Foster Child

A thought suddenly came into my mind as i was trying to fall asleep yesterday night.

Its so sudden, that i could not sleep.

I kept thinking about a kid. That kid had followed us in our home since he is about 1-2 years old, all the way till he was in primary one.

My house has been a foster home for kids who needs a place to stay, while their family finishes their whatever crisis that they faced. That kid (cannot be identified, as its against the law) came into our family when he is still very young.

Suddenly, i miss that kid... Very much...

He has been following us for about 6 years. I watched him grow up. Enrolled into kidergarten, and finally primary school. He's one hell of a hyperactive kid, and a super naughty one.

I guess, its his naughtyness that provoke so much thoughs in me.

I had been a big brother to him. Being fierce when he's naughty, (believe me, i am the only one that he is scared of in my family)... But when its time to play, both of us can create havoc in the house.

Though there has been many kids who had stayed in my family, none had left an impression as deep as that kid. Perhaps, its the time (6 years) of staying with us... perhaps, its his naughtyness... perhaps, its his hyperactiveness... perhaps, its me...

I remembered the time when he was hospitalise in NUH, we took turns to go to the hospital to take care of him (accompany him), my mum, dad, and me. When its my turn (after work), he wanted to go out to the playground and play.

So, i accompany him out. Sitting there, i can see the happiness in his eyes, as he do some daredevil stunts on the playground. He has been lying on the bed the whole day. (my mum did not allow him out to play eariler,). He enjoying himself so much that some nurse commented that he ain't sick at all...

In short, all the nurses and the doctors there concluded that that kid is super hyperactive, and that i was his father... (HELLO???) He played at that playground till some nurse complained that its time for him to rest...

Went back to the bed, full of sweat, but he is smiling, laughing away. It truly warms my heart to see him laugh.

Remembered another incident... he fell down on some stones and has a deep cut on his mouth. My mum called me, and i rushed down to fetch them to NUH.

Went for some stitches, and a few hours later, he came out, feeling groggly from the anthesia.

Carryed him home after we reached the carpark.

First first he's so "guai" when i am carrying him. Normally, when he was smaller, and i was carrying him, he will play with my specs, my hair... and keep turning around. That time was totally different.. he just stared with half closed eyes, and keep totally still...

Remember one more incident, where by my mum is supposed to pick him up from the school bus dropped off point. Second day of school (pri 1).

I was watching TV when my mum came back without him. She mentioned that he did not alight from the bus, and now, no one knows where is he. My mum was pale with shock, and she called up the bus operator immediately.

The bus operator mentioned that he had picked up all the kids, and did not know where he alight. Upon hearing that, i pick up my wallet, HP and my car keys, and went out of the house. I planned to drive around BP to search for him. I was feeling from shock also. He's ain't our kid. We have to be responsible for him leh...

Once i went down a storey, there, i found him, chit chatting with our neighbour's kid. I brought him back and he immediately got an earful from my mum...

What i listened later is that he alight together with his friends a stop eariler, and went back home himself. What an independent kid.

History has repeated. Last time, on my first school bus trip home in primary 1, i also alighted a stop eariler and went back home myself. leaving my mum to wait for me and getting a shock when i was not in the bus.

What a twist of fate.

Finally, he's due to go back home to stay with his family. I still remember the last morning he's staying in our house. I took some photos of him, but due to my computer crashing, the photos are all gone. Since that morning, i did not saw him again. I told myself that he left us for good, back to his biological parents, and that i should forget him and focus on other things instead.

I still cannot forget him. A year had passed, and i still thinking about that naughty kid.

Miss him so much, wondering how he's getting on, and how's his studies... Miss the times when we played... Miss the times when i scolded him for being naughty... Miss the time when i pat him to sleep... Miss the times when he keep asking me questions...

Hope one day, fate can cross our paths, and that's the time we shall sit down and talk about the old times. I really wish that we could meet again, even just let me know how he doing.