Thursday, March 15, 2007

The Sad Ping Pong Queen Vol 4.

Hi all!

Wah lau…I think I can update everyday…..

For those who do not understand the title, you’ll definitely have to read the series in their appointed volumes since it is a running story.


If so, pls read them in the following sequence: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3 (below this entry).

So early in the morning when I entered the office, to say that I was curious would be an understatement. I found out that PPQ is not exactly a subtle person. Her emotions do run their course on a roller-coaster, sometimes in a series of endless hoops.

To say that I was concerned would also be an overstatement too, because I’m not that nice a person to care for people who aren’t so close too much. I may worry a bit, but that’s about it. But with somebody like PPQ, who always seem to relive her history through her encounters with the opposite sex, and this time with someone who’s obviously been around, I confess to being a little more than anxious.

But generally overall, I’m curious enough to want to witness a dramatic story unfold in a fashion akin to a novella. Yea, I confess extremely readily of my KPOness to the whole situation.

So when PPQ came sailing in all smiles and happy laughter, I was prepared to cock a ear to listen to her. Because of my client relationship with LK, I was the obvious choice to pass the joy to. But I needn’t have worried, because her joy was palpable and full of charity. She’s prepared to share all date details with everyone in the office.


I’m still considering the earlier wisdom of telling her to ‘not count her chicks before they are hatched’, but she’s on a roll and starring as lead actress, so hell, I joined the group and sucked up the drama. Her happiness is indeed pretty lovely to watch.


In the abject attention of all the female colleagues (close to 10), she excitedly exclaimed her date to be the most fun and happiest she’s ever had and met. An hour long discussion with many ‘oohhs’ and ‘ahhhs’ and ‘lucky you’ followed.

‘He brought me to XXX restaurant for a candle-lit dinner’

‘ooohhhh….that’s nice!’, gushed the office gals.

‘He bought flowers and asked the waiters to present them to me with the dessert!’

‘waahhh….’ We wowed. I had to admit that it was a classic LK (ladykiller) touch, especially with the dessert.

‘There were singers that went to our tables just to serenade to us! I think he planned it!’

‘Ooohhhh…goodness! That’s so charming!’ the whole office (the guys has joined the conversation) warbled and commented. Obviously LK has scored a clear goal into PPQ’s heart.

‘And best of all? It’s all so coincidental! If it wasn’t for AKK, he might not even have spoken to me!’


The whole cohort aimed their optic lasers onto me as I was suddenly thrust into the limelight. They too knew that PPQ had been depressed like sugarcane being pushed through the juicer of Love. The guy seems to them perfect in every way and they must have been glad to see the increasing-radial aura of sadness shrink away from the office atmosphere. Oh no! I remembered thinking this. Some pre-disposed survival instinct is kicking into high gear.


‘Er..er….I don’t actually know him that well.’ It’s a LIE, I know him well enough to form some opinions already.


‘Oh AKK, his ice-breaker was ‘Do you know AKK?’ If I didn’t know you, the conversation would have stopped there.’ She giggled deliriously.


And the crowd ‘oohhh’ed again and patted me on the back.


I’m expressly certain that LK would have steered the conversation proficiently all by himself, but under the metric gaze of the office and her megawatt gratitude of my involvement to her Prince Charming, my guts shriveled like a raisin trying to raise that point. Already I have foreseen my future. It was either to be hailed as the Saint of Love and Fortune or the Witch of Bad Coincidences.


Then my phone rang just then to save me. But argh! The witch of Bad coincidences brought none other than LK to sing out my name on the other end.


‘Yo! Got time for me, Miss AKK? I need a lot of it.’


The cheek of the man. But yea, to give a benefit of the doubt, he is indeed one of my best and most law-abiding, well-behaved customer who never blames the tools. You’ll be surprised how many researchers blame the machines for their bad results when it’s obvious it is their own skills they should question.


‘Anytime. Scanning only though.’ I should shut up right about now.


There was a chuckle. ‘Ok, sorry for teasing. How about a slot for tomorrow? And get this….’


He gave me a heart-stopping number to the amount of plates he’s scanning.


‘So many! I’ll need to block the whole day tomorrow and half the day after for you then.’


‘Yes, as to that.’ His voice grew serious on the phone. ‘I really need this batch of data ASAP. In fact, I was hoping to finish them tomorrow.’


‘Hmmm….but I can’t finish unless I open after hours.’


‘Please? Just this once, I promise.’


‘Hmmm….’


‘For all the times I’ve been a great client? I’ll not pull this type of stunt anymore, promise promise….’


And then, as the coup de grace….


‘And you can ask me anything about the date yesterday. There’s no kissing, so I can tell.’


And I burst out laughing. I appreciate his candour and the fact that he knows I know and doesn’t care.


‘Right. Promise not to tell the rest of them users of your privileged treatment, put my name and facility in the paper you are publishing and I’ll open shop for 4 extra hours for you.’


There was a sigh of relief on the other end. ‘Thanks, man. You’re a saint. I agree to all terms and I’ll buy you dinner while you work.’


And I’m thinking currently, as I wrote this, that PPQ and I are different types of girls altogether. I’ll go even further to say, dare I say? That a dinner’s a dinner and means nothing. That a guy friend can be a friend only and nothing else. That making friends is not a choice depending on whether he’s eligible for the future or not. Friends can be made anytime anywhere. So the thing is: what is it about PPQ that her heart can jump out of her mouth just because a guy looks at her and what is it about me that my heart doesn’t even pump when I was similarly single last time? Maturity? And yes, expressing to spent more time with a person does not equate said person likes the other?



But while I don’t grudge a free meal. Professionalism needed to win over.


‘Nah. It’s OK, nothing to it. No bribing the technician.’


‘You sure?’ he persisted. ‘Perhaps a coffee?’


OK. Professionalism is great but nothing gets in the way for a cup of kopi.


‘Deal. Help me get that nice kopi-siu-dai in the corner hawker and I’ll pay you back.’




Out!


AKK

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wahh..... I think he gunning for a threesome.

Then again, I think the extra work is just a ploy to get you alone in the office at night and then he.... Hur hur hur.....

Woo......

Anonymous said...

Hi AKK,
This upheavals of the PPQ saga is getting more interesting. In fact i look forward to more daily updates and blow by blow account of the blossoming "Love" of LK & PPQ. In fact it's a solace from the damn boring journals that I'm reading. Journals are bleagh bleagh!!

Anonymous said...

I think the first question you'll ask is why he bought her dinner the way he did (flowers and stuffs), and whether he makes all his friends like that, right? I would if I'm you.

Either that or he could be the one who wanted to go to the seminar himself because he's perplexed why a guy like him can't make relationships work.

And there he met your friend, who's wondering what it is that she hasn't been doing enough, or at all.

So they are actually finding out together.

Anyway, relax lah. She's a big girl now she can handle that, I'm guessing. She needs to be someone who's "been around" too mah.

Just continue to keep us updated about this, man. ; )

Ang Ku Kueh said...

jay:

u ah! can you ever get ur head out of the gutter? ppl is zhen zhen dang dang researcher leh.


shun kueh:

u bio one ah? read journals? cool...heng i dun have to, hehehe


zhebin:

hur hur, i just read ur latest comment. i hope u'll understand that right now, my opinion of her has been shot to zero. and yes, i follwd ur instructions and asked him abt the flowers and singing.

Anonymous said...

Nope! I'm not reading BIO journals. Mathematics ones are far worse! arrggghh!

Anonymous said...

OK. So from now onwards, every girl i meet from our line of industry, i will ask "Do you know AKK?" and see if i can also hit on a girl.

Ang Ku Kueh said...

soon kueh:

maths.....terrible...ur rite, worse than bio, hehehe...

ah fatt's fan:

u try try see lor. :)