprised that the 2 men that were following her walked away. Ok, they don’t looked like the type who are good at selling anyway. Killing maybe, not selling.
Rachel asked for a glass of red wine and she was talking to Elmo who just came to the table.
Yiling mumbled to me as a reminder, not to call any of the others by the stupid nicknames Ben gave them.
Yiling : he’s just joking in case you thought it was real….
Jackson : ok… I know… don’t worry… but Art Lee…. ?
Yiling : Alright… that one is his real name but cut out any other shit that Ben added….
Jackson : ok got it…
Yiling told me that the head of the Malu Malu is a man call Russell.
Yiling : He’s very low profile and prefers to remain behind the scene… the puppet master pulling the strings…… Everything is done by his 3 adopted son. The one with the red hair, Edwin…the one that Ben calls Ernie is called Eng….. and the one that walks with a wide swagger….. is Brad…
Jackson : ok… ok… Russell…… Edwin… Eng and Brad…
I casually glanced at the spot where Edwin was sitting, and beside him Brad sat down and started a staring contest with Ben.
Ben : Kuar wah yandao si bo…. ( look at me because I’m good looking ? )
Brad : bluregghhh… bluawrare….wareee….
Brad did a really disgusting vomiting and retching sound before spitting on the floor of the ballroom while eyeballing Ben. The atmosphere is exactly like that in a coffeeshop where drunk uncles stare at each other in a manner meant to start a fight.
I quickly looked away. There goes my appetite.
The seats around the table started to fill and a guy I reckon to be about the same age as me came and took the seat beside Rachel. He must the he one doing the auction for the Rajahs. Rachel turned and said something to him and he nodded a few times.
Neither Rachel nor Yiling have said anything about bringing the same item for the auction so far.
That’s going to be a potential flash point for all.
Yiling : The other table is reserved for the VIP and all his grassroots volunteer who helped to organise this entire dinner….
Jackson : ok…
2 of the monks came over and Yiling stood up to greet the laughing buddha. The only member of the other organisations that she seemed to take a liking to.
Yiling : Uncle Fong….
Yiling gave Fong a hug with a wide smile.
Fong : heyyy… Yiling… hahahha… hahahhaha…Guai guai…( good good… )
The more I look at Fong and his smiling face with the adorable double chin, the more the image of laughing buddha etched itself into my head.
He looks really approachable and funny.
I mean come on, laughing buddha.
Even his double chin looked good when he chuckles.
Fong : ahhh.. hahahha.. hahahha… eh BEN !!!.. Ho seh bo ?? !! ( how are you )
Ben : good… good….. you KNN… switch to brown rice ah… healthier …so fat… you car can fit you or not….
Fong : aahhhhh… hahahaha…. Hahahaha…. Cannot fit….i drive lorry la…. hahaha….
Fong was not offended at all by Ben’s jibe and instead, he tapped his tummy a couple of times before replying.
Fong : I eat the amount I eat….every month …. Feed your whole company ahhh.. !!! ahahha…
Ben laughed and grabbed his beer before standing up and propose a toast to Fong.
Ben : yes la… yes la… boss…. Please keep your orders coming …
Fong : hahahah.. hahaha…
Turning to me, Fong asked Yiling a loaded question.
Fong : wah…. Yandao ah… your boyfriend ah YIling… ?? hahaha
Yiling smiled and looked at me, a que for me to step up and answer the question on my own.
Jackson : Hi Uncle Fong… my name is Jackson…. I work for Yiling….
Fong : wahahah… hahaha… ok… ok…
Art Lee took the seat beside Yiling and I could not help but notice him checking out her body as she took a seat.
His eyes are big, like that of a praying mantis. He sipped his tea, alternating between the only 2 pair of tits on the table. Rachel and Yiling.
Probably devising a way to steal their bra. I looked away and tried to hold back a chuckle when I heard an announcement being made.
Emcee : Dear guest…. Please be seated…. The dinner will commence shortly…
Yiling : The emcee, who himself is a grassroot member will be bringing the VIP over to our table… to introduce us to the politician….
At that point, only the 6 heads or reps will remain behind while the lot of us conducting the auction will head straight to the stage to get ready. No need for grunts like us to shake the future prime minister’s hand.
Yiling : Dinner will commence once the VIP takes his seat and so will the auction….There are no time limit for the 6 items, the challenge is to get a figure you feel is high enough, and not make a fool of yourself by repeat appeals to the floor to increase the bid.
Jackson : Ok… sweet… I’m clear….
Yiling : I can’t bid for our own items… so don’t count on me helping you….
Yiling told me from past auction, some don’t really bother with jacking up the price out of pride. The hassle is too much for some, so a simple understanding from a common friend is all it takes.
You bring your item out, your friend calls out a decent bid for charity. You accept. Everyone is happy, you get to go off stage and enjoy your food.
I looked at Uncle Ben whispering to King and wondered if he would be kind enough to place a bid if I’m not getting any. Fuck it, I’ll just play by ear and see how things go.
I heard several taps on the microphone echo across the hall and a gentlemen in black coat asked for everyone to take a seat.
Emcee : good evening every…. My name is Tong…. And I am your emcee for the evening….. we are very honoured to be able to have Minister Welly Chin join us tonight at this event…. Please…. Put your hands together and give him a warm welcome….
Even before Tong is done with his announcement, thunderous claps filled the ballroom, wild whistles and cheers rang out with a few men shouting Welly’s name.
Jackson : I didn’t know he’s so well liked….
Yiling : he’s a straight talker and not afraid to get his hands dirty….former military man…..good ties with the unions…. And he maintained a 80% majority in his electoral ward for his 1st 3 election, and other parties stopped challenging him thereafter….
Jackson : sounds formidable….
Yiling : somewhat of a gangster himself if you ask me….
Welly stepped out into the ballroom and he waved to the welcoming crowd.
Ben clapped and remarked loud enough for the table to hear.
Ben : future Singapore 揸fit 人 ( the one in charge )…. Hahaha …. Eh… come go leh…. Ehhh… all the cocksuckers around the table… go and suck cock leh…. Want to get rich and prosper…. Don’t need to spit one…. Go suck cock la…
Ben looked at Brad, an obvious hint that the jibe is directed at him.
Brad : You want to suck is it…. Suck my one la !!! CCB…
Brad did a show of trying to remove his pants to show his cock at Ben while Ben opened his mouth and stick out his tongue daring him to whip his cock out while the minister is around.
Ben : airrr… airrrrr….. lai… lai… ( come…come… ) hahahaha..
Rachel : can you guys fucking grow up … Brad…. Don’t make a fool of yourself…
I was surprised when I saw Brad stab his middle finger through the air at Ben before settling down. He was all too ready to start something then.
Yiling was watching intently at the exchange, taking everything in.
She couldn’t have missed that.
One word from Rachel, someone much more junior than Brad and that was all it took to shut him up.
Ben saw that as well and a knowing smirk appeared on his face right about the time Rachel directed her gaze at him, by then Ben had settled back into his seat with 2 palms up at Rachel, a sign that there was no need for Rachel to say anything to him.
I looked away towards the approaching VIP.
Welly is surrounded by a wall of men who has perfected the art of giving him space to interact while keeping him safe.
The Emcee directed him over to Yiling first, the organiser of this year’s dinner.
That was the que for me to go and I followed King, a veteran of the yearly affair as he headed to the stage
Turning to see what is happening, I could see Welly shaking Yiling’s hand warmly while they exchanged a few words.
Behind the stage, i saw a table with some bottle water and chairs around it. Hong was there too. He gestured at me urgently.
I went over to him and he dragged me to the side.
Jackson : what… what ??
Hong : ok…a friend of mine in the Monks…. He told me someone leaked that we will be bringing the 3 stars statue to all the families….
Jackson : what ??
Hong : so in a way…. They all know what we the organisers will be bringing…
Jackson : Then the Rajahs… ??
Hong : They did it on purpose….
Jackson : why am I not surprise….
Hong : here’s the thing…. The Rajahs have spread the word…. No one is to bid for our item…. And in return…. The Rajahs will bid for all of theirs….our statues will not sell…
Jackson : what ??
Hong : Anyone buys the statues…. It’s as good as going against the Rajahs….
Jackson : can they do things like this… ??? it’s not fair…
Hong : Rajahs never play fair….don’t worry…. I’m going to go talk to some of my friends in the other families… I’ll try to convince some of them to help…. Don’t worry ok…. Don’t worry….
As Hong got off the stage, the emcee checked his prompt cards before inviting King to start off the auction.
Emcee : As per tradition…. The companies have donated some items….. for bidding….. all proceeds will go to a charity of the Minister’s choice…. So everyone……please enjoy your dinner and get your chequebook ready….hahah…. we shall commence with the 1st item….
Peering out from behind the stage, I could see Welly in the prime seat with a clear view of the stage.
King took the microphone and introduce the gold plated dragon as if he was delivering a monologue.
King : This is a gold plated dragon…. Sitting on a…. wooden stand ….it is…. Heavy….
Sporadic laughter came from the ballroom and King started the auction at 1800.
King : 1800 starting price… anyone….?
Someone shouted $2388 and King pointed at him while keeping his face expressionless.
It’s someone from the Rajahs.
King : $2388…. Anyone higher… ?
King did not look interested in this at all, he looked at his feet for a couple of seconds like a student who did something wrong and was asked to be on stage.
The emcee helped to prompt him along.
Emcee : alright…. $2388 going once… ???
King snapped out of his daze and continued from there.
King : $2388 twice…. Ok…. No more…. Sold to…. Sold to….
He can’t even remember who he sold it to.
Emcee : over there… that gentlemen in blue top… please make your way over here.. thank you… hahaha… good start good start…. Next up… the 2nd item…. A longevity peach…. Wow…. Nice….hahah
Edwin waved to the crowd and a small section of it cheered as they ate.
Edwin : I have the biggest longevity peach….ever made…. In this country… hahahah….. I wish…. Err…. I wish… errr…..hahah… I wish Singapore….wan sui wan sui wan wan sui ( long live Singapore ) …. Haha
It was so cringe worthy that I could not bear to watch.
Someone shouted from the audience.
“ Wah…. Si bei sar kar ( what a bootlicker ) “
Edwin ignored the jibe and carried on.
Edwin : I wish err… err… whoever wins this… err…. Long life ahh… good fortune ahhh… err… and everything smooth smooth….hahah… like baby backside smooth ah…. Good or not ?? hhaha… good or not ???
No one seemed to be paying him any attention and I could see Welly trying to stifle a smile by turning away.
Edwin : I start ah…. I start ah….err…. $2388…hahaha… so big… look… so big the peach…. Come come… support … support a bit….
Someone shouted $3388 and Edwin was quick to catch it.
Edwin : good !! good !!! $3388 ahh…. Such a good number…. Huat ah !!! going once…. Twice ??? ….. last call … last call….. ok !!! swee !! $3388 to Ah Liu over there… ahahha….
I looked at the section and true enough, it was one of the Rajahs’ men.
Looking around the table at the back stage, I saw a man that was talking to Art Lee earlier step up.
Taking their item out, he started the auction at $2188 and concluded it at $3388. A similar figure to that of the Malu Malu.
My heart started to beat a little faster as the men around the table gets lesser.
Turning to the guy talking to Rachel earlier, I saw that he was staring at me.
Jackson : Hi… I’m Jackson ….
Nate : I’m Nate….
The representation of the Monks did not even bother to speak with us and he just up and went on the stage to start on his item.
Nate : first time…. ?
Jackson : yeah….. plenty of first for me this year….
Nate : nervous…. ?
Jackson : a little… how about you ?? …
Nate : I’m fine….
Extending his hand, Nate shook mine in a professional manner before introducing himself properly.
Nate : I’m head of corporate communications and Chief information officer in Rajah holdings….
Jackson : Wow…
Nate : Nothing much…. Just handling the usual corporate stuff….. I believe good communication and transparency is critical for every organisation….. and you ??
Jackson : I’m the chief botany officer and head of natural environment for La Bella vista….
Nate looked at me and I could see him trying to process what I just said. If I could see imaginary question marks, there must be a dozen over his head by then.
Nate : wow… so… what do you do… ?
Jackson : Nothing much…. My boss believes a holistic balance between the built and natural environment is something that many organisations aspire for but could never achieve…. So it’s my job to mould the environment in a way….
Nate : eerrr….. ok…….
The monks concluded their auction at $3688 and I stole a glimpse at the winner.
Another Rajah.
Well, they can be many things, but you can’t say they are not generous to charity.
Nate : alright then….errmmm… good luck…..
Jackson : Thank you….
As Nate left the table, I replayed the auction I saw earlier and found a glaring similarity. Something I could exploit.
Nate was by far the most eloquent speaker.
With a clear introduction of the Rajah Holdings, he captured the attention of Minister Welly. Diving into some of the usual corporate social responsibility programs they did together with adopted charities, his intro drew nods of approvals from the table of VIPs.
Maybe that is something I should touch on also.
I only know about the old folks home. Whipping out my phone, I dialled YIling’s number.
Yiling : what ?
Jackson : do I need to touch on the company’s good deeds and all in the intro… ? I mean you know… corporate social responsibility… the old folks home and all….what else ??
Yiling : we adopted 2 Orang Utans from the Singapore zoo…
There was a 2 second pause on my end and I decided to forget about the introduction.
Jackson : err… ok… never mind….
Yiling : just sell it and make sure it’s not lower than the Rajahs…
Yiling hung up and I checked on how Nate is doing.
He’s smooth, talks well like a corporate presenter and with the Rajahs pulling the strings behind the scene, a bidding war ensured between the thieves and the monks.
Nate started the bid at $2888
“ $3388”
“ $4388”
“$4688”
The price kept climbing until it hit $10888
Nate : alright… the 1st 5 figure bid of the evening… thank you so much for your generosity….
I looked over and it was someone from the Malu Malu. The smile on Rachel’s face is so wide and one would have to be blind not see the challenge she mounted on Yiling by the look on her face alone.
If Yiling was irritated, she did not let it show.
Nate left the stage and the emcee made the announcement for me to step in.
Emcee : and for the last auction of the evening….by the La Bella Vita….
I thanked the emcee and took over the microphone that Nate just handed back. It’s still warm to the touch.
I was about to speak when Brad shouted from the bottom of the stage.
Brad : ONE……………DOLL ………….. LER…………. Hahahahahah….
Laughs broke out among the ballroom and the snigger on Rachel’s face is too obvious to ignore.
I was about to speak again when Brad shouted again.
Brad : OKOK…. TWO…… DOLL ….. LER……. HAhahahaha….
Ben rolled his eyes while shaking his leg and jabbing another middle finger in the air towards Brad as if he’s a retard.
With so many pairs of eyes on me, it’s natural to feel nervous but that’s not all I was feeling.
The pressure, the stress, and the arousal.
I was getting excited and I could feel a hard on building in my pants. The rapidly deteriorating situation is turning me on. It’s as if something inside me is craving for this urge, or rather desire.
The desire to see something burn.
Pointing to Brad, I said something that made the ballroom went silent.
Jackson : Sold !…… $2….. to that gentlemen over there….
Walking back to the 3 stars statue, I picked up the piece of cloth I had used earlier to dust the statue and offered it to Brad with a outstretched hand while keeping a smile on my face.
The 2 second pause was ruptured by Ben’s hoots and laughs before Hong led the rest of YIling’s men into a thunderous applause while teasing Brad on his purchase.
Jackson : Very generous of that gentlemen over there….$2 for a rag….thank you very much…..
Brad looked like he was prepared to stab me but the laugher and jeers from the others on the ground was enough to sit him back down.
Pointing to the 3 star statue we brought along, I told the audience right away.
Jackson : I’m not auctioning the statues….. instead…. I want to offer everyone…. A chance to own a piece of history….
Raising my left hand, I gestured to the ballroom like a conman trying to sell a get rich quick course.
Jackson : Fu Lu Shou building…. At Rochor…. Anyone has never been there before ??? No… ?
The ballroom grew quiet as I paced the stage before going on.
Jackson : on the façade… of the Fu Lu Shou building… you will see a artwork… of the 3 stars…. Now…. Can someone tell me what is wrong with them… ?
I waited for a few seconds but no one said a thing.
Jackson : Look at it…. Google it if you wish….. look at the expressions… the features… the details….something is wrong somewhere…. Everyone I have shared this with…. Agrees… something is off…. But no one can say why….
I paused again and I could see quite a few people googling for the image on their phone. One of Minister Welly’s aide just handed him a phone which I presume is an image of what I’m describing,
Not wanting to bait the audience any longer, I went on and revealed that the sculpture is not done by Chinese.
Jackson : The artwork… is commissioned and done by foreigners…. People who are not familiar with the culture, the stories and the history behind the 3 stars…… I’ll give you another example….Macau…. have you been to Macau ??
I directed everyone’s attention to the gambling heaven in the east.
Jackson : The giant Mazu statue…..facing the sea….again… what is wrong with it…. ?
More people scrambled for their phones now and are actively googling the relevant images. Even Rachel with a sulking face was looking at a phone Nate is showing her.
Jackson : That statue… the expressions…. The details of the face…. I kid you not… it’s looks closer to Virgin Mary than Mazu.. the goddess of the sea…..
Laughter broke out on the ballroom and I’m quick to silence it.
Jackson : Now…. This is not about religion or beliefs…. What I want you to focus on right now is the artist……. And his work….. There is nothing wrong with engaging anyone you like, to produce any sculptures or figurines of deities and gods you want…. Nothing wrong…. But getting someone not incalculated with the culture since young to do an artwork for that particular culture…….??? That is just wrong…. Not illegal……just wrong…
Having brought everyone far enough, I immediately directed all their attention back to the 3 stars statue Hong procured.
Jackson : These 3 statues…. They’re not made…. They are sculptured….
I deliberately paused in between my explanation to allow the audience to digest each sentence I said.
Jackson : The colours are not painted…. They are fired in the Kiln. …. A 350 year old dragon Kiln located in YiXin, China….
Jackson : The features and expressions of the 3 stars behind me are not produced from moulds, they are unique…every line a piece of the artist’s memory…
I walked closer to the 3 stars statue Hong got and just from a quick visual look, I could tell the ones the Rajahs brought is of a better quality. Ours had some imperfections that are easily spotted.
Jackson : That is not to say…. The statues are perfect…. They are not…. there are imperfections…. and….
Lowering my voice a notch, I delivered my next statement slowly to make sure it sinks in.
Jackson : and within these imperfections…. embeds the seed for the next piece…. The slight flaws and imperfection are valuable, objective and non-judgemental guide….to do better….. and this artist…. Has been planting the same seed for 43 years….. He is 82 this year….
I could see Hong and Seven staring at me with their jaws apart while holding onto their drink suspended in mid air.
Jackson : these 3 sculptures just arrived 2 nights ago via plane…..
Looking over at Minister Welly and his table of aides and volunteers, I lightened up the intense mood a little.
Jackson : Minister Welly Sir… I assure you….. all paper work are in order…… GST paid too…
Sporadic laughter reached the stage and Welly smiled while sipping his wine.
Jackson : The value and history before a piece like this….. could be worth….$2 to some….
I looked at Brad and everyone laughed, even Rachel.
Jackson : Or it can be priceless to others…. So…. I’m going to auction… the history of the statues…..and not the statues themselves…. And you….. my honoured guest….. will have to decide how much this piece of history and art is worth….
I waited for the laughter to die down and I was ready to exploit the flaw of the auction base on what I observed.
You see, there are no price guides.
The auctioneer, which in this case is me, sets the price.
Jackson : I shall open the bidding at ten thousand….. eight hundred….. and eighty….. seven….
Following a 2 seconds silence , the ballroom erupted in cheers and applause and I could see Rachel smiling at me while Brad got up and left the table.
Yiling was smiling too as she gave me a squinty eye look.
Ben was ecstatic and he exclaimed loudly.
Ben : I support you la Jackson . … hahaha….. hahahah
I could hear him remarked loudly to King by his side.
Ben : I buy and bid history ok…. I never bid for statue ok ?? different ok ?? hahahahah… hahaha… understand bo ?? hahahaha
Ben shot up his hand and made the offer of $10887 while laughing and raising his glass at me.
I have a good view of the ballroom and everyone except the Rajahs were excited to see how this is going to turn out.
Jackson : $10887…. By Uncle Ben over there….. and…..and…. where is that $2 gentlemen…. ??
The laughs grew louder and I saw Yiling gave me a amused frown before shaking her head, telling me it’s enough.
Well, that’s a return to Brad for trying to humiliate me at the beginning. Now we’re even.
Jackson : any more bids…. ?
Suddenly I saw movements from the VIP table right in front of me.
Welly was looking right at me.
Our eyes locked and I could see him mouth clearly his bid while displaying a 2 and a zero sign. He kept his gesture close to his chest and he did it quick, with most of the eyes around the table on me, I was pretty sure I’m the only one that saw it.
My heart started beating faster and Welly gave me a nod after, indicating he is serious about his bid.
I looked at Yiling with her arms folded waiting for this to end.
I glanced at Rachel who was whispering something to Nate while giving me a look that I can only classify as a vixen eyeing her next prey.
I looked at the Rajahs who looked like they are out for blood. Several of the Malu Malu have left their table.
And I looked at Hong and the rest of Yiling’s men, half of them already on their feet.
Pointing to Welly, I announced.
Jackson : We have a new bid….$10888……….by Minister Chin….
Our eyes locked and as applause and cheers filled the ballroom, I could see a smile slowly breaking on the Minister’s face as he nodded at me.
Heaving a secret sigh of relief, I addressed the whole ballroom.
Jackson : Unless…….. someone out here… wants to outbid Singapore’s future 揸fit 人 ( the one in charge )….. ??…. no ??
Hong : WHHHHoooooooooooooooooo!!!!! JACKSON !!! ahhahahaha…
The laughter grew louder and several of the grassroot volunteers were already congratulating the Minister on his win.
Jackson : Sold ! ….. to Minister Welly Chin….
I shut the microphone off and exhaled before giving a bow and quickly going to the backstage. Curtains were drawn on the stage and I could see Hong panting and laughing as he came in through the back as I sipped my water.
Hong : hahahaha.. Jackson … hahahaha… what the fuck man… ahahha.. ahhaha…. Steady la….hahahahah
I was starving and I wanted to go down to eat but he nudged me over to the 3 star statue I just sold to Welly.
Jackson : What are you doing… ?
Hong : hahaha.. haha… help me lift it….hahaha… hahah
I lifted the 1st statue and Hong promptly removed a sticker in white with the prominent black text ‘ Made in China ‘
Hong : whahahaha… hahahahah… hahaha…… bloody hell… ahahahha… hahahah…
Jackson : well… guess….I’m not wrong….…… hahahah…
Not wrong at all.
……………………………………….
Stepping off the stage with Hong who could not stop laughing, we parted ways at my table
Yiling had a really wide smile on her face as I took my seat.
She did a gleeful clap with the bottom of her palms still connected while her fingers tapped each other rapidly.
Yiling : wow….. hahah… that was awesome …. haha
Jackson : Thank you….
Yiling : good job… !
Yiling tipped the flute of Champagne at me and I met her glass with my beer.
Ben : Jackson ….. your bullshit…. Very the smelly leh… I can smell from here…. Ahahhaha…
Jackson : It’s real…
Ben : hahahha…. If you say so….
Ben insisted I downed a full glass of beer with him or he’s going to take it that I’m not giving him ‘face’.
I could see Rachel looking at me but she didn’t say anything, just an uncomfortable stare. I avoided her looks and stared to focus on the food in the different dishes in front of me.
It’s a weird feeling. You know the feeling you get when someone is looking at you as if you did something wrong, that was the vibe I was getting. Rachel is definitely eye balling me.
When I finally met her looks, she smiled warmly and tipped the ends on her wine glass towards me and I returned her toast across the table.
As if giving Yiling a warning that she has her eyes on me, Rachel directed her eyes towards her after leaving mine.
Brad is nowhere to be seen, and as the euphoria of my triumph slowly wears off, I’m beginning to wonder if I had gone too far.
I decided to turn my attention back to the food. It’s paid for after all.
During my time on stage, I had missed out on the Scallop, the Foie gras, baked fish, and a chilled dish I don’t even know what it is.
What would have been a nicely plated Foie gras instead is instead triple stacked.
Yiling : I don’t like Foie gras….. I put it on your plate by the way…. But I ate the sauce and the accompanying sides….
Jackson : what…. Why ?? … it’s so nice…
Yiling : It’s fattening….
Ben : I also don’t like Foie gras…… I also put on your plate…. I prefer Chicken gizzards…. Hahaha…
That explains the mess but it’s delicious.
As dinner continued to be served, it was not hard to observe that the conversation around the table has been split into 3.
The Rajahs had the attention of the malu malu, the thieves and the monks. Rachel was telling everyone about her recent trip to south America
Ben and King started talking among themselves and Yiling asked me how did I come up with such rubbish. I told her I read about it in a story on an online forum.
Yiling : really ? …. What kind of forums have stories like this ??? ….
I replied in between bites of a stalk of asparagus .
Jackson : The kind girls don’t go to…
Yiling : oh…
Nothing of note happened for the rest of the dinner until dessert was about to be served and I made my way to the washroom.
After relieving myself, I gave my face a couple of splash of water at the sink before wiping it dry.
Going through the 2nd piece of napkin, I saw a man enter the bathroom.
Our eyes met through the reflection of the mirror. I recognised him. He’s one of the man that has never left Minister Chin’s side the entire evening.
He entered the bathroom and before the auto closer could swing to a close I could see his colleague stopping anyone else form entering the washroom from the outside.
Without a word, he walked and checked each cubicle in the washroom to make sure it was empty.
He’s here for me.
Jackson : yes… ?
He eyeballed me for a few seconds. His build, his height and his bearing. Definitely a military man.
James : my name is James…. Minister Chin would like to have a word with you…
Jackson : In the toilet ??
Another man entered the toilet. He has a security ward on him.
As James washed his hands, his colleagued waned me down. It beeped at my phone and my wallet, both of which I removed and put them on the countertop.
I turned to look at James who when bent over slightly at the basin, revealed that he was carrying 2 pistols with spare clips on a shoulder harness.
Jackson : We are in one of the safest country in the world…. Is there a need to carry those around….
James adjusted his hair without looking at me as he replied.
James : We are in one of the safest country in the world….. because …… I carry these around….
The door to the bathroom opened and the guy with the wand left while Welly walked in with a smile. He must have heard the exchange between James and i.
Willy : The world is a dangerous place ……. If you’ve seen and experienced what James did… you’ll want to have those around you too….
His hand was about to reach out and I quickly extended mine to meet his. They’re right about Welly Chin.
He has balls.
He’s willing to shake a man’s hand in the toilet without even thinking twice.
Welly : Young man….hahaha….very interesting auction..…. Hahah
Jackson : very nice to meet you Sir…
Welly : Jackson …. Am I right…
I nodded with a courteous smile.
James : So…. He’s the guy that made you spend $10888….
Welly laughed.
Turning to look at James, I added.
Jackson : I’m the guy that saved him $9112 ….
Welly nodded and explained on my behalf.
Welly : I made a bid of 20, he could have gone for the win against the Rajahs…. I was curious to see what he would do….there’s a lot to consider within that short period of time…..hahaha… good to see that you are quick on your feet….I see you have met James…
Jackson : yes…I have…Not everyday I meet a guy with guns in the toilet….
Welly : hahaha…
Extending an open arm towards James, Welly added that James has been serving the current Prime Minister for almost 5 years. With the impending change in leadership, he has now been assigned over to Welly.
Jackson : And now he’s with you….
Welly : he’s a very intense and serious man…. But I trust him with my life….James… do you mind giving us some privacy… ?
With a curt nod, James left the room.
Welly : It’s not everyday you find a man who can tell a good story….ever considered a career in politics…. ? hahaha…
Jackson : I’m afraid no…. not my cup of tea….
Welly : but you haven tried… who would you know it’s not for you…
I took a moment to choose my words carefully, I’m talking to the future Prime Minister afterall.
Jackson : I’m sure you can tell…. Most of what I said earlier are lies…. They are meant to entertain more than anything else…. At the end of the day…. Nobody gets hurt…. Egos get bruised… but that’s about it… in your line of work…. Everything you say… everything you do…. It affects the lives of many people…
Welly smiled and said he knew where I’m coming from.
Welly : Politics is not about making people happy Jackson …
Jackson : no it’s not…but in today’s day and age, I would say making voters happy is important….
Welly : ahhahaha… I agree…. I agree…..
Welly chuckled before adding.
Welly : Yeah that’s true….. that’s true…. So….. what do you think…. ? .. should I be a leader that listens …..? or one that leads…. ?
I hesitated for a moment before replying.
Jackson : how can you lead…. If you don’t know what your people want…. ?
Raising both his arms to his side, Welly did the action of a scale.
Welly : wants and needs are 2 different thing Jackson ….
Jackson : it’s a balancing act you have to juggle…. While walking on a tightrope….
Welly : so…. I’m essentially a clown…. Working in a circus… hahah
Jackson : hahah… I don’t mean that….i don’t envy your job at all…. Not one bit….
Welly turned to face the mirror, looking at his own reflection.
Streaks of white are beginning to show on his head of black hair. Giving his hands a rinse, he continued ;
Welly : It’s not an easy job…. Not many people appreciates you…. You get cursed online…..
Jackson : then why do you do it… ?
Welly : I didn’t apply for it Jackson …. Hahah….. it landed on my lap…
Jackson : can’t you say no… ?
Welly : and give up a chance… to make everything I think is wrong right… ? no way….
The bathroom door opened and it was James checking in on us.
James : Sir…. Your next appointment starts in 30…
Welly : Thank you James…
Turning back to me, Welly asked me again to consider suggestion.
Welly : I like a man who can tell a story…. Not easy to engage an audience…. Much less the one in the ballroom…. Ahhaha…
Jackson : what about the audience in the ballroom… ?
Welly : I may be a politician that smiles a lot…. But I’m not stupid….. chances are many of those men may end up living off taxpayers money in a government funded facility…..everyone is just one wrong move away….
Jackson : why do you even bother to come for this ?
Welly turned and started walking towards the exit before he turned and replied me with a smile.
Welly : I’m in the business of making friends…. I came to make friends… ahhahah…
I walked out of the bathroom after Welly and as Welly walked down the corridor surrounded by his entourage, I was left facing the 2 Rajahs that were behind Rachel when she arrived.
They are difficult to read, they didn’t say anything either.
Jackson : The bathroom is available now if you need to use it…
Brad appeared around the corner with 3 other Malu guys.
Bard : Siao eh…. Si bei guai lan hor ( Dude…. You trying to be funny ? )
I backed up 1 step against the door of the bathroom.
A couple more Rajahs arrived and I could smell the trouble in the cold air of the hotel.
Right about then, Hong’s voice rang out.
Hong : No wonder so smelly ahhh…. So many people holding their pee near the toilet ah !!!
I turned to see Hong and Seven arrive together with another 5 of our own guys.
Ok. If this shit breaks out at the Ritz, we will be on the news for sure.
Brad : Your breath smelly as ever Hong….
Hong : oh ?? haven you been smelling my breath ??
That was enough to set Brad off and he pushed forward and shoved Hong who in return shoved him back against his men. The scene immediately descended into Chaos with men shouting and trading curses.
Barely 30 seconds in, the confrontation was broken up by this large man who was part of Welly’s contingent.
He’s big, tall and well built, like a fucking mountain. As if his bulging muscles were not scary enough, he was also armed with automatic weapons.
He hardly needed to do anything, his presence alone is terrifying.
Pushing his way through into the middle alone was enough to get everyone separated into their respective corners and I quickly took the opportunity and position myself somewhere nearer to Hong and Seven.
“ The minister don’t want any trouble tonight. “
That was all he said.
“ Please return to your seats.”
Brad cursed and pointed a middle finger at me before leaving with his men and the rest followed suit. All except the 2 scary looking Rajahs who remained where they were, and they kept staring at me.
Heading back to the ballroom, I was surprised to see everyone loitering around the reception area.
Jackson : What is happening… ?
Hong : The heads are talking in private…. Probably about the attack…. No one is allowed inside….
Jackson : Ok….
Everyone was kept outside the reception area for almost an hour. Refreshments and titbits kept flowing and everyone kept to their own sections with plenty of across the hall eye fucking.
Welly may be gone but he kept several of his men around, probably expecting shit to go wrong the moment he is gone.
The giant man was standing near me and he noticed that I was looking at him.
Jackson : You know… I have… err … this colleague…female colleague…. Err…do you have a sister or….
“ No “
Jackson : Ok, sorry… I just find…. A lot of similarity between you and her….. I can hook you up if you are interested…..
He looked away and ignored my comment.
The door to the ballroom opened and Yiling was the first to walk out. The decibel in the hall dropped a notch as the rest of the heads and reps walked out.
Yiling : ok… we can go…
That was it.
The closed door meeting is over.
Yiling did not seem to want to share what was discussed and the next thing I knew was a rapid dispersal of crowd from the Ritz. Everyone went their own way.
Once we were back at the estate, all of us gathered in Yiling’s study.
She looked a little stressed and unhappy, over what exactly, nobody knows.
All of us spent a couple of minutes watching her pace up and down near her desk before she asked everyone of us to go out and she wants to speak with each of us individually.
Kamal was the first to go in.
While waiting outside, Aaron strolled over.
Aaron : Someone made a lot of enemies today..
Jackson : the way I see it… it’s probably only Brad….
Aaron : you’ve just became a huge target board….
The door opened and it was Aaron’s turn to go in.
Hong asked Kamal what happened and he just shook his head, an indication that whatever was said, is for his ears only.
Hong nodded his acknowledgement.
Aaron came out and it was Declan, followed by Hong, Seven and I’m the last.
Shutting the door behind me, I looked at Yiling who was sitting down on her table with her face buried in her hands.
Jackson : you ok… ?
Yiling : mmmmhhh…
Jackson : what is it… ?
Yiling : what I’m about to say…. Is for your ears only….
Jackson : ok….
Yiling : The Rajahs are holding onto another 2 of the men that attacked them that day…
Jackson : Oh… did they manage to get anything out of them….
Yiling nodded.
Yiling : they did….
Jackson : Who are they…
Yiling avoided that question.
Yiling : They are willing to give them to us….
Jackson : that’s nice…. I mean you have those that attacked us and the 1 from the monks right….surely you can figure things out or report them to the authorities…
Yiling massaged the sides of her head for a while before asking me something out of the blue.
Yiling : Jackson …. You know the homes you deliver things to… the 1st one….
Jackson : Yeah… what about it….
Yiling : did they make any structural changes…to the building…. New gate…. Crash barrier or anything….
Jackson : hmmmm…. they installed more cameras…. And they knocked down a shared wall between them and the temple next door….
Yiling : Besides that…. Anything else…
Jackson : Not that I noticed…. Why…
Yiling looked at me for a brief moment before looking away.
There is something bothering her. It’s written all over her face. I’m not sure how the old folks home is related to the men that attacked us.
Yiling : nevermind….ok…here’s the thing….The Rajahs will release the 2 men over to us…. But you need to be the one picking them up…
Jackson : What… why ?
Yiling : Rachel insisted….
Looking at me in the eye, Yiling stressed that we needed that 2 men.
Jackson : ok…. When… ?
Yiling : They’ll let us know…you just need to get ready….
Jackson : ok fine…
Yiling : There’s another thing…. Someone is feeding the Rajahs information….
Jackson : yeah… Hong told me about the 3 stars statue… the Rajahs deliberately brought the same as us….
Yiling : no…. That’s not the case…. The Rajahs were told that we will be bringing a phoenix, which is why they brought the 3 star….
Jackson : what… ?? but Hong told me …
Yiling : Hong is not wrong…. Someone is out sowing discord between the families…. The Rajahs were told we changed our auction item at the last minute to be the same as theirs too….. someone is definitely fucking with the families… from the inside…
Jackson : bloody hell…. It’s good that you guys get to talk and trash it out then….
Yiling : It came out by accident…. Rachel was bitching about it… The Rajahs have always brought something associated with the phoenix every year, it’s part of their company logo…. Someone is stirring shit….
Jackson : is it us ??
Yiling : I don’t know…. I don’t think so…. Or rather I hope not…
Jackson : Ok… then what do we do now… ?
Yiling stood up and looked at the door, well aware that everyone is gathered outside.
Yiling : You are the only one who is not aware of what we will be bringing for the auction. The rest of us are in a common chat group…
Jackson : I see…. Eh wait…. Why am I not in that chat group…. ?
Yiling avoided my question again and asked to be left alone, i left the study with more questions than ever.
When I went outside, Candy, Xiaoyu, and Cindy were there too.
All of Yiling’s lieutenant are there.
Hong gave me a twitching eyebrow look as if trying to ask what Yiling told me and I shrugged my shoulders.
I mean aside from the fact that the Rajahs are willing to give us their prisoner and I was to collect them, other than that, I don’t know what is going on either.
Yiling definitely looked concerned about something but she is not sharing.
Yiling popped open the study door and the girls went through the same thing as us. Yiling spoke with each of them individually. Cindy was the last one.
No one said a word as we gathered in the living area and as time passed, I could feel this tension in the air I could not explain. It’s as if everyone know something is wrong, something is going on or rather, something is about to happen.
The relaxed atmosphere is gone the moment we left the hotel.
It’s not a good feeling if you get what I’m saying.
Everyone’s being suspected of doing something right now, it’s a sucky feeling.
It’s late, coming to 12 am.
When the door opened about 30 minutes later, Yiling stepped out and all eyes turned to look at her.
You could tell from her expression that whatever decision she needed to make, she has made it inside her study.
As if the intense atmosphere is not enough to send chills down my spine, Yiling said something that sounded right out of a movie.
Yiling : I want…. everyone’s phone…. In this bag…. Now…
She handed a large brown leather bag to Declan and I could see everyone knew the drill.
No one questioned her like a teenager having her mobile device taken away.
No one questioned the need for us to remain here so late at night .
No on even batted an eyelid as everyone removed their phones from their pocket. Some put in 1 phone, some put in 2. Declan had 3.
The silence of the living room was broken only by the clatter of our phones knocking into each other in that leather bag. The leather bag went in an anti clockwise direction before coming to me.
Kamal : Jackson too boss ?
Yiling : yes…
I was the last to drop my phone in and I handed the bag over to Yiling.
Jackson : what now… ?
Kamal smiled and chuckled and so did Xiaoyu. It was then I realised everyone’s eyes were on me.
This seemed to be some indication of sort that I was about to be let into something deeper and darker.
Yiling : everyone to the pantry….
Hong laughed and I felt his large hand slap on my back as he gave me a snigger.
Hong : Pantry Jackson …. Pantry…. Hahahahahah….we’re going to the pantry….pantry pantry ~~~
The manner in which Hong said it is a little unsettling.
The door to the pantry is unlocked by Yiling’s fingerprint.
The pantry turns out to be a large wing of the house that is connected to the garage. It’s a comfortable size, about 2000 sqft, or 2 four room flats combined.
It’s an open space with 5 couches, 3 massage chairs and 2 hammocks strung across the columns. There’s also a bean bag area with projector and several game consoles.
Candy seemed pretty comfortable in the pantry, a sign that she has been here often enough. She hurried over to the beanbags and got a cozy spot and Xiaoyu joined her.
There’s even 2 bunk beds tucked in a corner of the room. I could see 3 bathrooms with attached toilets as well.
Since it’s called a pantry, there’s a well stocked cabinet. Coffee machines, hotwater, cup noodles and snacks. There’s even a vending machine that dispenses soft drinks free of charge.
A bookshelf is filled to the brim with magazines, comics and old newspaper.
Another shelf on the side is filled with boardgames, cards and even a mah-jong set, and beside that is a series of wardrobes and drawers.
I feel it’s more like a lounge or sort.
I saw Cindy pull out a set of dumb bells from under the bunkbeds.
I can see this is a place everyone frequents.
Given the situation, I don’t think we’re here for a gathering or a team bonding session.
I whispered to Hong to ask him what this is about.
Hong : ok… whenever a big deal… or transaction is coming up… or something…ermm.. important…. Sensitive… everyone comes here…
Jackson : ok …
Hong : we don’t know who is involved…. Who will be handling the work… until Boss assigns it…
Jackson : ok…
Hong : the rest… will remain in the pantry…. Until whatever needs to be done… is over….. there’s everything we can possibly need here… toilets are over there…. Food… drinks…. Couches can be converted to sofa beds…. Think of it as a….. vacation…. No nothing… brain switch off vacation… hahhaha…
Jackson : No phones…
Hong : No… no communication with the outside…. Watch TV la… we have premium subscription…. Every channel have….
Jackson : what if Yiling or whoever is out there needs our help….
Hong pointed to a old school phone that would be a familiar sight in the early nineties. The bulky metal phone that takes ten cent coins is mounted on the wall beside the vending machine.
I thought that was a decoration.
Hong : you call that phone….
Jackson : I see…
Hong : but relax… it has never rang before….
Jackson : are we going to be lock inside here…. ?
Hong : No… but you better have a good reason to open that door because if you do… you’re out….
Jackson : out ? ….as in out of the company…
Hong nodded at the cameras.
There are cameras on the walls in plain sight. I guess doing the shady things they do, it’s normal to be paranoid even with your own people. No harm playing it safe.
Everyone is each other’s chaperone, no one leaves, period.
At least not until what needs to be done is over. It’s a rule that has never been broken so far.
Yiling left us alone and given how late it is, most of us just want to rest.
The bathroom is like that of a spa, well stocked with towels and bathrobes.
We took turns to wash up and by the time I was done at 1am, I was beat.
It turns out that everyone has spare clothes that they kept inside the pantry for situations like this. Kamal offered me a pair of jeans and a collared t-shirt. I took it, it’s much comfortable to be in those than a suit.
I fell asleep on the couch within minutes.
When I felt a tap on me, I jumped and held onto Seven’s forearm.
Seven gestured to me that it’s time to go.
I got up and looked around the pantry. The lights were dimmed to a comfortable level like that of a spa. Its dark enough to rest but I could still see where everyone is.
Yiling was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair tied up in a pony tail.
Hong and Seven were up, so was i.
It seems that we are the only ones involved in this.
Declan was up making coffee with his hair in a mess while Cindy was grunting while doing pushups.
The rest were all sleeping.
The clock on the pantry reads 6.10am.
The 4 of us went straight to the garage and I took the wheel of a nondescript Toyota Vios.
Yiling : turn up the small road over to the cook house…
Jackson : ok….
I pulled up at the cookhouse and all 4 of us stepped out for a breakfast of fried beehoon and coffee.
Ok, we’re having breakfast. I’m sure whatever we are going to do can’t be that bad if we’re having breakfast first.
I could not resist asking Yiling as I sip my coffee.
Jackson : are… are we going to be breaking the law… ??
Yiling chewed on her breakfast and said no.
Yiling : No…… unless you want to…
Jackson : errr…. I’m a law-abiding citizen….
Hong : hahah…. You’re saying you never fudge a parking coupon, made a illegal u-turn…. or park on a double yellow line before….
Jackson : come on… those are different….
Yiling : finish up and let’s go…. I’ll see you all at the car….
We got back into the car at 6.45am and the sun is already up.
Jackson : what are those for… ?
Yiling was carrying onto 2 plastic bags of fruits she grabbed from the cookhouse fridge together with a box of peaches.
Yiling : gifts….
I didn’t know where we are headed but I kept driving until we are about to hit the main road.
Jackson : am I suppose to ask where we are going…. ?
Yiling : go onto PIE…. Towards airport…
Jackson : ok….
I kept in the middle lane and I stole a few glances at Yiling who was seated beside me.
She’s looking out of the car, lost in thought.
Hong’s mouth was slightly apart and I thought I heard him snore as he slept in the backseat.
Seven was enjoying the music from the radio, nodding his head to the rhythm.
As we got closer to the exit towards Bedok, Yiling told me to go to the old folks home I delivered the fruits and vegetables to.
Jackson : ok…
I arrived at the home and the gate was padlocked.
Jackson : It’s too early… I don’t think Mr Ho is here yet…
Yiling : How is he… ?
Jackson : hmmm ok I guess… when was the last time you met him….
Yiling : a very long time ago….
We got out of the car and I hit the intercom a couple of times but no one answered.
Looking at the home itself, I could see the lights are all off on level 2 and 3.
There are signs of activity on level 4 and 5. I could see the ceiling fans turning.
Yiling : climb over the gates…
Without a word, Hong and Seven started to scale the gate into the old folks home.
Jackson : hey hey… hey…. Wait.. wait.. this is not nice… this is trespassing…
Yiling : I hold the title deed to this plot of land… I own this place….
Yiling removed the bags of fruits from the car and handed it over to Hong through the gate.
After passing the box of peaches, Yiling started to climb the gate as well.
Jackson : shit… arghhh…
The simple grille gate is not high, at 1.8m, it’s a easy climb especially with so many horizontal bars scattered along it’s length. The top of the gate is flat as well.
I joined my colleagues within the compound of the old folks home and asked what is this about.
Jackson : what are we doing ??
Hong and Seven each held a bag of fruits while I held the peaches.
Yiling started walking towards the administration offices on the ground floor by the courtyard.
When we got there, I was surprised to see it deserted. There’s no one around.
Yiling : there should be a security guard on duty….
Walking towards a particular room, Yiling opened the door to an empty room.
She looked at me as if I have the answers and I told her I’ve never been inside any of these rooms before.
Jackson : They should all be upstairs…. On level 5….
Yiling looked towards the other end of the home towards the boundary wall that it shared with the temple.
Yiling : I’ll go check out the temple….
Hong : Seven … you go with boss….
Yiling : No need… it’s broad daylight….go up… check every floor and see what’s going on…
Yiling walked on ahead, trudging in her black boots that looked so sexually appealing with the ends of her blue jeans tucked in.
I went to the old and creaky loading and unloading lift and was hit with a strong smell of disinfectant.
Jackson : ewww…
It’s a pungent smell as if someone just flooded the whole lift with Dettol or something.
Hong : that fucking stinks….
Jackson : so how…. We take 1 floor each….?
Hong : yeah… faster that way….
Seven gestured to the top floor before doing a walking motion on his palm with 2 fingers.
Jackson : you mean start at the top and we work out way down ?? good idea….
I hit level 5 and stepped back to the centre of the lift.
The old metal door vibrated angrily as it struggled to close presubly after years of neglect. It’s like someone forgot to oil it’s moving parts.
Even after the door shut, it took a few seconds for the hydraulics to start hissing and bringing us up.
I looked at the indicator light on the lift panel switch from level 1 to level 2.
The humming of the lift got louder and I could hear metal parts knocking onto each other as the light struggled to get to level 3.
When it got to level 3, I could feel the humming drone down a notch as the lift jerked a little before it stopped.
It stopped at level 3.
Someone must have called for it.
When the lift door vibrated and slid to its side like the parting of a stage curtain, I was hit with a smell that I would never forget, not even on my death bed. It’s was a stench so strong that it made me sick.
Before I could deal with the stench, I felt the hair on the back of my neck and the rest of my body stood on it’s end as I was confronted with the sight of what laid on level 3.
My fingers started to tremble and I gripped the box of peaches so tight that the box started to crumble.
I could not believe what my eyes are seeing.
Lying on the floor barely 5 metres away are 3 bodies. Corpses of the old folks that used to live here. They are obviously dead and I could see a few flies buzzing around their heads.
A makeshift corridor of sort has been created on level 3 out of plastic sheets.
Set back about 3 metres from the window, a continuous stretch of plastic sheets has been erected from the floor to the ceiling.
I could not tear my eyes away from the bodies.
It’s the first time I saw a dead body.
They are still dressed in their nursing home clothes. I could see the bottom is soiled with excrement. A puddle of unknown liquid has pooled under their bodies.
My eyes slowly lifted from the corpses and onto the men standing up on level 3.
They have masks on to filter out the smell.
They are dressed in nursing scrubs and I recognised one of them as the staff that was eyeing me suspiciously during my first time here.
There’s 8 of them.
And at that moment, all 8 of them were staring at us from about 30m away.
2 of them were trying to carry the body of another old lady onto a plastic sheet.
No one said a word.
They never expected us to see them, and we, never expected to see this.
I could feel a spark inside my belly slowly ignite. My breathing got faster.
I tried to take a step forward but I was held back by Hong.
Hong : Jackson….. no…
The 2 men carrying the body dropped her corpse like it was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Like they were not carrying a human.
Something was exchanged among the fake nursing home staff, one of them called out.
“ Yakob !… Sven ! … Yusuf !! “
I thought there were only 8 of them but I was wrong.
There were more.
3 more appeared out of nowhere and 2 of them was dragging along a barely breathing resident.
My heartrate spike and as my fingers closed around the box of peaches so hard that the box disintegrated, and everything just fell into the lift floor.
I know that resident.
The old lady Nancy. The one that always asked me to dance.
Her face was bloodied, and she was missing several teeth. She’s crying and sobbing. Her clothes were badly ripped and she might as well have been naked. Bruises were visible all over her arms and face.
Nancy : sobzzz… sobzz…. Ahhhh… Jackson ….sobzz….ahhhh…. Jackson ….
The 3 men were called out because they were nearer to the lift whose door is starting to close having been stationary for a while.
The door rumbled and slid along narrow grooves choked with dirt and grime.
I could hear my own heart racing in my head as I tried to process what I just saw.
I have a lump in my throat and it was getting hard to even swallow my own saliva.
The door of the old lift managed to shut to it’s ¾ mark before I saw a hand slice in and forcibly stop it from closing.
Instinctively, I took a couple of steps back.
I was standing in the middle with Seven on my left and Hong on my right.
As the lift door opened fully, the 3 men dressed in medical scrubs peppered with blood stains greeted us with surgical masks on their faces.
Again, no one said anything.
The 3 men stepped into the loading and unloading lift with their back to the door and a staring match ensued.
My hands were by my side and I could feel Hong’s hand reaching for mine the same time Seven did the same.
You see, the thing with goods lift, it’s all stainless steel on all sides. They are as good as mirrors.
I could see the reflection of everything around from the corner of my eyes.
Hong’s left hand was carrying the bag of fruits and he slowly handed it over to me the same time I saw his right disappear into his pants pocket.
Seven’s right hand pushed the bag he was holding to my left hand and through the partial reflection in the lift, I saw him stretched his legs, neck and shoulders.
The old alarm of the loading and unloading lift started to buzz angrily as the door vibrated in protest as it rumbled to close.
I exhaled slowly and relaxed my fingers as the two sides of the lift door strained to meet each other.
Hong was the first to break the silence.
Hong : Jackson ….
Jackson : hmmmm….
Hong : First chance you get…. You go to Boss….
Jackson : ok…
My body felt hot like it was on fire.
All hell will break lose the moment the lift door close and I reckon it’s going to be 3 seconds away at the very most.
I was counting it down in my head.
3 seconds before the door closed, I saw Hong’s right hand emerge from his pocket with a knuckle duster around his fingers.
2 seconds before the metal door met in the middle I stopped breathing the same time I saw Seven shifted his right leg behind him.
I felt the rumble and vibration of the lift as it’s door shut like the jaws of a metal beast the same time my fingers relax, dropping the bags of fruits onto the lift floor.
And if Nancy were well enough to ask me the same question she always did, I know what my reply would be that day.
Today. We dance.