The Before, The It and The After

One week later, Hiyashi reminisces the happenings over the few weeks of the event.

Pre-election
Election is coming! Well it was coming at that time! *grumbles on confusing tenses when blogging late* First time voter ME! I admit I was a tad too excited about it. I try my best to hold back my excitement but you can easily see that little sparkle in my eyes that so easily gave me away.

One night, around this pre-election period. At home, in front of my notebook... the following conversation took place.

Hiyashi : *click click type type*
Dad : Try coming home earlier these two weeks.
Hiyashi : *looks up* Eh?
Dad : Election period.
Hiyashi : Oh.

Ah. See how short and punchy my dad is. My mom probably would have gone on and on about how dangerous it is and if possible get someone to drop me off at the jetty instead. But my dad, well my dad likes to keep it short and simple. And it works way better that way I tell you. Because when a man with few words speaks, it means it’s important. It matters! And us young ones listen. *grins* But a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do and I don't blame her.

Anyway, I never managed to leave office early for those two weeks after all. *sigh*

Election Day
Half-working-day day. Meaning I got to leave office before 2.30pm to give myself enough time allowance to vote. At 2.00pm, my cell phone beeped. Message reads: “Be back by 3.30pm or we’ll go first.”

There you have it. My dad. So I quicken my pace and left the office around 2.30pm with a complimentary ride from the Easter Bunny. Zoooom! As I sat at the waiting area, a storm headed our way. It rained and the wind was strong, even under the shades, us anxious passengers were getting wet by the minute. Finally the ferry arrived. I thought it was pouring over at Butterworth side, too but it was not. Instead I brought the rain over, trailing behind me right from behind. The newspaper the next day reads that many have said that the rain was an omen of the political tsunami set to hit Penang. *shrugs* I must say it’s a nice metaphor though.

The voting process itself was surprisingly easy. *blink blink* and I was done. I thought I might have missed something because it was just too fast. All that excitement for the last two weeks for something that lasted two minutes. -.-;;

Post-election
As the results were slowly finalised on Sunday, the oh so familiar conversation took place again.

Hiyashi: *click click type type*
Dad: Come home earlier tomorrow and Tuesday.
Hiyashi: *this time without looking up* Alright.

And this time, I did manage to leave office slightly earlier than usual. It was not that bad on Monday or Tuesday. Instead, it was Friday that turned out a wee bit frightening. Rumours of riot taking place, bus service on halt, people from the mainland side urging to return home. Wooot?? Should I leave like now??!!

Apparently my dad was dubious about it being such a biggy deal but to be on a safe side. *cough cough* Remember the old saying of "better be safe than sorry"? Well, I was urged to come home early today and no play play. Early means early, and so I left at 6.00pm.

For the first time I felt a tinge of fear and wariness as I walked alone amidst the crowd, up to the ferry terminal. This isn’t good I say, I hope things will eventually settle down and come to a close for this political crisis because I don’t want to go to work feeling that little thud at the heart now and then. Because this sure wasn’t what I was voting for. >__<

Note: Gah. Finally I got this done. Now I can blog all my randomness again. *phew*