Coming back from Melbourne to Malaysia was pretty much a one-shot thing. People would expect me returning home after graduation, so that doesn’t count. Me coming back home to Malaysia was pretty much a surprise to myself as I didn’t foresee myself coming home at the beginning of the year. The initial plan was to do summer course or work in Australia. So no one was expecting me home. What a grand opportunity. I wasn’t going to waste it!
Sinisterly, I planned out my list of people to surprise. I didn’t wanna lie about anything (for spiritual reasons). Only half truths and “wide” acknowledgements. Operation Surprise I’m Home was underaway.
Target #1: Alicia Choy
Plan: - Give her a call via Skype to give echo effect, make it sounds like I’m still in Australia. Drive to her house and call house phone (doesn’t have caller ID) at night. Ask her to come out of the house. Surprise!
Outcome: When I reached her house, she wasn’t feeling well and was asleep. Ally’s mom picked up the phone. I didn’t wanna lie when she asked if I was back in Malaysia. Aunty Karen blew the cover.
Surprise Status: Fail
Target #2: Terence Ng and Chen Yun Hau
Plan: It wasn’t really a surprise. Just expected them to sound surprised over the phone. They were. I called them out for dinner.
Outcome: Expected outcome achieved.
Surprise Status: Marginal
Target #3: Tai Xin Wei
Plan: Called Benjamin Gan who previously fetched her regularly to church on late Saturday evenings. Told Ben to tell her that he will be fetching her, but instead I show up. Drove my dad’s car for disguise effect.
Outcome: I was slgihtly late. Went to her house and horned. Xin Wei entered the car, but didn’t realise it was me until a few seconds later (SO BLUR!). Screams followed. Surprise achieved.
Surprise Status: Success
Target #4: 2nd Subang Jaya Company (FBC Pantai)
Plan: Attend FBC without telling anyone I was back.
Outcome: Surprised a few people who didn’t expect me to be back, namely Veron and a few others.
Surprise Status: Success
Target #5: 3rd Kuala Lumpur Company
Plan: Attend Year End Party held at the YMCA. Most the company would be around. While carrying out surprise #2, I accidentally bumped into Low Kent, James Wang and Chye Kok Keong. Element of surprise was slightly hampered but still attainable. 2 nights before the surprise, a decoy blog entry was posted to make it look like I was still in Australia (though it was mentioned that there were no lies involved as well. I did say “a few weeks ago”. It was successful in tricking my blog viewers I was not around.
Outcome: Officers asked me how Australia was a few nights before. I told them how Australia was (hot and full of summer flies) but did not inform them I was back. The night I walked into the hall, a loud roar greeted me. Everyone gave a dazzled look with some people annoyed at themselves how they were tricked. It’s so good to be finally home.
Surprise Status: Success
Target #6: Carol Lim and 3rd Butterworth Company
Plan: Reach Penang and give Carol a call for a meet up. Hopefully, my number will no longer be in her phone and she’ll be surprised that I’m back and just a few kilometers away.
Outcome: Carol was surprised anyway regardless of whether or not my number was still in her phone or not. She was even given a bigger shock knowing I was in Penang. We met up the following days together with some of her colleagues and Sorvine.
Surprise Status: Success
Counter Surprise
If you all have been reading my blog, you’d know that Jeremy Ng and his mom helped me get a job in ING. I’ve been at work for a couple of weeks till one of my colleagues said that both of Jeremy’s brothers were getting baptised that day. She mentioned his brothers name – Wesley and Jonathan. I didn’t think much of it then. They were common names after all. That weekend I went to FGA then to FBC, the first time I’d been to First Baptist since I got back. There was a baptism service going on with some of the candidates being baptised were 2nd SJ members (Wei Zheng being one of them). After service, we mingled outside the YC and hospitality just chatting and stuff. I went to surprise Mark Tan and talked to him abit. Then this person caught my eye. Someone who looked like Jeremy! I couldn’t believe it, cause last I checked he was still in Melbourne. I got Mark to confirm his identity and it was indeed Jeremy! His mom Liling was worshipping in FBC. What a small world... it’s about to geteven smaller. After talking abit, doing all the thank you’s again, I finally asked Jem why was he here, as FBC was no longer his normal Malaysian church. He said he was in FBC for his brothers baptism. When I asked who, he pointed to… guess who… Jonathan Ng!!! Oh my gosh. I was Jon’s evaluating officers when he was taking his Gold Award exam when he was still in Junior Section. The fact that I hang out with alof of FBC/2nd SJ people and Jem used to worship in this church was just mind blowing. Jem and I met in Australia and here we are with so much in common background.
The next surprised involved another OCFer, Faith. She joined OCF only recently during the 2nd Semester after bumping into our booth during Clubs and Societies day. We know each other fairly, but I guess after this event we’re gonna be a little closer. I was to fetch Faith to an IDP talk held at some hotel near PWTC. So I asked her where she lives. She said she actually lives opposite Holy Light Church. In Australia, I already knew she worships there and she knows Noah Yap and some of the BB members there. Then it struck me – opposite Holy Light? Hey, isn’t that where one of my dad’s friend lives? So I asked Faith what’s her surname. “Ho”. At first I thought that it couldn’t be cause there were a few houses opposite Holy Light Church and perhaps hers is not the one I’ve been to before. The next day I asked my dad what’s the name of his friend living at Salak South Garden opposite the church. He said, Wai Choong. I asked for his surname – “Ho”. Goshhhhhh. Then I found our dad’s were actually classmates back in St. John (Form 4 - Upper 6) and were all in one gang with some of the others like Wing Tip, etc. I was in Faith’s house a couple of times before when I was Form 2. I don’t remember her then, but sometime tells me I’m never going to forget about this super coincidence.
It’s been quite a nice return home. In 3 weeks I’m off again. Who knows what other surprises God still has instore for me (hope they’re pleasant ones).
