we.. done..

finally.. we are done.. after throwin' the last batch of metal scrap.. we shut the roller shutter for the last time tonight.. we ain't comin' back again.. poignance filled the air.. as if something you held dear had died.. and only the memories.. be it sweet or not that remains.. cos you have nothin' to fall back on.. the store is no more.. home is no more..

i started my career here back in aug '03 as a part-time cashier.. and how fittin' it was that i'd be involved in its end.. made many friends then.. some worth knowin'.. and some not.. climbed the career ladder and became supervisor here too.. struggled to make ends meet.. cos this was not exactly my dream job.. but then the ambience and atmosphere of jp tru made you feel like home.. and you really wanted to stay.. and so i was seriously taken aback when i had to be transferred out in apr '05.. no disrespect to the other stores i was transferred to.. i had my fair share of fun.. laughter.. and pleasantries at all of them.. but one will always have a soft spot for one's mother store..

after slightly more than 3 years.. finally made my return back to jp in jul '08.. felt different cos firstly.. i returned as a manager.. and secondly it ain't the old team i used to work with.. although there were a few 'orang lama'.. it's the new breed that ran the show.. my only regret is that my second stint here at jp wasn't as long as my first.. only 7 months.. but then there were certain periods i was always attached out from store to do projects.. so that made it even lesser.. sometimes i wished i had more courage and time to know you guys better.. i always thought that i could have taken that opportunity during d&d last aug.. but then i was still fresh in jp.. and we did not know one another that well.. maybe at that point of time.. we were just acquaintances.. and colleagues..

come to think of it.. i always get tranferred out to other stores when the company's d&d's around the corner.. hmm..

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  apr '05 - i got tranferred out from jp to usq.. and d&d was the week after my transfer.. i chose to sit with the then jp team cos that time i didn't know the usq guys that well.. got labelled 'sombong' for my decision..


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  aug '06 - i got transferred to fg from usq.. and d&d was in the same month.. sigh.. this time i chose to sit at the same table with the fg guys.. and my table was between the jp and usq tables.. awkward.. got some stares from the usq table too..


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  jul/aug '08 - less than a month after my transfer to jp.. d&d at whatever that club was called.. keep this a secret.. i was actually lonely that nite.. i moved around just to keep myself entertained.. i didn't have a proper table.. group.. or should i say store to sit with.. check your personal d&d camera photos.. am i in them?.. if i'm there.. then thanks for the pic.. which i believe is a group picture.. that nite i was like a palestinian whom had just lost his plot of land.. haha.. when the event was over.. i didn't know who to go back with.. so i went home alone..

but don't worry.. i ain't frettin' about it.. hey.. u guys got me a cake and present for my birthday last year.. appreciated that very much.. celebrated xmas together in dec.. sentosa last month was a blast.. i was glad we grew much closer as the months unfold but unfortunately it had to end all too soon.. i would relish if i was given a month more to work with you guys.. but then a month's too short for my likin' either.. come march.. in the event if we don't get to work together.. wish you guys all the best.. and you will be missed..

forget me not..

p/s: who else will be callin' me hawaii boss at my new place?.. ;p haha..

FIN