Bye-bye, Ye Ye

A fortnight ago, on Thursday morning, I woke like any other normal day except that Mama keptme from going to school because Teacher Yati gave a memo the day before, informing my parents that a child in the play group had/was suspected of having hand-foot-mouth disease.

It didn't take long for Mama to decide to keep me from school for the rest of the week as one of the last things my parents want for me, is to come down with hand-foot-mouth disease at this point in time.

Another thing that was different that Thursday was that Papa didn't go to work. Instead, in the morning, he sat me on his lap with our family portrait in his hand and explained Ye Ye has gone to be with Jesus. I didn't quite understand what was going on.

Then, on Saturday, Papa and I went to this porch near where we stay when Mama was away giving tuition. I was kept entertained on my high chair with VCD played by Papa's portable DVD player. We spent quite a bit of time at the porch the next few days.

On Sunday evening, many people came to the porch and there was a short period when my parents left me with Uncle Sam and Aunty Angie, our church friends, while they sat at the front row for a funeral service.


Then Mama came to me and then we lined up in a row with Nai nai, my parents, Aunty Cheyanne , Uncle Denton and Shu shu while many people came and shook our hands. I didn't quite shake many hands as I was too young and many patted my head instead. After a while, I chuckled probably because I thought it was funny that many people just came and shook hands with my family.

On Tuesday afternoon, our whole family, my parents, Nai nai, Aunty Cheyanne, Uncle Denton and Shu shu gathered around the wooden case again and Rev See prayed with us. Papa said I had left my mark on the wooden case because I left my handprint on the plastic panel covering the case and I tore out some of the lace lining the edge of the plastic panel. Mama managed to put the lace back in place though.

Next, we set off to Mandai Crematorium where another service was held. Then, the wooden case was seen no more. Bye bye, Ye Ye. May we meet again in a much better place.

(ps : a note from my mother: the following picture was taken after the funeral service on Sunday evening. This may cause some discomfort if you are not used to seeing pictures of funerals and coffins. So please feel free to skip it if you prefer)