Nanyang Butterflies - Chapter 9
Mr Moe picked up the newspaper and saw a small classified ad that caught his attention. It stated, “Tee Informatics: Teaching computer typing and data entry, interested parties please call 272 4454”.
One Dream by Ling Kai
Mr Moe picked up the newspaper and saw a small classified ad that caught his attention. It stated, “Tee Informatics: Teaching computer typing and data entry, interested parties please call 272 4454”.
He smiled and wondered how the Tees were getting along. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen their baby yet. The phone ranged.
“Hello, South Ocean Textile”
“Hi.” the other person spoke softly.
“Well, well, it's nice of you to actually call a jerk, how can this jerk help you?” Mr Moe joked in a satirically tone. He wasn't really angry. He just wanted to tease his former colleague.
"I'm sorry I called you a jerk." a soft lady voice came across in a regrettable tone.
Mr Moe laughed.
"Well, part of what you said could be true" Mr Moe smiled.
"Only a small part though. But maybe not the jerk part."
The lady chuckled.
"How's Mrs Tee?" she queried.
"She was very apologetic. She wasn't aware what her husband was doing. But if it wasn't for her after you left, Ocean probably wouldn't be around today."
"Is she coming back?"
"She was very apologetic. She wasn't aware what her husband was doing. But if it wasn't for her after you left, Ocean probably wouldn't be around today."
"Is she coming back?"
“No, I don't think so.”
“How about you?” Mr Moe asked quietly. “I asked you to sleep over it. You never even come and say goodbye.”
“I miss the girls.” The voice softened.
“They are still here. We pulled through with Mrs Tee's help. I got some of the first 30 girls to come back too.”
“I’ll see you in the afternoon.” It was the most feminine tone Mr Moe had ever heard.
Mr Moe smiled and put down the phone.
* * * *
Su Zhen was having a good day. She was now making higher quality pieces for Ocean. Even better than the quality of Line EM One. She could double-stitch uniforms fast and accurately. A lot of other seamstresses were also improving by leaps and bounds. In a stress-free environment, butterflies flourished.
The sound of the sewing machines rattled on as everyone worked hard. The orders were coming in again and South Ocean Textile was making profits again. Mr Moe said bonus would be good. Su Zhen concentrated hard to complete the last stitch when she thought she saw a familiar face.
“Hi Su Zhen, how are you?” Ms Lim beamed.
“Ms Lim, you are coming back?” Su Zhen asked brightly.
“I don’t know about that yet.”
“We miss you so much!”
“Me too.”
“I am learning about fashion design” Su Zhen proudly announced.
“That’s great!”
“My mentor says I am really creative. He spends extra time and effort to help me once a week.”
Mr Moe saw the potential in some of his best seamstresses and decided to ask a friend in fashion design to help mentor some of these girls. Su Zhen was one of the selected girls. She was overjoyed when Mr Moe told her the good news. Whenever he could, he sends the girls over for their weekly lessons in his Toyota. He sold his BMW to tide over the cashflows.
Mr Moe saw the potential in some of his best seamstresses and decided to ask a friend in fashion design to help mentor some of these girls. Su Zhen was one of the selected girls. She was overjoyed when Mr Moe told her the good news. Whenever he could, he sends the girls over for their weekly lessons in his Toyota. He sold his BMW to tide over the cashflows.
“I always knew you had potential.” Ms Lim said. “In time, this Ocean cannot contain you.”
“Aiya, don’t say like that, Ocean is not too bad. That’s why you spent so much time here before you quit right?”
“Me, I am just a butterfly”
“A butterfly?”
“Don’t you think so, fluttering here and there, attending to flowers, trying to look beautiful.”
“Hahaha, but you are beautiful.”
They both laughed.
"Just between us, I've got a new boyfriend." Ms Lim whispered.
"Really? How's he like?" Su Zhen asked excitedly.
"He's in the army. He's a Lieutenant Colonel!"
"Sorry he's a what ner?"
"Oh..., you know the uncle outside Kentucky Fried Chicken, Colonel something? That one lah." Ms Lim smiled.
It was the first time Su Zhen heard Ms Lim joked.
Mr Moe watched at a distance. He was in the midst of revamping the business he built up from scratch. For the first time in a long while, he felt hopeful. He did away with the daily ranking and gave more time for training. He now employed just over 200 seamstresses, half of the peak number. He stopped chasing numbers. He made sure the girls were happy, motivated and eager to learn.
Motivation leads to learning, learning leads to knowledge. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow, some scientist once said.
Motivation leads to learning, learning leads to knowledge. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow, some scientist once said.
* * * *
Ms Lim put a flower on a gravestone amongst many others in Lim Chu Kang.
She put her palms together and wished for Mei to be happy, in a better place.
The wind blew and the grass rustled. Ms Lim looked around. Lim Chu Kang was quiet at this time of the year. It was tranquility in its purest form.
Finally, Ms Lim felt peace in her heart too.
* * * *
It was Saturday morning. Su Zhen was finishing up for the week.
She opened her file and looked at the sketch of her new dress design. She intended to show her mentor later. Mr Moe was busy today and he couldn't send Su Zhen and her colleagues over. So they were walking together to take the bus, talking and laughing as they walked. The pain from the incident was almost gone. Today they received their bonus letter. For Su Zhen it was her first bonus. She was quite satisfied and was walking passed the front gate when she heard the familiar sound of somebody's guitar strumming.
My One and Only by Kevin Mathews
“Brian!” she screamed excitedly.
Brian continued singing. This was his promise. He sang and strummed, constantly looking lovingly at Su Zhen. All the other girls stood around and giggled. Su Zhen felt so blissful. When he was done, he walked towards her and passed her a cassette tape wrapped in an oversized red ribbon. There was a note behind, "For my dearest Zhen". Su Zhen's heart melted.
“My mother told me never break a promise to a girl.” Brian said.
“My mother told me to beware of guys stalking me at my workplace.” She whispered satirically.
Brian laughed.
Su Zhen took her tape. Brian did not let go of her hand and held on, intimately. She tried to pull away at first, but hesitated and then relented.
They looked at each other and smiled.
The weekend had just started.
* * * *
Ibrahim was lacquering his new emblem. He made another one for himself after he gave Su Zhen the first one. He held it high up. It shone in the sun. The sign of hope. Outside his window, the sun’s rays bounced off the ocean waves, twinkles dancing around the emblem, like many, many butterflies.
THE END
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