At the same time, I was also excitedly thinking of two other Besançonese.
Another few hours later, I was going to see Ernest and Nicole again. I had said goodbye to them in October 2002. It was more than five years and seven months ago. Did they still look the same despite their age and less good health? Would they find changes in me, who had transformed from a student to a teacher?
Since I came back to Malaysia, I did not often write to them due to my laziness to post letters at the post office. After they had connection to the Internet at home, our communication was more regular, but sometimes they did not receive emails I sent to their account.
In October last year, I talked to them about the conflicts I was facing with my family members after Dad's passing. They often replied me with a lot of encouragement. When I brought them good news of improvement of relationship in my family, they were also happy for us. After I got the semester calendar, I invited them to Melaka during my year-end semester break, if their health conditions allowed them to travel so far.
There Ernest answered,
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Sincerely I don't think of coming to Malaysia for the moment. I have to adapt myself to my new situation... my treatment (from one pill to four a day) and of course I need a little time to stabilize this again and learn all over again what is good and less good for my body and especially for my (heart) arteries.
But if you can come, we will be crazed with joy to see you again and to have fun!
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Because of this last sentence, I started to consider seriously to pay them a visit. And I started to look for the air ticket to France, instead of Vietnam or Cambodia that I had been longing to explore. As the school holidays were approaching, the ticket prices were horribly expensive. It would be more feasible for me to fly in May or June this year. They assured me that they would be available to receive me and were already looking forward to my arrival when I sent them the new year greeting in January.
In end February, I suggested to them two possibilities of dates of my stay in France. Ernest gave a very touching response:
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Hurrah Lee Sah is coming, I have tears in my eyes...
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In March, after I had obtained my e-ticket in a travel agency during the MATTA fair, I immediately confirmed my visit from 22 May to 13 June. They planed to pick me at the airport in Paris. As my original arrival time was 7.25am, and it was 5 hours' driving from Besançon, I kindly turned down their offer. Furthermore, should there be any last-minute changes in the flying schedule, they would not have waited for me in vain at the airport.
In April, I kept them updated of my preparations by sending my recent pictures and making sure I had all their contact numbers.
Less than two weeks before my departure, they wrote:
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We are waiting for you... The bicycles are ready for you to ride and to discover new horizons. Nicole is in all the preparations... She wants everything to be proper to receive Lee Sah...
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On 22 May 2008 at about 6.30pm, I waved with my both hands at this wonderful couple who had come to pick me at the meeting place. As soon as the bus arrived, I could not wait to go down and rush to them. Ernest's smile was still as charming as ever while Nicole's hug was still as warm. There I was also crazed with joy reuniting with my dearest friends that I had known in Besançon thirteen years ago...
1 comment:
Hi Lee Sah,
Enjoyed reading all your posts - the freshness,your opennness to experience and honesty in recounting them is so very appealing.
See you back in Malaysia soon, dear friend.
Saratha
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