Farewell Mr Phua, may U rest in peace...

Mummy and daddy took hours off from work this afternoon to attend the casket procession. We wanted to bid our last goodbye to Mr Phua.

The casket was scheduled to leave at 4pm for Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex At the praying ceremony, the spouse was present throughout. She mostly sat by the side with a sunken face when the priest and relatives of deceased were performing the ritual. When the ceremony ended, she grabbed the children home to do 'don't know what chore'! Faintz!! The procession got to wait for them before the fateful send-off. Luckily the casket in-charge followed her to prevent any MIA, just in case... It was delayed another 15 minutes when the spouse and children were finally got ready.

The rest was rather swift, too quick to mark the end of a person... The coffin was mechanically pushed in and that was it: a life was gone... Sigh...couldn't help but sob while saying our last goodbye to our neighbour. If only, if only...

All relatives gathered at the entrance of the Crematorium for the ritual wash-up. Mummy heard a loud 'thub' suddenly! Before I could see clearly, the spouse had fallen on the floor. Next was loud exchange of curse and swear between the spouse and Mr Phua's relatives. Should the casket in-charge failed to stand between them, a fight might have erupted. When we reached home, the police came to take down statement. The spouse reported that Mr Phua's relatives attacked her. Faintzz!! As if there was not enough trouble. Anyway, the police left soon after, no arrest was made.

We learned from Mr Phua's niece that their main concern was the two daughters. They would consult the legal procedures to protect the interest of these two girls.

Meanwhile, the spouse secured her leverage tightly. Not even school is allowed. The trio were last seen loitering around the neighbourhood. Some heard that she wants to bring the children back to her Malaysia hometown. Sigh, the fate of these two girls is worrying... Hopefully the relatives can save them in time.

Black Sunday

This news side-tracked from the purpose of this blog. Not about how naughty or healthy our precious are now. Not about how daddy messed up mummy's birthday. It is about the dark side of life, DEATH.

Our Neighbour, Mr Phua, had jumped to his death. He had given up the right to live as his separating wife had once again burdened him with another big sum of loan-shark amount. He had been 'paying up' since their courtship time. After 10 over years of marriage and 2 young daughters, he decided to call it quit. Quit of his own precious life.

Whatever could be reported had already been published at today's Shin Min Daily News. All had been pending for police further investigation.

As a neighbour of 9 years, we had witnessed this faithful husband and father took care of the household with such care and dedication. He was always with his two daughters, fetching them to and fro school. He was always coaching his children on school works or simply watching TV with them. A 24/7 family man. As for the wife, we need not say more, she is entirely opposite of her spouse. In fact, she is rather 'famous' within our neighbourhood for her notorious character and of course, her uncountable loan from the neighbourhood. How can she get so many loan from the neighbours with such reputation? Call her a Golden Horse Award winner. There are still gullible people around these days.

I could remember when we first moved into this place, she came knocking my door for a $500 loan. She claimed that her husband damaged his company's property (aircon servicing industry) and badly needed the money for repayment. Daddy thought this excuse was rather lame. For such small sum of money, you would get help from your family or friends, NOT a new neighbour. And she did not want us to talk about this with her husband, claiming he would be shy and angry. How deceiving! We turned her down, saying we had no spare cash. (and it is true! Hahaha... :D)

It is a bottomless pit when you need to 'feed' a compulsive gambler. Last Good Friday was a dipping point when those loan-shark runners came splashing paint at Mr Phua's door. The police came to survey the damage. Ever since, Mr Phua had moved out to a relative's place for the safety of his children. And one week later, his crashed body was found at Clementi.

When all thought this was the end, the spouse made a big fuss. (Expected actually) She denied all claim about her gambling addiction and began her 'show-time'. First, she refused to allow his niece to claim the boby for proper funeral, saying it was his family who had caused his jump. She was the wife, she would handle it.( Come on, she had no money to do it herself!) After some 'tug-of-war, she agreed. (CHEY!! So big deal, get the funeral yourself!) At the funeral, she was behaving like a crazy person, yelling and crying and struggling, demanding to see her daughters. The police had no control on her at all. She was deeply into her 'show'. The police advised the family to return the daughters to this crazy woman so as to shut her up. When she got hold her new leverage, she claimed to kill the children and eer.. herself if she was 'pushed' to the limit. CHEYCHEYCHEY...

When we arrived home in the evening, I managed to talk to the elder daughter (primary 3) to shower her with encouragement. She was calm and nodded to show her determination to undertake her new task as a big sister cum father to her K2 sister. The spouse was present at the scene. She yelled, Don't worry! She will soon join her father! DAMN IT!!! I kept my cool and ignored her to my exit.

At the funeral, we learned from the niece that Mr Phua had been receiving numerous threatening calls from the spouse. He had NO means to pay up those loan and yet he did not want his children to meet any harm. This woman had grabbed at his weakest point, the children. Getting himself drunk was the only way to forget the sorrow. It might be the persuasion of liquar that gave him the 'courage' to take the plunge...

It is too late for anything now. Though as buddhists, we know every existence and demise are linked by karmic relation. But this is still too hard for us to bear especially he is someone we have known. Lots of 'if only' in our mind now... one thing for sure, we have learned to treasure our loved ones and friends, including neighbours even more.

Just prayed that the casket procession on this thursday will be a smooth one. The spouse may strike anytime since she is like a wounded lioness. Piling a huge debt on her shoulder, she IS at her wits end. The two daughters' lives may be in danger... sigh...