Chapter 22.06: The Lecturer Who Almost Made Me Lose My 2nd Upper Class
By steambunz - Friday, January 23, 2015
"Yes, come in." A muffled voice came inside from the closed office door.
I barged into his office.
"Dr.Chengggg!!!!"
He sighed. "Yesssssss... ."
His toned was calm and cool, but slightly annoyed, as if he was expecting someone to clobber him with a club already. He looked at me, not feeling surprised that I was that person.
"I wanna chop you already!" I said hysterically while waving my result slip in front of him, smiling. "I almost lost my 2nd upper class because of youuuuu!!"
I just obtained my official semester result slip, guaranteeing me the 2nd upper class that I wanted, but I wasn't happy until I teased my subject lecturer. I wanted to teased him for my own satisfaction, like how he teased me with my final examination marks.
He sighed.
"Listen, listen. It's not my fault, I can explain," he said boringly. He sounded as if he had explained it for the 1010th times. "The marks wasn't supposed to be like that, but after going through some external markers, they lowered the marks, so it's not my fault. It is Lancaster requirement..... Yada.... yada.... yada...."
I sat comfortably at the chair in front of his table, refusing to listen to the usual "Lancaster requirement standards" talk. I've graduated, so I didn't really care. On the other hand, Mr.Gan, my research project supervisor, who was seated opposite of him, smiled at the conversation that we were having.
".... so that's why the marks is not to what you expected."
"You know Dr.Cheng," I said as I stood up to look at him. "Sometimes in life, there will always be that one person who you’ll remember for something. And so, I will remember you. I will remember you for the person who almost make me lose my 2nd upper class!” I teased him, evilly.
“The person who almost make you lose your 2nd upper class, huh?” He repeated “That’s very interesting, huh?” He said sarcastically as he smiled.
“The person who almost make you lose your 2nd upper class, huh?” He repeated “That’s very interesting, huh?” He said sarcastically as he smiled.
* * *
He was my class lecturer for 3 subjects.
Product Development and Commercialization. International Marketing. Marketing Strategy.
But I will remember him, I will remember him as the lecturer who almost made me lose my 2nd Upper Class. Because that sounds more interesting than a normal subject lecturer.
I skipped happily towards her, feeling excited to tell her something.
"Wanna see durians?" I asked my friend as I arrived on the stretching area from where she is standing, slightly panting.
"Where did you go, doofus?!" She raised her voice, feeling slightly annoyed and angry.
She always call people 'doofus' when she's angry or when she thinks the person is dumb or noob, although I don't know what that means.
"Wanna see durians?" I repeated the question, ignoring her, not letting her destroy my excitement.
"I've seen them before," she brushed me off.
"Since when?! Liar! No you didn't! Let me show you some durians!"
I held my right hand in front of her and open up my palms.
"Here! Mini durians!" I smiled gleefully at her.
"Here! Mini durians!" I smiled gleefully at her.
15th January 2014, Thursday.
Location: McDonalds, Sri Petaling.
"Yerr... You larh! Actually I don't want to come one lorh." She grumbled.
"I only came to accompany you because Nui Nui couldn't make it."
"I only came to accompany you because Nui Nui couldn't make it."
I looked into my chocolate sundae ice-cream.
"Come on... It's only like, once in a lifetime. I don't always ask you out like this at this time also," I said.
"Plus, it's the biggest and most important period of my life lorh. It's like the determining factor whether you'll finally graduate. Don't you feel that way when you check your final examination results?"
"Plus, it's the biggest and most important period of my life lorh. It's like the determining factor whether you'll finally graduate. Don't you feel that way when you check your final examination results?"
"Well... yes I do, but not like this! I do it at home lorh."
"But to me, I want to remember that moment. If my results are good, I would wanna celebrate it with someone, if it's not good, at least I have someone there for me to cry on."
I sighed.
"Anyway, how's your first day at work?" I asked, deciding to change the topic.
I pressed the home button on my iPhone. The screen lighted up: 11.52pm.
"10 more minutes!!" I gasped, scooping a spoonful of ice-cream into my mouth.
She smiled at me.
"Are you sure you wanna listen to my story? You don't looked like you wanna listen."
"Don't worry, I'm listening. So, tell me."
* * *
10 minutes later...
12.02am
"OH. MY. GOD!! IT'S 12am!!" I shrieked. "I don't dare look at my results! Please look at it for me! HELP ME SEEEEEEE!!"
I forced my iPhone into her hands. So many things were running through my mind.
Will I get both subjects 60% and above? I think I'll get 60%+ for Marketing Strategy, but what about International Business?
I know I'm gonna pass, it's only 2 subjects! Who couldn't passed a theory exam with only 2 subjects?! But I wasn't worried about passing, I was worried about whether I'll be getting my 2nd upper class. The most important thing is that I have to get both subjects 60% and above!
"Where? How? I don't see anything!"
"You gotta click on the drop-down list and click on the latest semester!"
"Ohh... but I still don't see anything! I can't scroll to the right."
I snatched my phone away and unlocked the "portrait orientation" setting.
"Nah! Just scroll to the right and see. Please tell me it's all B!! For both subjects!! If it's bad, please don't tell me! If it's good......"
Suddenly, I saw a smile on her face, and she started laughing. I immediately went blank.
But her laugh faded.
"Eerhh... okay larh," she hesitated.
"How is it?! All B?!" I clasped my hands on the side of my face.
"Quite close. 3 more marks only."
"WHAT?!"
I snatched my phone, and the first thing I saw on the screen, in a table form:
.... B
.... C
A 'C'?!
I zoomed out to look at the marks, side by side with the grades.
.... 68 B
.... 57 C
For a moment, I felt my heart sank. It sank so deep, that it could actually make friends with Titanic. I thought I would actually go berserk or start screaming and shouting in anger, or even start crying and tearing up, but nothing of those came to my mind. The thing is…..
I just. Went. Blank.
I stared at my results on my dimmed screen, and sighed. Suddenly, I felt reality started kicking me in the butt, and in the face. I closed my eyes and tilt my head back towards the ceiling, stretching my arms horizontally across the table. Life sucks.
I got up from my table, suddenly feeling the slight dizziness in my head. I felt so heavy, as if there was something weighing me down. I felt like there was a whole heaped of weight on me, dragging me as I walk, like I was dragging the table from where we ate. But I guess, disappointment was the one dragging onto me.
Without looking at her face, I muttered, “Let’s go home.”
But her laugh faded.
"Eerhh... okay larh," she hesitated.
"How is it?! All B?!" I clasped my hands on the side of my face.
"Quite close. 3 more marks only."
"WHAT?!"
I snatched my phone, and the first thing I saw on the screen, in a table form:
.... B
.... C
A 'C'?!
I zoomed out to look at the marks, side by side with the grades.
.... 68 B
.... 57 C
For a moment, I felt my heart sank. It sank so deep, that it could actually make friends with Titanic. I thought I would actually go berserk or start screaming and shouting in anger, or even start crying and tearing up, but nothing of those came to my mind. The thing is…..
I just. Went. Blank.
I stared at my results on my dimmed screen, and sighed. Suddenly, I felt reality started kicking me in the butt, and in the face. I closed my eyes and tilt my head back towards the ceiling, stretching my arms horizontally across the table. Life sucks.
I got up from my table, suddenly feeling the slight dizziness in my head. I felt so heavy, as if there was something weighing me down. I felt like there was a whole heaped of weight on me, dragging me as I walk, like I was dragging the table from where we ate. But I guess, disappointment was the one dragging onto me.
Without looking at her face, I muttered, “Let’s go home.”
This chapter is dedicated to the late Mr.Loong Ah Kew, who had recently passed away due to a brain tumour. He was a secondary school discipline teacher in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Desa, and he will be deeply missed by all of his students, teachers, friends, relatives, and also his family.
You have touched the lives of many.
And one of them...
...is me.
* * *
Isn't it funny?
That you'll only start remembering the memories of a person only when he/she is gone?
I guess it happens a lot to many of us.
Because we'll only start remembering and appreciating them only after they're gone.
*RIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!*
"Did you hear? Mr.Loong is our class teacher!"
"You mean that half botak teacher in the school assembly just now? Sure anot?!"
"What?! Really?! Who told you?!?!"
A group of students who just entered the classroom started whispering and snickering.
I just so happen to eavesdrop while everyone was busy talking and choosing their 'strategic' class seats.
It was my first day of secondary school. My first time stepping into a totally new environment. 1M was the name of my class. The so called last class of the whole Form1, but I was more glad that I wasn't sentenced to "Peralihan", or the so called "Remove Class". The sound of those class names sounded more terrifying than 1M.
In short, I think 1M wasn't that bad.
1 MEGA-AWESOME CLASS mah! I told myself, trying to convince my heart that it was going to be okay.
"He very scary leh! I heard he canned students one wor," said a girl student.
"Ya lorh. He looks damn scary leh! More scarier than my mother!" said another student, seated beside the girl.
Suddenly, a man walked in to the room.
5 feet tall, slightly plumped and bald, and fair skin, his presence was enough to kill the noises of the classroom instantly. Alas, it was true, he was none other than Mr.Loong Ah Kew.
The whole classroom immediately stood up and greeted him.
"Se-la-mat Se-jah-te-ra Cik-gu."
Mr.Loong nodded in satisfaction.
"Okay. Sit down," he said.
Everyone settled down, but no one dare to make a move or a sound. Mr.Loong stood in front of the class. His eyes started scanning the whole classroom, as if he was a robot or something, but his smile instantly greeted us.
“My name is Mr.Loong, and I’ll be your class teacher from today onwards,” he said, “Since today is your first day of school, I won’t be giving any homework but I would like to get to know every one of you in this class. So, I would like all of us to introduce ourselves.”
The students started chattering softly, exchanging glances and small talks with one another.
“So let’s start from here,” he pointed.
The girl sitting at the utmost front row corner was caught by his surprised.
“Stand up, introduce yourself by saying your name, and what are your hobbies,” he said.
And one by one, every student stood up, and shared their names and hobbies to the class. Each time, giggles and laughers were exchanged as the amused Mr.Loong questioned and teased about the weird stories and hobbies that certain students had shared. And when it was finally my turn, I slowly stood up.
“My name is Siew Lin,” I said, softly. “And I like cooking.”
“Oh… So what do you usually cook?” Mr.Loong asked.
I paused for awhile. “Maggi mee?”
“Maggi mee?!” he repeated, cheekily smiling.
The class roared with laughter. The two guys who was seated in front of me kept laughing.
I stood there, feeling confused while staring at him.
Was it supposed to be funny? I asked myself.
“Well… erm… I can fried fish too,” I added on, thinking that it might help improve my previous answer. "And I can draw too!"
"Ya, teacher!" The guy in front of me said. "She can really draw!"
He lifted my plastic file up to show him the hand-drawn anime pictures pasted on my file cover.
"Damn geng you know she draw!" the guy next to him said.
Mr.Loong smiled. "Alright. Alright. Thank you Siew Lin, you may sit down."
And that was how I met Mr.Loong for the first time.
* * * * *
Mr.Loong wasn't just our class teacher, he was also our English teacher.
"Okay, class. I want you to construct a sentence using these 5 words written here," Mr.Loong said.
The words written on the blackboard:
Hostile.
Amuse.
Jovial.
Alluring.
Mischievous.
Hmm... This doesn't look tough. I know every word except the third one, I thought.
“Let me explain each word, so that you would know what each word means,” said Mr.Loong, “The first word, hostile, means being rude and aggressive to someone.”
Before I could hear him explained, I’ve had already started writing down the constructed sentences in my workbook.
“Sam’s parents didn’t like Ahmad because of his hostile attitude” I wrote.
“The next word, amused, means to be surprised at something that you least expect.”
“Alex was amused when he saw his friend showed him some magic tricks" I wrote.
The next word, jovial, the word that I didn't understand. I look up at Mr.Loong, waiting for him to explain.
"And jovial, means being happy. It describes a person who is happy-go-lucky and always in a good and happy mood," Mr.Loong said.
I look at him in amusement, something had already struck my head after he had finished describing. I look down at my workbook and immediately started scribbling:
"Mr.Loong looks very strict but he is actually a very jovial person."
