Blackout.

"My hair's such a mess,"I thought aloud as I tugged my brush through my entangled tresses.

In an instant, all the light from the table lamp retreated back into the bulb and vanished. (Well, it really did look that way, like there was some black hole sort of thing sucking everything into nonexistence.) I plunged into darkness, deprived of my sight. A wave of trepidation gripped me, before logic finally sharpened my befuddled senses.

"Oh. Blackout." Still, knowledge doesn't always equal to power, so I fumbled my way out of my room, stumbled through the living room, calling out "MUMMY!" until I reached my parents' room, knocking on the door.

She emerged all sleepy-eyed and hoarse, asking me what was the matter. I quickly latched myself on to her arm, in case I lost in the darkness again. "There is a blackout!"

"Why? You scared ah?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Aiyo, silly. You cannot see meh?" She reprimanded in a mockingly severe manner.

"Cannot!"

I was marvelled by the way she could head straight for the altar where the candles were kept without knocking into anything. On hindsight, she was probably accustomed to the darkness since I rudely awoke her from her sleep, whereas I was peering intently at the mirror with all the lights on. I haven't had as much time as she did to develop visual purple.

"No need to be scared mah... you also not say never get blackout before..."

"Haiya... but I'm all alone and it's the middle of the night what!"

"Go and sleep then no problem already. You want to sleep in mummy's room tonight?"

"Wah, sleep between you and papa like last time is it?"

She laughed in memory of old times past, replying, "No lah. Sleep on the mattress lor."

I took my pillow and bolster to her room where a spare mattress was always ready for displaced little children like me. As I lay thinking, (feeling a wee bit chilly because I had forgotten to grab my comforter) I felt rather nostalgic. And a little embarrassed too. It's been a long time since I slept in the same room as my parents. Furthermore, I am way too old to be doing that now!

It got me thinking quite a bit as I struggled to sleep in a familiar yet unfamiliar place. I was glad to have my mother around, because I'd genuinely be quite freaked out to be caught blanketed in darkness at 1 in the morning. Even though I interrupted her sleep, I know my mother was only too happy to help me. It's a motherly thing, I suppose. I guess it rouses her nurturing maternal instincts when she sees her child in distress.

Eventually, I fell asleep, only to be woken up at about 2:50 am when I heard voices. I heard the door open, and I yelled, "Mee!!! (Which is how I abbreviate "mummy". Doesn't everyone do that?) Can you close the door?"

Then I heard my brother's voice! "Eh? I didn't know you were in here!"

I was too lazy to explain what happened, but by then the power was back on and running so I grabbed my pillow and bolster and went back to my room. I tucked myself into bed, thinking, "What an adventure... I must remember to blog about this..." And then I dozed off.

********

Oh yea I discovered these photos that was taken quite some time ago, but somehow it never got circulated.

Behold! The entire arts faculty of NJC J1 2007!