My friend, Sandra, passed away recently. The simple word that appeared on my chat window with Sheryl will be engraved forever in my mind.
Sheryl: hey
Leo: heya
Sheryl: sth bad happened to sandra
Sheryl: she met with an accident n passed away
I stared at my screen for 30 seconds, pondering the odds of Sheryl playing such a cruel trick to me. I replied and found out that it was God who played a cruel trick on everyone. Everyone that knows Sandra knows that she wasn’t someone who deserved to die so young.
This isn’t fair. She is one of the few really great persons I know. No one and I repeat, no one can surpass her ability to impress me with his or her personality. She’s so cheerful, so pleasant, so playful. She has a way of winning radio competitions.
Let me recount my first, only and last meeting with her.
Sheryl told me her friend was coming to stay over in order to go to the Akon concert that was held at Putrajaya Lake. I was like…err…okay. Little did I know I’d be meeting one of the most unique person around me.
The next day, she came, and we exchanged awkward hellos. Then we were off to the concert. She actually gave Sheryl free tickets that she won. So I was able to tag along. There, I experienced the first exhilarating experience of a concert. I was too much of a cheapskate to go to this kind of events. I mean, if Linkin Park would’ve hold a concert here, I’d starve for a month to buy their concert tickets. But that was Akon.
After the concert, Sandra and Desmond went to get autographs from Akon since they had backstage meet and greet passes. Sheryl and me just waited somewhere near the backstage area. There, a noticed an Eurasian girl. She was pretty and all. And just out of fun, I told Sheryl I wanted to go up and get her number. Of course I was just joking. The girl is much too young for me. When Sandra was done getting the autographs, we were going off when I teased Sheryl saying that I really wanna go get the girl’s number. Sandra, sampat as usual, asked what I was talking about. Sheryl told her, and she marched right off to the girl and asked for her number.
I was embarrassed but grateful at the same time. I was even more impressed of her spontaneity. It’s something I didn’t possess then.
After a few days, Sheryl was webcamming with Sandra. Sandra insisted that I talked to her. So I went over. I didn’t know she was taking screenshots of me wearing my worn out shirt with holes. Later, her cousin, Yvonne, posted the pictures of me wearing that shirt with holes. We had a good laugh over it.
From thereon, we chatted on MSN for quite a while. I got to know her and she was really a great girl. We talked alot but never met up again since we’re staying so far apart. After that she came over to HELP to continue her studies. I told her I’d go meet her someday in KL but I kept dragging the thing…and it ended up this way.
Here is my tribute to you, Sandra, my friend.
We met once and once only,
I didn’t know that would be the last,
I promised to meet up with you,
but I procrastinated.
I still remember the concert,
the free tickets you gave me,
and that girl’s number you got me,
you really surprised me.
I remembered the times we talked online,
and I realized I told you a whole lot of stuff
that I don’t easily tell anyone,
you’re just a gem.
I remember calling you sampat,
and you countered with something meaner,
We’d just chat for hours,
I regret not talking to you more often.
From the bottom of my heart,
you’re a great friend,
although we only met once,
that’s what makes it so beautiful.
Sandra,
I miss you,
I wish I could keep my promise meeting up with you.
I didn’t know I will not have the chance anymore.
Rest in peace.
God’s love will shine upon a soul as beautiful as yours.
