First Born, New IC, New Casio Watch

Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, 20th Sept 1996, I received a call from my wife in Malaysia. I was there on company business, a trip that I was reluctant to go but had to; due to a critical situation in the company that I worked with. She went to see our gynecologist and was told that our baby managed wriggle out of the labor position into a breech position. She needs to undergo caesarian to deliver the baby. It was our first baby, so she was worried. Since the baby was not due yet, I told her that I will accompany her to see our doctor again when I return to Malaysia. On the day of her delivery, I arrived a little too late at the hospital due to the morning traffic jam at Jln Genting Kelang. I had stayed up the night before to clean the whole house and kitchen; as my wife is allergic to dust and it will be very painful for someone who has undergone an operation to sneeze. I managed to get everything in the house organized before going to sleep at 4am in the morning. I couldn’t afford to hire a maid that time. I had actually overslept! She was already in the operating room when I reached the hospital and on the lift I met a nurse carrying a newborn wrapped in a pink blanket. I told her my wife’s name and the nurse acknowledged that the baby is my son. What a coincidence. Then the baby sneezed, sounds like my wife; confirmed he must be my son! I waited anxiously in the room for my wife to be wheeled back. ‘Is the baby ok?’ my wife asked. I assured her everything is ok and apologized for being late. There was a faint smile on her lips before she felt asleep again. That was 12 years ago. Today, my son came back from school and told me excitedly that he is qualified to apply for his IC. I took him to the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (National Registration Department) to get his IC. Before we left the house he told me, ‘Papa, can I wear the Casio watch that you just bought last week’. He likes the watch very much because it has a nice solar panel. I told him that he can have it as his Birthday present. My son is now a teenager. How time flies! At the JPN............................................................Just a small cake, but full of sweet memories!