5 more years to being 40, but I still have it! Happy Birthday to me!

Originally posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006

5 more years to being 40, but I still have it! Happy Birthday to me!

What is worse than being stuck in traffic jam? Let me tell you. It’s being stuck in traffic on a hot day in a car with no air-con. When you think it cannot get any worse, the sun moves to the driver’s side and bitch-slap one side of your sweaty face with its barely bearable heat. And that’s when you have to decide whether to look elsewhere and let the sun hit your medulla oblongata, or look straight, control your composure and risk having your face half-treated with suntan.

Well, it was one of those days for me yesterday afternoon as I was driving back from a meeting. It was one of those times when you got drenched in perspiration so long you just had to secretly (and hope really hard no one saw you) lift one arm just high enough so you could check on your body odour. Your nose filtered no offensive smell. Thank God you thought. How about the other pit? Looking straight, composed, you lifted the other arm and…aw c’mon admit it. You’ve done it before!

Traffic started to crawl again. After confirming that my armpits did not exude anything toxic, I rubbed my face against my sleeve as if I was trying to wipe off facial sweat (yeah like you don’t know the trick) and drove. Slowly. And there she was. Simply beautiful. Face not marred by the slightest trace of skin-intruders. Hair unsplit and unspoilt by the cruel weather.

There she stood. By the roadside. Waiting to cross the street. Hands holding fries. By the reckoning of my own age, I’d say she was underage.Her eyes caught hold of mine. Between her and me and my non-toxic armpits, I’d say there was some chemical reaction going on.

I drove past. But glanced at my rear view mirror. To my disbelief, but I anticipated it, she was staring right back at me. Eyes contacted again. I smiled. I had no idea what made me do it, but I smiled. I wasn’t sure whether my smile was obligatory as I was beginning to feel awkward, or it was just a natural and manly thing to do. It was weird for me, given that she was probably sub-20 years old staring at a man twice her age, to actually experience a… smile return! Yep, she smiled back at me. I might’ve made you sick when I said that, but she smiled back. She did.

I am 35 today. Married. With 3 kids. And one more on the way. And still able to attract a smile from a strange beautiful girl barely 20 years old. Damn, I still have it. The charm. LOL!!!!!! JCan’t believe I’m 35. Career-wise, I don’t see myself progressing, but I guess that’s what keeps me sane. THAT and wanting a chopper.Did I write too much today? I don’t talk much. Only write a lot. Sorry for a quiet birthday lunch. But today reminds me that at least I still have a group of friends to write to, albeit a small group. Thanks again for the birthday wishes. Wish Afiza and Steven were here!