Saturday, September 24, 2005
to aunty joy...

Dear Josephina de Leon (aka Auntie Joy),
HELLO! i haven't seen or talked to you for six years already. Where are you? Are you in the Philippines with your two sons now? Are you still at your home near the volcano which you used to tell me about last time? Or are you with your new husband in the United States, living a carefree and happy life? Or are you still working as a maid in some far-off country?
Auntie Joy, I miss you so much! You weren't a maid to me at all, you were my playmate, my guardian, my friend. You were with me ever since I was in Mummy's womb, and you took care of me for six whole years. My memory of you is just as clear and vivid as it was six years ago. I remember all the naughty things you did to me, hahaha.... I remember when I was four, I was just starting nursery class at the school nearby. We'd walk there together every day, and on the way, we would talk and laugh and you would let me ride your shoulders sometimes. Then somewhere in March, I was being a very difficult child in my nursery so Mummy had no choice but to take me out of school for the rest of the year. In the morning, I'd wake up and ask for my milk, and you'd nearly always be ready with my milk bottle. After breakfast we'd go downstairs to play in the playground, and you would buy 4D at the shop near our house. And while you were queueing up you would give me a handful of coins to slot into those rides, and i'd ride on that toy car until you finished buying your 4D.
In the afternoon, you'd feed me my lunch while we both played SEGA video games for two hours. We would always play Tiny Toons or Power Rangers, and most of the time your Rangers would thrash mine. You'd give an evil cackle and i used to get fed up when u did that. Nevertheless we still had loads of fun. After bath, you would blow my hair for me and I'd always bring my toy Yellow Ranger to the bathroom with me. Once, you stuck my Ranger's head in your stinky armpit and made me smell it. YUCK. I thought it was pretty disgusting but didn't really mind. The rest of the day would be spent cooking, sleeping and doing assessment books with Mummy.
You left in either June or September, 1997. That day was one of the saddest ones of my life. The saddest day of my life, unfortunately, happened this year. Anyway, the day before, we played the final SEGA game, we sang a Mary Hopkins song together, you slept with me for the very last time... That fateful day, the cup of milk was the last you'd ever make me, and finally, we were off for the airport. I tried to smile, I tried to be happy, but inside, you don't know how sad I felt. We talked for a while at the airport, we hugged and kissed and then you left Singapore forever... Our eyes were swollen and filled with tears, and although I was five and hadn't cried loudly in public for a while, the moment you were completely out of my sight, I just broke down right in front of the whole crowd of people and cried like a baby.
The very last i heard of you was when i was in primary one. I still hadnt quite forgotten about you, and the moment you called, I was so happy and sad that I cried while talking to you. You said you were working as a maid in Hong Kong, and that you missed me very much. You said you were going to marry your American boyfriend and take your sons with you to the US for a better life. The last words you said to me, I still remember.
"I love you, val! Bye bye! God bless you!"

I love you too, Auntie Joy.