Since I wrote something about my mom this morning, I thought it would be nice if I write something about my dad. It's not intentional, just that I saw something on television this evening at the gym that triggered an old but funny memory.

It was "Phua Chu Kang" *cringe*. I don't watch it at all, but the gym's television was showing it and since I had nothing to do while resting between sets, I distracted myself by watching it.

Anyway, it was an episode where Chu Kang and his brother Chu Beng were recalling things about their dad and the things they did with him. There was this particular flashback scene where the two of them as kids were discussing ways to interrupt their father's nap. Chu Kang then shouted loudly which of course startled him awake.

That scene suddenly triggered my memory of the exact same thing I did with my dad when I was really young. Probably before I was six. But the reason for my actions was far from mischief.

At that time, my parents' friend had passed away so all of us went for her funeral service. At the last part, all the mourners filed pass the coffin to get a last view of her before she was sent for burial. Being the inquisitive boy I was, I asked my dad what was happening. After he had explained to me, I told him that I too wanted to take a last look at her.

Big mistake. The image of the old lady lying peacefully in her coffin was a bit too much for me. I can't remember what I did but I think I struggled loose and went back to my seat. My mom was a bit pissed off with my dad for allowing me to view the deceased and told him to never do that again.

Anyway, that picture of her stayed in my mind and for the first time, I thought about death and how it may come for my parents. Unfortunately, I couldn't shake it off and my dad couldn't have a peaceful nap for the next week. Every time when I was left home with my dad alone and saw him napping, I thought he had died. And as a little boy, the only thing I knew was to shake him awake.

The first time that happened, he laughed after I told him why I woke him up. But I guess it got a bit too much after the second or third time cause he scolded me and I didn't dare do it again. But still, whenever I saw him sleeping, I was seized with the fear that he had really died. But since I couldn't wake him up, I didn't know what else to do but sit next to him till he finished his nap.

I guess my mom was pretty amused by the whole thing and thought my dad was being punished for allowing an impressionable young boy to scare himself silly by the sight of a body in coffin. :-)