New York, New York

New York, New York. The city that never sleeps. A city where the lights of the nightime transits into the 8th wonder of the world. A city where all the flavours of the world converge into one eloquent melting pot of cultures. A city that inspires movies, both old and new. A city where sleeping in the deserted subways brings as much joy as enjoying the trolly-pushed hotdogs on a park bench. New York, New York, a city so beautiful, it has to be mentioned twice.

It was an opportunity not to be missed for young Noel, when his boss, Steven proposed an all expense business trip to New York. Business or not, it already sounds like a holiday of a lifetime. For someone whose only brush with cold weather is confined to the ghastly four walls of his air-conditioned Singapore office, the mere mention of the trip deafened his surroundings for a good few seconds.

Noel blinked his eyes a couple of times before getting in sync with reality. He accepted the offer without thinking much of his almost depleted bank balance. And so it is, as his name is being printed out onto the boarding pass, Noel D'Souza, Destination : JFK International Airport. As the warm winds of the south finds its way to the north, and the birds of the city shall start to sing again, Noel is exhilarated to welcome the spring in New York.

Noel enjoyed the business aspect of the trip as much as the diverse sights and sounds that the city has to offer. He will be literally be drinking from the taps when he returns to his homeland, but you can try reminding him so and he would gladly scuff your words aside. Halfway into the trip and Noel has already bought 2 more bags to accommodate his wild shopping antics.

On the the second last day however, over breakfast consisting of hotdogs and some orange juice in Central Park, Steven shot a question out of the blue to young Noel, "So Noel, are you enjoying yourself in the company?". "Why of course Steven. I'm just blessed that you have given me the opportunity despite my lack of experience to ply my trade in the industry. You know I went to countless interviews only to be rejected because I couldn't speak a word of Mandarin or because I didn't possess enough industry experience. But I guess you must have saw something in me to give me a shot. And I have never been anything less but dedicated and committed to the company's cause", Noel said in one breath.

"I mean I really love this job and despite the unearthly hours that we work till most of the time, I still wake up each day with the same amount of enthusiasm and eagerness to step into the office doors. At the moment, this job means everything to me Steven. Supposing this wasn't New York. Supposing we are now at the Beach Road hawker centre back home, and you're asking me this exact question, I'd have answered it just the same", Noel continued.

"And you Steven, I mean you have taught me so much. Even more than what my lecturers taught in school. You have been a great mentor, a great boss, and a great friend and I'm proud to tell my friends that I'm working under such a dedicated and talented individual as yourself. To be honest Steven, I don't think any other boss would have shared his knowledge and experience to his colleagues the way you did to all of us in the company", Noel confessed his inner thoughts.

"You know, it's a funny way of putting it but....you remember the last FA Cup Final when Steven Gerrard scored the equaliser for Liverpool in the dying seconds against a plucky West Ham side?" "Well of course!", Steven exclaimed. "How can I ever forget that? Simply fantastic!", Steven said in between bites.

"Well yeah. Gerrard is the sole heartbeat of that Liverpool side. And you are to the company what Gerrard is to Liverpool. Well, I'm a hardcore Man Utd fan but we lost our heartbeat when Roy Keane left and I can't think of another example. But yeah, you are the heartbeat of the company," Noel claimed.

"Thanks Noel. It really means alot to me the way you say it. Well, it is very hard for me to say this. I have not told any of them back home but, I'll be leaving the company in a couple of months time and I just thought of sharing that with you. I know a lot of them including you would think of leaving as well once I'm gone but I'm just hoping that you guys stay in the company you know. Help it grow. Stay on a little longer until you find another suitable place," Steven dropped the bomb.

Noel felt like how the West Ham players must have felt when Gerrard blasted in that sumptous volley into the back of the net in the game's dying seconds. "Well I can see that you are dampened by what I have said but I hope you guys respect my decision you know. I have my personal goals to attain. I mean, I'm still a phone call away if you guys need me. I'll still be glad to meet up for coffee or dinner or something. Just thought that you should know this first Noel", Steven attempted to cheer up young Noel.

Deep down, Noel knows that this is part and parcel of life. People come and go in our lives and it is often those that touches you in one way or another that always seem to inflict the deepest wounds. Steven for one had a huge part to play in Noel's infant professional career in the industry. Whatver that Noel has accumulated in the 9 months or so in that company can be all accredited to Steven's guidance.

Steven is like the doting father to all in that company and by him leaving, the impact would be as great as a homeless child. The hotdog somehow didn't taste as good anymore after all that he heard in the last few minutes but Noel tried to hide his feelings from Steven. Both Steven and Noel, teacher and student, advertising guru and protege walked side by side toward the end of Central Park, deep in their own thoughts.

New York, New York, a city so beautiful, it has to be mentioned twice. Noel was promised the spring, but instead he found Autumn in New York.

Story Of The Rain

They say a wounded heart can take as short a time taken for a match to ignite or even as long as forever to heal. Rezel for 3 years now has already succumbed the fate of his love life to the later. It seemed effortless to forget the memory of someone etched like a bad virus within. Try as he might, somehow Rezel always resorted to comparing the girl he currently is dating to Jasmine.

Unfair you might say to compare two completely contrasting individuals but efforts taken to advice him to refrain perpetually falls on deaf ears. Time and again, he leads himself into the inevitable and comforting atmosphere of comparison. What a cruel habit.

On the first day of the new year, fresh from the aftermath of the hard partying that ended 2006 on a record low, the manager introduced the new girl from Ipoh. Though she looked every bit as modern and trendy as the common Singaporean Malay girl, her essence and upbringing was still very much deeply rooted. Juliana as of now, has yet to be corrupted from the politics of the world that very much enclaves our sunny island.

Rezel quickly developed a positive professional relationship with Juliana for her ability to hold witty conversations and her quirky dressing very much appeals to him. It makes working in Advertising seem like a gentle breeze when in actual fact, stress levels could effortlessly reach boiling point.

2 months into the job and somehow, Rezel began to look forward to the next working day as soon as he sets his foot into his house. For a moment, Rezel refused to acknowledge the fact that he is somewhat smitten by his colleague but at the back of his head, it would be a massacre to sacrifice a solid working relationship that he already has with Juliana.

After many confessional booth type sessions and late night binges with his buddies, Rezel somehow plucked enough courage to ask Juliana out after work one day on the pretext of having 'coffee'. Apparently, as Rezel subtlety puts it, "nothing beats unwinding oneself down after an eventful working day like a chilled Ice Blended and a warm Chocolate Brownie".

They have the luxury of the nice backdrop of the draping Singapore skyline and the pristine but somewhat murky waters of the Singapore river flowing by the side of the cafe. It didn't take long for Rezel and Juliana to drown themselves in meaningful, 'healthy' arguments.

When the verbal disputes got too tense, they would somehow find a way to meander the direction of the conversation to the walking passerbys and the hustle and bustle of the tourists that flooded the quay side cafes.

Secretly, both didn't want the night to fade away too fast but midnight was approaching and the the red clouds hinted that rain was approaching. Like the gentleman that he is, Rezel paid for the drinks and whatever brownies that they had and both walked toward the train station.

Without prior warning, the sky opened and rained on the two. Rezel pulled out his umbrella in a jiffy and attempted to shelter both of them from the menacing rain. Both of them saw the funny side to the situation at hand as they wet their designer shoes as they stepped into the odd puddles that mushroomed on the brick walkway.

After a somewhat long ten minute walk, trying to keep themselves dry from the rain, they approached the traffic junction where many others are secretly cursing for the 'green man' to come on so that they can cross to the safe haven of the MRT station entrance.

Each time a car or a bus approaches the junction, it meant a possible splash of dirty rain water potentially splashing on their fine clothes. No one liked these kinda situations which always crops up in those Hollywood comedies.

While waiting, both Rezel and Juliana couldn't help overhearing the couple standing next to them. The girl was giving the guy a hard time and bitching about the rain ruining their evening. She blamed the boyfriend for not bringing an umbrella, she blamed her boyfriend for her wet clothes, and she blamed her boyfriend for coming late which resulted in them getting caught in the rain.

Standing in front of Rezel and Juliana, another couple was having a similar squabble where the girl was blaming her boyfriend for everything. This couple was somewhat more extreme compared to the other for the girl was generally uncouth in her choice of words. "How could something as natural as the rain be the object of these domestic disputes", Rezal thought to himself.

Without warning, a taxi cab sped past the junction and splashed the pitter patter raindrops on all at that Church St junction. The quarreling went up a few notches but Rezel and Juliana looked at each other and just smiled. Juliana locked her arms around Rezel's left hand and leaned her head on his already wet shoulders. "Raining also want to fight. Haizz...these people ar. No big deal mah raining. Most to most wet only", Juliana exclaimed while she tightened her grip on Rezel's hand.

The moment those words came out from Juliana, Rezel knew that this girl must be special. Her ability to remain calm and collected during times of peril in the office overflowed even when it isn't concerning work. Her free spiritedness and her ability to take 'hardship' in a light-hearted manner moved Rezel. Like the short time taken to light a match, Rezel secretly fell for Juliana. At that Church St junction, cupid's arrow had left its quiver and struck Rezel's deserving heart.

As they lived in totally extreme ends of the island, Rezel insisted to wait for Juliana to board the train first. They parted their goodbyes and Rezel stared solemnly as Juliana walked through the sliding train doors. All the while, Juliana forced herself not too turn around for she could feel Rezel's warm parting eyes on her.

Just as the beeping sounds of the train signaled for its doors to close, Juliana turned around and walked out of the train. She hurried toward Rezel, whoose heart already skipped a couple of beats. "Is she going to give me a kiss on the lips?", Rezel hoped. "Peck on the cheek also can lah", Rezel bargained with himself.

"You know what Rezel. I can't deny that I really like your company and especially today, you intellectually and physically swept me off my feet. I don't know how to put this but err...how shall I say this?" Juliana struggled with her words. "I'm not one to deny when it comes my way but I have to tell you that I have already promised my parents that after my 2 year stint in Singapore, I'll go back to Ipoh to marry a Datuk that I do not love at all!!!. Do you have any idea how that feels?! There I have said it. I'm sorry Rezel", Juliana confessed with tears welling in her eyes.

Juliana boarded her train and left Rezel alone to swallow what she had to reveal. There is no one to blame in this case, Rezel thought but nevertheless, he could feel his heart break once more. How could a love so pure, just vanish so quickly. As Rezel thought more and more about it, about their good working relationship, about the good time he had just a while ago, Rezel realised that he at long last managed to fall for someone without comparing her to Jasmine.

"Maybe I'm just not meant to fall in love again", Rezel concluded to himself as he made his way home. The next morning, Rezel, still fresh from the mishap from the day before, was standing again at that Church St junction on his way to work. The very junction where Juliana rested her head on his shoulders, the very junction where he felt her skin for the very first time, the very junction where he shall always remember the love that the Rain brought him.