A follow up story of one of my closest cousin brother collapsed at the badminton court, and passed on shortly after that. His ID were immediately blasted through the very famous social media, and my other cousin brothers started circulating and finding confirmation.
My mom tried to call me several times when I was at the cinema enjoying my movie and pop-corn, so as my cousin sister, biological sister of the deceased, couldn't reach me. I only get to know about the truth much later when I confirm with my other cousins.
I was still hoping it was a false alarm, but everything has been confirmed by my other cousin brothers in my home town. Despite they weren't able to pickup his body, but identification has been completed, and there's no doubt, he's dead. I had to rush back home to pay my respect, regardless my boss allowed or not. Fortunately, the boss granted me to leave, but I need to complete my tasks first, so I had done all the necessarily before I set foot heading to my home town.
After my work done, immediately I rush home and drove the family to the near by McDonald's. I think I did remember I'm currently on a diet program, but due to this unforeseen adjustment, I found myself an excuse to get convenient food instead of healthy ones. Home minister was complaining about her new glasses being too glaring. I hold the glasses up and trying to compare the actual lighting from the background and through the glasses, indeed it shows even brighter from the glasses. I wonder why.
By the time I reached my home town, it was already late. As far as I know, morgue has released his body, and it has been taken back by the funeral parlor to give him a wash and dressing him up so the body can be presented to the friends and family. I know I may not stand a chance to enter the preparation room, but for some reason I'd still drove towards that direction.
I think I have previously introduced this pre-war cinema building, which located at Hume Street(now known as Jubilee Garden). The entire stretch of pre-war shop houses are now either casket showroom or funeral parlor. It's like everyone of the local citizen require to report here as their final destination. I've been here many times, but this time it gave me a chill. Part of me wish to see "him" for one last time, another part of myself keep telling me it's all delusion, I don't need to see it and he's still alive.
I guess the less conscious part of me won the battle, I drove home and pretend I'm not bothered by the death of my very close cousin. That night, I had a very long chat with my parents. Dad sharing his memories about his 7th brother, the father of the deceased, and how did both of our family become so close, to an extend we're living right opposite of each others.
Now I know, 3 weeks ago when I came back to my home town, my cousin brother insisted to pay me a visit. We had a long chat about life, I already feeling a little off that point of time. It's like he'd be informing me to take care of my own folks. I thought he's going to get married, so he'd be having less time for my parents despite staying so near. It also reminds me there's several emergency that he helped sending my dad to hospital and I'm really grateful for that. As if he's telling me he will be going to go away and I should do all that by myself. Seriously, that point of time I was thinking if he's tired of helping, and feeling a little annoyed. But now, I have an entire different feeling about that. I should have noticed it, he's probably getting me ready for what's coming ahead.
I know there's a lot of things in my life that has changed me. A computer game that inspire me to learn programming. A lucky hand forex investment that bought me a BMW. A stupid act that leads me learned a new term by the name of Margin Call. A job offer that couldn't resist, but got my stuck until today and many more. But this one particular incident, probably going to influence the rest of my life.
Finally, I went to the funeral parlor slightly after lunch hour, guess that's the most difficult hours for people to visit and pay respect. His body was peacefully lying inside a bright white casket. Still the very fit and smart male body he got as he's quite a sportsman. His face was pale, but I guess nobody will look blushed when blood stopped circulating. Other than that, he looks like he's in a deep sleep, peacefully and quietly. It just that, nobody would even think he'd be killed by heart attack. If you think six pack abs couldn't save you, think again those who doesn't have.
