Uncle Song
The applause fades after Uncle Song has left the stage. The students are to remain seated until given further instructions. Simon cannot stop tracing Uncle Song’s route in his mind. He turns to Mrs. Ong to ask if he can go to the toilet but Patrick has already caught her attention.
“May I please go to the toilet?” Patrick asks. His eyes are downcast. Mrs. Ong looks like she might say yes but she hesitates with pursed lips. Simon feels a little sorry for him now but he’s annoyed when Ms. Ong lets Patrick go. Now there’s no chance that he will be excused as well. Boys are not allowed to go to the toilets in pairs.
The School Prefects start walking down the aisles to distribute survey forms to the teachers. Mrs. Ong hands them to Suresh Balachandran who is half asleep at the end of the row. Principal Chock steps up to the podium and makes an announcement to teachers about handing in their attendance registers on time. Simon taps his foot against the floor as if he is already racing towards the gates. When the pile of survey forms reaches him, he passes it down without taking one.
“Aiyah,” Mrs. Ong says. She is rummaging through her bag. “I forgot to take the register from the classroom.” Under her breath, she says a swear word. The boys behind her start giggling.
An idea occurs to Simon. “I can go back to the classroom to get it for you,” he says. The boys begin to snicker and make kissing noises. Simon’s cheeks turn red, which only makes them louder.
“Stop it,” Mrs. Ong snaps at the boys. Her face brightens when she looks at Simon and passes him the classroom keys. “Yes, please do that. And hurry back.”
Simon stumbles past the other boys. Once he is outside the auditorium, he sprints in the opposite direction of the classroom because Uncle Song will not be on that side of campus. He might be in the waiting area of the Administrative Office or at the school gates already, asking the guards to call him a taxi. The white clock tower casts a long shadow across the football field. He picks up his pace, the beat of his heart slamming in his ears.
From the corner of his eye, he sees a tall man wearing a dark blue shirt. It’s Uncle Song but the minute Simon realizes it, he begins to panic. Uncle Song has passed the main gates and he is waiting on the road for a taxi. Simon sprints in his direction. “Eh!” he shouts. “Wait!” His calves begin to ache but he keeps going even when a taxi stops for Uncle Song and the driver rolls down his window. “Wait!” His throat feels raw when he tries to shout again. “Uncle Song!” he yells, before breaking into a fit of dry coughs. He doesn’t care anymore that people might hear him.
A guard steps in front of Simon and holds out his hand. “Boy, dismissal is in twenty minutes.”
“No, it’s okay, he’s my uncle,” Simon says, rushing past him.
The guard grabs Simon’s shoulder and shakes his head. “Cannot,” he insists. “Cannot.”
“Wait!” Simon calls out past the guard’s shoulder. “Look, please, I just want to tell him something. Uncle Song! It’s Simon!”
Hearing the name, Uncle Song turns around. There is something measured in this movement. With unease, Simon remembers how Uncle Song used to practice making eye contact and shifting his upper body during speeches. Simon waves but he doesn’t wave back.
“Uncle Song, please. I want to tell you something,” Simon says. His voice is high and whiny but he can’t help it because Uncle Song will not even look straight at him. His face is stiff as if he's discreetly trying to hold his breath.
“Simon,” he says. “Please just stay where you are.” He turns back to the taxi, opens the door and slides into the backseat, signaling to the driver to go quickly. “Uncle Song!” Simon screams as the taxi speeds away.
The guard keeps telling Simon he is sorry, but those are the rules. “Never mind, lah, boy. You can go home and call your uncle,” he says. Simon shakes his head and numbly makes his way to the classroom to get the register. Tears are streaming down his face and his throat hurts. On the way back to the auditorium, he stops at the restroom to wash his face.
Simon turns on the tap and so he can cry loudly. The gushing water hits the sink with such force it splashes onto some pages on the class register. He digs into his pockets to take out the handkerchief Ma makes him carry to school everyday. When it is soaked with tears and snot, he tosses it away.