Farewell, Paul

When one passes a remark that a friend has had a stab at fame, you wouldn't expect its delivery to be in the harshest form.

A call at 11.14pm had me gasping in disbelief. Tianlong greeted me with this ominous question, "Have you read the newspapers?" To this, I had a negative reply. "Why?" I asked with apprehension, sensing that something was amiss. He replied, "Paul is dead." For the minutes that followed, words garbled on but didn't sink in as bits of information streamed in. All I'd caught was, "jamming with friends at his studio", "lay down to sleep", "never woke up again", "found his body this morning", "St. Peter & Paul Church", "Dewei saw the picture of his studio", "Zhiyong received an SMS from Paul's phone", "Lianhe Wanbao", "News on Channel 8" and other incoherent mumble-jumble.

"You're kidding, right? This is a very bad joke, right? Tell me you're joking, Tianlong!" The pregnant pause between us provided the answer that I didn't want to accept. As reality sank in, I muttered that Paul had just attended my dinner last month, to which Tianlong retorted that Paul was with them yesterday,"Would it be all over the news if this was a joke, Mich?" Other details were exchanged and the conversation ended.

This is surreal.

Back row, 5th from left: Paul, as seen in this class photo.

Paul had been living at the neighbouring block for as long as I can remember. Known for his wacky jokes and non-conformist attitude, he would crack the class up with witty retorts and slapstick antics.He was part of my clique, along with Yusheng, Tallie and the rest. Tallie , Paul & Johan would drive teachers up the wall with their 101 excuses when it came to homework. Johan, Paul and I were constantly vying for the top position in English. Paul would bang his table in mock frustration and do a clap of sarcasm when he lost to either of us by a mark or two. The group split when we settled at TJC in different classes while Tallie & Paul went to TPJC.

His metamorphosis took place when he was in NUS. He was sporting dreadlocks and looked like a figure from the hippie movement. True to his idealistic nature, he went ahead to be a swimming instructor and rented a three-storey apartment across Hong Lim Park that doubled as a studio for rental & self-entertainment. Struggling bands and jamming enthusiasts could rent his studios at a cheap rate. His studio was a cosy place to hang out, although the exterior could do with some paintwork.On the roof, alfresco dining & a game of open-air pool was available. It was a cosy place to lounge around, as we lazed there for hours.

TCC Boat Quay: Paul, clad in brown on the extreme right, at the Sec 4B gathering

At the rooftop of Paul's apartment: Yusheng's turn at the pool table.

Tallie, Xuzhen & Wenbin waiting for their respective turns

To Paul:
You used to copy my homework & I would screech at you for the umpteenth time. You would hide my stuff and I would chase you in exasperation. Sleep was impossible when you chattered incessantly at the chalet and I threw pillows at you. Once, we had a heated argument and we didn't speak to each other for days, after which you broke the ice with your forte - sharp wit. We have taunted each other in mock disdain from time to time and exchanged lame remarks via MSN Messenger when you were online. Today, I sifted through all the old pictures on my computer in the afternoon when I came across the ones we had taken at our previous gathering. I was looking forward to the next gathering when the familiar banter would take place. It had not crossed my mind that I would never see you again after the dinner. I'm shocked, Paul. When Tianlong called, I had hoped that the details provided by the media would be wrong and it would be a case of mistaken identity. I'm saddened that you've embarked on your new journey without a word. You were my neighbour, classmate and friend. I will miss you. Farewell, Paul.