that dreaded day..

enlistment day is always dreaded..

when it comes..

you will start to feel..

two years is a very very long time..

your first nite in camp..

you'd wish you were at home..

tucked in the comfort of your own bed..

then i'd say to you enlistees..

serve you right..

cos before enlistment..

you'd be partyin' outside..

not thinkin' of goin' back..

enjoyin' your nite away..

fuckin' around..

til' the wee hours of early mornin'..

home is the last thing on your mind..

so you 18.. 19.. 20 year olds..

who are yet to surrender your pinkies to mr. lee..

better start appreciatin' now..

anythin' and everythin'..

but don't worry..

you'll enjoy national service..

you just need to put the right foot forward..

and everythin' will be fine..

i remember my enlistment day clearly..

it was exactly nine years ago today..
mom was sobbin' in the livin' room..
and i thought it was because of me..
you know..
me being the firstborn and all..
and goin' for national service..
it can take its toll on overly concerned parents..

but i was wrong..
she wasn't cryin' about me leavin' back then..
somethin' unfortunate had happened in the family..
but of course i didn't know at that time..

mom and dad didn't want to tell me..
they didn't want me to worry..
it was my enlistment day for god's sake..

so mom and dad sent me..
we picked sam first at cck interchange..
sam.. a school buddy and bro of mine..
and then we headed to thomson..
where the ol' police academy was at..

when mom and dad dropped us..
he said they couldn't stay..
cos they had matters to take care of..
i was surprised..
as i expected them to stay for a while..
without me askin'..

i was disappointed though..
but i put up a brave front..
hey this wasn't the first day of primary school..
you can't be cryin' man..

then my first weekend out of camp..
i got to know..
they were attendin' to the unfortunate incident matter..

2001 was not totally a bad year for me though..
despite breakin' up with my first love..
rejectin' my teachin' application hastily..
9/11 and all..

the only solace i had in that year was..
i got a new addition to the family in april..
a lil' baby girl named..
nurul afirah..