It was noon on a quiet Wednesday and i just scooped up the last spoonful of my lunch. I was waiting for a call that they have arrived at the mall next door. My lunch partner, who in the middle of her lunch, got up to go the ladies.
There i was, left alone at the table and waiting for the fonecall when i saw 5 people coming in from the reception area to the 'break out' area (thats the makan area) from my right holding trays.
I hear them singing the 'Happy Birthday' song, someone saying 'so sweet', another person wondering 'who's birthday?'
For that few seconds i couldnt register what was happening cause those 5 people were familiar faces. The people i worked with from the previous office! They were not supposed to be in this office, why were they here? Then i realised they are here for me! Those are my trays! For me! Gifts for me! Man, was i super stoked!
What i did? I laughed, HARD. A hard shocked, surprised, excited, touched laugh all rolled into one.
They brought me gifts on trays, complete with gorgeous purple lining! The kind of gifts on trays that you see in a Melayu engagement or wedding. Yes, those dulang hantaran! The gifts were hard work, hand made and i can see created with plenty of love!
.A thick black frame patiently decorated with 7 flowers complete with a border made up of 100 pcs of $1 coins,
.A tray of 10 palm-sized silky white netted bags (with white & red roses!) of individually packed fragrant potpourri,
.A tray of tiny colourful yummy cupcakes,
.A doll (tied up long blonde hair with brown highlights!) on a tray with green sweets & hershey's almond kisses as her skirt - super patiently double-sided taped on a purple paper and
.A very classy bronze wooden box when opened, with a collage of pictures of me and all 9 of them and their wishes for me inside!
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The planning (roping everyone in!), the spirit of gotong-royong. Wow! I showed their artwork to those who passed by my desk!
I was storied to that the idea came from one of their mom! Wow!
Thank you to the planners and contributors - Farah, Wati, Yati, Haiz, Farlina, Alex, Aisya, Diana &Ezra!
Thank you to the ones who were roped in - Anne & Lina!
A very memorable one indeed! :)
