The Last Night Under The Stars

I had spent most of this week in LCK (Lim Chu Kang) because our company had to support 3 Guards in their ATEC. Going to LCK had never been a love affair for me as long as I could remember. LCK is swarmed with mosquitoes, uneven tracks, lots of knolls, and desolate.

I was appointed as the IC for the team of fire markers attached to the unit evaluating the battalion. Since this was the first time I am responsible for a team in a major exercise, my lack of experience translated into a hasty preparation on the 11th hour. Many thanks to Sergeant Fadly from MT line for his help despite my last minute request for motorcycles. Really appreciated him showing me the ropes and fixing some bike problems last minute, although very little repairs could be done with such a little time.

Since I am a brillant man, no job would pose too difficult for me. Limpeh is Ahlangod. (Ah Lang God). Expectedly, we managed to set off on Monday morning at 0745 hrs without a hitch.

To our disappointment, our first day at PLC was a waste of time. We were supposed to set off only on Tuesday morning. The only productive job ATEC required of us on Monday was to collect rations for the umpires and enemies.

On Tuesday, we were told to navigate on our own for 3 hours to familiarise ourselves with the terrain and the sites which we are supposed to "bomb". Navigation had never a problem for me. My army buddy (before I disrupted) was a good navigator who seldom "horlan-ed". Tagging along with him and learning his technique allowed me to develop a solid foundation in moving on the ground. Therefore despite not navigating as much as him (since I was the signaller), I am equally adept with a map and compass.

Remember, limpeh is Ahlangod.

With the bombing sites at our finger tips, we eagerly awaited for the moment (to bomb people) that never came. It was to be revealed to us later that the officer up there did not exercise his utilities and activate us, thus depriving us of the chance throw thunderflashes at pathetic soldiers. We could only clutch our thunderflashes in tears and go to sleep in the mosquito infested night.

The next night was similar. We had to scout our bombing sites (this time in the night) and wait in stand by mode. The only difference was that this time we had to wait in the open compared to a training shed the previous night. After all the preparation had been done, me and my friends parked our bikes and rested at our holding area. There was only one thing left to do before the moment of truth came.

Wait.

With each passing minute, whatever interest we had would soon be replaced by fatigue and boredom. Suddenly, we heard a shuffle in the bushes and a dark shadow emerged and strolled across the junction. Startled by the presence of so many humans (there was a whole company of soldiers camping at our holding area with us), the wild boar mustered whatever courage it had and sprinted back into his cover among the bushes.

There wasn't much of any interesting episodes after the pig, and for the first time in the night, I had the chance to sit back and took in whatever it was worth. Stacking my SBO and field pack on the rack of my motorcycle, I did a well rehearsed drill performed so flawlessly many times over the years.

To lie down flat on a motorcycle.

Did that remind you of xiao long nuu sleeping on a rope in "The Return of the Condor Heros"? There were a couple of similarities between my stunt and hers. Both needed skill to execute, and comfort would only be felt for the masters. Beginners would be too unnerved to feel any enjoyment.

So as I lay down on the bike and fed the moquitoes, my mind started to wander as usual. I was rather surprised that I did not horlan while navigating in the night. Maybe because I was on bike so any mistakes could easily be rectified by retracing the path. Or maybe because of the way I find my way around.

"Just go in the general direction and confirm your ground whenever you reach a junction or a significant landmark." - My army buddy four years ago.

Sounds like how I find my way around in life as well, only that it would show how aimless my life had been. I don't have any specific goal in life (as yet). I live my life with a general gut feeling and time and again take stock of myself whenever I realised the need to.

So the advice my buddy gave me was useful in terms of navigation but not in life. I won't lose my way in desolate places but I lost my way in the midst of people. Girls won't find any sense of security in me. haha

Suddenly I realised that my old friends were up in the sky. They had been there for me in Tekong, ROC, Wallaby, whatever, and whenever I am thinking of what to do with my life. They were the landmarks which I had been using to "confirm ground" in my life. They were always there for me when I had to ruminate things my mind.

They are the stars.

In Tekong, I just wanted to go home back in the mainland. In ROC, I wanted to put down that stupid signal set, disrupt, and continue with my studies. In Wallaby, I was actually happy to be there because it was a free trip and the scenary was beautiful. In LCK, I was actually admiring the stars for the first time. I was a fool not to have appreciated them when they were more brillant overseas. But nonetheless in LCK, they had not lost much of their sparkle.

Would they fall like Heaven's coins?

Rationally they won't. Romatically they would. I think I am more rational than romantic.

But somehow, I had this feeling that I would miss the stars. Maybe because I would be leaving the army soon? As experience showed, I did not have the chance to see such a night sky in the four years I spent away from the army in university.

Although this would not be the last time in my life that I would be staring at such a beautiful night sky,

But for a long long time to come,

This would be the last night under the stars.