BROKEN DREAMS

Chapter 3 - Robert

Robert moved to my village just as I finished my secondary school. I decided to take up Mass Comm at a local college in KL. It was my first time going in to the city but I somehow was not in awe of going into the city. Maybe it’s because of the toil of getting up early morning; take a 5 minutes walk to the bus stop to catch the bus. And upon reaching Puduraya (KL main bus terminal), I had to take another 10 minutes walk to my college. And after classes, also taking the same route back home.

This was my regular routine and it was during one of the fateful day that I met Robert while am waiting at the bus stop.

It was raining heavily that morning and I was running with an umbrella, hurrying to get to the bus stop. Just as I got to the bus stop, a car drove up. I watched the driver’s window winding down slowly, and a small umbrella been squeezed out from the window. Then this mature looking man’s face peering out under the umbrella, from the window. And this man smiling, “Hi, are you going to KL?”

I was kind of taken aback. There was no one at the bus stop, I felt a bit wary. I don’t know why I answered as I was always warned not to talk to strangers.

A thought occurred to me immediately. ‘He doesn’t have this village look. He will stand out as a stranger immediately.’

‘He has a hard face.’ This other thought came again to me.

‘Now why did I think of that.’ I thought again as I stared at him

“Are you going to KL?” He asked again.

I felt this warm flush creeping all the way from the pit of my stomach to my face. My face must be turning so red. It was my first experience of blushing. And I hate it.

“Yes,” I said hesitantly as I looked to the floor to hide my blush.

And he immediately asked, “Can I give you a ride to KL then? I just moved here. I am Robert.” He extended his hand. I hesitated just a bit slightly. I thought he looks decent. So I shook his hand.

I was already dreading the rain, my shoes wet and I didn’t fancy having to get wet again when getting into the bus. But I hesitated still. “It’s ok, my bus is coming soon.” I declined yet wishing that I had said yes.

Then to my delight, he persisted. “It’s raining. The bus will take a while in this rain. Am going to KL anyway.” But I declined still; I don’t know why I was declining when I was getting tired of the rain.

Seeing my hesitation, Robert was about to persist again but then people were already walking up to the bus stop. Hence, Robert had no choice but to leave reluctantly. “Ok, hope your bus comes soon. See you around.” He drove off.

I thought of Robert and wonder if I would meet him again. I closed my eyes to recall his features. His face is kind of squarish. That meant aggressive, ambitious, dominating. He had thick eyebrows, which is good. But it was scattered which again meant aggressive! His nose was not too big and had just that little faint dot of a mole on the tip. And his mouth is kind of set thin although I can’t really see it so clearly. But it seems to be capable of puffing out fire if he’s angry. 

‘Gosh Shu Lin, amazing you can read so much in that short encounter.’ I thought.

But won’t all these have triggered an alarm bell in me?  But then don’t they say ‘love is blind’! That when one sees through rose-colored glasses, one doesn’t see the reality of things.

I try to recall again. ‘There was something that made me thought of his face as hard.’

‘Oh my, how can I had observed so much in that short moment. It must be my observant nature.’ I laughed to myself as I try to justify these observations of a stranger’s face. I knew that I am not an observant person. So whom am I kidding?