Relay for Life

Participants walk in a 16 hour relay to symbolize the ongoing fight for cancer. Now I feel like a promoter right out of the tv add, haha! This year was much more organised that last years relay. And they had 8 foreign countries participating, that puts a smile on any guy or girls face, admit it! But on with a personal account/essay. You have been forewarned.

I was ready to succumb into self-inflicted depression once they left. For the only SBU-ians were Charlotte, Aimee and Desmond. For I was to be the only one (Andy hardly counts) to be staying overnight in that desolate place. After the high of walking backwards 10 rounds in a line with numerous people I barely knew, I was resigned to let the waves of helplessness roll over me. And for a while, thats what I did, doing nothing.

For this time would be different, and I knew it. But then I got up and braced myself to put on a sporting show. Because that was me, I don't dwell on depressing things much more than necessary, its unhealthy. I was thinking that if I couldn't have company, I'll make company. Besides, 'if you can't fight them, join them'; so the saying goes.

It was in this state of mind that I went to see the Relay for Life Pageant and screamed my lungs out. The ecstasy was much helped by shock and ridicule.

This guy was actually forced into a bra. I could see it sticking out at the back.

This picture disturbs me slightly, maybe because I got to know this model in person afterward. After all, at that time I was thinking, 'Dear God, he really looks like a girl!'

First Runner-Up. My personal favourite. He was totally burning the stage with attitude and sexyness!

Crowned Miss Relay for Life. I must admit, he/she is mighty classy. Wouldn't be able to tell the difference in public.

The beautiful contestants. XD

Their Chicken Dance was all wrong, and this triggered another wave of sadness, for entirely different reasons. I missed my Sexylicious gang, knowing I was obliged to be here instead of there, celebrating Nisha's farewell. I really did miss them, and I know it doesn't show, not much, but I do. I wished they were all there so that in one spark of youthful rebellion, we'd all jump on stage, shove all the fakers off, steal the mike and go 'No way man, this is how you do it!'

But then I snapped out of my unprecidented reverie and plunged, headlong into the back lines of the dance, the lady grabbing my left hand with a smile. I smiled back, an automatic response. It was halfway through when a man caught my peripheral vision, naturally, I held my hand out and he took it willingly. The dancing never stopped. At that time I thought, rather unconciously, 'Damn, a nerd. Just my luck.' And he did look the part, a round, hairless face, framed by circular glasses, largely outdated.

Unbeknownst to me, that would be the first friend I made there. The first phrase I remember would be 'I'm from Taiping.' Haha! The irony. He was one of the few who cycled from Taiping all the way to this stadium. It all took 26 cyclists, and 3 days. Only 8 made it to the stadium. Out of that, only 4 actually cycled thoughout the 16 hours.

Naturally, that triggered my dream of cycling around Malaysia with a friend(s). And to think it started out as a fanciful daydream we 'ironed out' online. Haha

His name was Tzuo Hann, and he was 24. I did a double take on the age, I never expected him to be so OLD. But old, in a way, was pretty good, I needed a conversation which made sense once in a while. And also the added bonus of debating and verbal hedging and sarcasm. I was surprised at the ease of it. Either I was really and truly growing up, or he was mentally still a teenager. I couldn't tell. I was prejudiced.

Only later I got to know a Nottingham student. That started with a bike ride. We talked about many things, but the most surprising, and disturbing, I might add, would be the subject of cancer. It was a surprise really, but he'd been bouncing questions off me randomly out of boredom, I felt like I was being cross-examined.


J : What would you if you found out you had cancer?

I paused, doing another double take, thinking I'd better stop doing that. But my thoughtful expression gave me an idea.

A : How do you know I'm not already having cancer?

My voice was light and cheery, intending it to be a joke. But it came out all wrong. Now it was his turn to do a double take.

J : Are you serious?

I shrugged, half skipping.




About 100m later he asked again.



J : Are you seriously having cancer?

I could see that this was getting too far, I shook my head and stared.

A : NO, of course not.

J : You got me scared there, I spent the last 100m thinking of what to say to you!


Haha, but the worst wasn't over.


J : If you had cancer though, what would you do?

I had to think about that one for a while...

A : Nothing.

And for some reason, I was absolutely positive.

J : Come on, I'm sure that there'd be things you want to do, specially.

A : Nope. Nothing. If I had cancer, I wouldn't tell anybody. I don't need sympathy. Besides, its more fun that way.

Notice the resemblance based on the above? =p

And in a way I knew I was right. I would want life to be exactly as it is now. Its not perfect, but its comfortable. Of course, my resolve might shake sometime... But really, who's getting cancer anytime soon? =)