Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Entry #43

An American Dreamscape
by YL Chong


Hopeful orange, yellow and red in the background, fronted by dark blue and purple and sardonic blacks, a bit gloomy. It is sunset in Oklahoma, but it may well pass off as sunrise back home.


Mei Lee said she was only leaving for a short sabbatical on a scholarship gifted her on the basis of a thesis I helped her craft. She swore she would be back in Singapore "in less than eighteen months", and we will then talk "wedding bells".


As I look out at this mystical landscape, I was looking forward towards an enchanting candle-light dinner. Until an hour ago -- and her excited voice still echoes in my ear: "My internship has been extended by another six months. Honey, I will be delayed a little tonight, seeya!"

So my fiancée wants to campaign for a candidate aspiring to become the first female president, can I begrudge her? The colours on the horizon seem forebodingly darker now.

The handphone intones a message. "Sorry, missed my flight. See you tomorrow moUrn!" She even forgot to end with our XoXo signature!

I feel the initial tear-drops warming my cheeks. I reach out for Reception, wanting to book the next flight home.

Just then the door-bell rings. I open the door, and there she is -- Mei Lee resplendent in a short-skirted dress in sexy red.

"The sms just now, you..." I mumble.

"American humour I picked up along the by-ways," she intones, pressing her dreamscape XoXo on my lips.

23 comments:

Abhinav said...

A nice read... The dog-tail twist.

Katie Hart - Pinterest Manager said...

Liked this one - full views of both characters and a nice finale twist!

SzélsőFa said...

Oh, an easy going nice story, I liked it.

Chris Eldin said...

Uplifting and happy. A nice story.

chong y l said...

Abhinav:

I'm glad you twisted in laughter -- not so loud please, don't want to wake the sleeping doggie!:)

chong y l said...

katie hart:

Consider thou privileged you had/have "full views" of the two characters -- please tell me what happens after the dinner!:)
Meanwhile, let's join abhinav in doin' the Twist...

chong y l said...

szelsofa:

Glad you like the dog's tale/tail!:0

The double " above thy name is "cute", signifies anything? I am familiar with the single ' above the e, not this cutie:)

chong y l said...

church lady:

"Uplifting and happy" -- exactly how I felt while crafting the 247-word Twistie.

Thanks to "AWE" the four Conversationists, will read your writes too if you had sent in your story and leave comment. It's delightful chatting with thee.

Sarah Hina said...

Yay! A happy story, for a change. Feels like a breath of fresh air.

I wonder if they'll get around to eating dinner...

;)

SzélsőFa said...

Hee:)

The double ' over a vowel alters the vowel, making it to another one. These are Hungarian characters.

The Anti-Wife said...

Good story and all told within 250 words. Nicely done.

chong y l said...

sara hina:

Iam sure dinner will be savoured;I am waiting for fellow writer katie hart to entertain us with her peek!:)

Thanks for brinigin' the evening breeze into my room2:):)

chong y l said...

SzelsoFa 2X:

Thanks for explanation; ah, Hungary. If you make it to millinaire, sponsor a free tic for Desi to visit thee? Vice versa if I reach my 20mil SPIRITEdesTINATIO.:) I will flood you with local writer's brew -- Tehtarik ("pulled tea" in my nationallanguage, Bahsa Malaysia:)

chong y l said...

Anti-Wife:

Glad you enjoy the short read:) What I ENJOY most in taking part in Jason's regular contests is the camaraderie fostered among us -- not-so-shy let our mind fly --"wordsmiths", yes!:):)

SzélsőFa said...

You're funny.
If I were a millionaire, I would definitely travel to lots of places in the world, including Malaysia as well :)
And would like you to see our country as well, so yes, I would support your coming here :)
Any chances of your becoming a millionaire?

Beth said...

Yes, this is nice and easygoing. I like it.

I also like the camaraderie here. It's my favorite part.

chong y l said...

szelsofa 3X:

Writers are funny people indeed; instead of chasing the almighty dollar, they pen in poverty mostly (some lucky after going 6 ft under, and the lazy-bummer heirs ENJOY their sweat!:(

When I become a milli0naire, the first place I'd visit will be Hungary, then wehop over to say "Hi-dare" to Jason, yes!Answering thy Q, yes, Malaysia makes at least one or 2 millionaires via a once-in-3-weeks lottery, of 7+1 digit numbers. So it's unlikely Desi has such luck, but Hope springs eternal aong us (US2) writ(H)ers, yes!:)

PS: Just came here from Word Verification: "exdim" is laughing at both of us!

chong y l said...

beth:

Thanks for thy sweet words.
Welcome to the club of easy going chatterers. If thou art a milionaire -- or rich milliner? -- come over to Malaysia, but drop a note at my Blog first, eh?, and I'd buy thee Tehtarik!:):)

Abhinav said...

Sorry for a late reply to your comments here and at my story but my semester exams are on... :-(
You love tehtarik, don't you? We don't get tehtarik in India but a lot of other drinks ;-)
And take heart... I think the Malaysian English writer has arrived in you. Will check out more of your blog later...

chong y l said...

abhinav:

I try to raise English standard via my Sunday columns, some I named desiderata.english. You praise me skywards -- moved by Jason's dawning pic, I preseume?

Yes, tehtarik (in our national language Bahasa Malaysia or "pulled tea" is writer's brewq here, with many joints open 24/7 to keep us lonely writHers company, and awake at naked hours of day/night:) Come over one day, and I'll flood thee in xxchange with your faves!:):)

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

THis one was so very sweet! I liked it alot because I actually felt his disappointment and then his elation - all in this short piece!

chong y l said...

ello:

Thanks for peeping by at my random act of kindnurse?
I will drop more often at thy Blog to enjoy aMore of thy 'rites.

I am hapy you felt elated at my tiwst.:)

Anonymous said...

You got me. I was sure this was going dark. Very nice job! Thanks for the smile.

High marks.