A short story

Ding Dong.


Ding Dong.


Ding Dong.


It was saturday afternoon and Miss Chan was rudely awaken by the sound of the doorbell at 1.30pm. Groggily, Miss Chan stumbled to open her room's door to find out which idiotic salesman was trying his luck on a saturday afternoon.


She stepped into her living room and found her sister, miss gorzilla aka Miss G squatting in the middle of the main door which was wide open.


"What you doing squatting there?" asked Miss Chan.


"Jie, ah gu says po-po is dead," exclaimed Miss G.


Ah gu, in her forties, is mentally disabled and was adopted into the family many many years back. She was on her way home from the school for people with special needs and had pressed the doorbell to her home for umpteen times but no one had answered the door.


Worried, she crossed over to her nearest relatives for help.


"WTF?!" Miss Chan exclaimed as she shoved the toothbrush into her mouth simultaneously changed into shorts as fast as she could.


"Quick go and change. Tell her we are going up with her and give Uncle K or Daddy a call," said Miss Chan.


Uncle K, a lecturer at a local polytechnic is one half of a pair of twins. He is still a single in his late 40s who lives with ah gu and popo.


Miss G ran to change and called Uncle K while I tied shoelaces for ah gu.


After a brief and tensed exchange with Uncle K who promised to rush down, Miss G said to me, "Tell Uncle K better den tell Daddy. Daddy will just tell us to settle it."


Miss Chan signalled to ah gu to ask her why didnt she bring her keys out today as per-normal and she motioned that she has forgotten today.


In the lift, Miss G wrote on a piece of paper and asked ah gu not to worry and perhaps Popo has only fainted. At that, Miss Chan made a face and rolled her eyes.


"You should just say maybe Popo is sleeping lor," said Miss Chan.


"OOPS!" exclaimed Miss G as the lift opened at the 17th floor.


Miss Chan rushed forth to press the doorbell several times. Ding Dong. Ding Dong. No one answered.


"Jie, I'm scared," said Miss G.


Miss Chan ignored her and continued to bang on the door loudly.


"Like that is going to help," retored Miss G who in turn started to bang on the door too and yelled for Popo loudly.


Suddenly, the door creaked. And Popo opened the door.


Miss Chan gasped in shocked while Miss G stood rooted to the ground.


"I fell asleep and couldn't hear the bell," explained Popo in cantonese.


Miss Chan decided that Popo wouldn't be very pleased to hear that they thought that she was DEAD and hence didn't mention anything. Besides, Popo's hearing wasn't very good too. It was at that stage where one has to shout a little to make sure she hears right.


Miss Chan and Miss G, unsure of what to say and do next, wanted to leave because Popo was starting to scold ah gu for troubling others.


After exchanging goodbyes, the 2 sisters left.


In the lift, Miss Chan and Miss G kept silent without talking to each other.


As they were walking back to their block, they remained silent still.


All of a sudden. They giggled madly. Loudly. On a rainy saturday afternoon.