The Birthday Card That Says It All

The doorbell rang as I was in the midst of preparing lunch. Drat! Not a salesman, please. As I walked to the door, I started conjuring excuses to thwart the advances of a would-be salesman. To my relief, it was the postman, with a special delivery.

The parcel was addressed to me, but I didn't recognise the handwriting. I turned it over and discovered it was from my brother-in-law, Rizal. Grinning, I suspected the parcel was filled with stickers and whatnot for the kids. And true enough, there were stacks of Transformers and Disney Princess stickers as well as a comic and story book for Joshua and Joanne. Lucky kids. They have uncles and aunts from Far Far Awayland who regularly send them stuff.

But there was something esle specially for me - a birthday card from my sister, Hui Yin (Rizal's wife). She used to make her own cards (and at one time even sold them) and therefore could pen anything suitable. But she's been busy lately and has apparently resorted to buying cards instead of making them. This particular commercially available card describes Hui Yin and me so accurately. In fact, it describes all four of us sisters quite accurately.

It says "We're a little bit crazy and a whole lot of fun! We talk about everything under the sun. You make me laugh ... and when you are blue, I'm happy to do the same thing for you. We love being sisters, and that is no lie - Just can't do without you ... won't even try!"

I laughed out loud, and even shed a tear or two reading that. That description sounds just like us. Gosh! I do miss my sisters. The crazy and hilarious antics we used to share and the stupid pranks we played on each other.

I remember we used to write very bad poetry and emailed it to one another while at work. The poems didn't have to be err, poetic but they must rhyme. So we "forced" them to rhyme, most of the time with comical results. I still have the collection of our poetry in one of my folders.

Then we have several "tests" that can quickly verify our status as sisters in the family. One of them was the "Magnificent Seven" test that will prove who we are. And of course, we had the natural talent to make utter fools of ourselves in public every now and then.

Well, it will be a long while before I can see all of them again. Kind of depressing when I think of how far my family is away from me. But Air Asia is coming to Australia. Maybe it won't be so bad.

And thanks No 3 for the birthday card.