purple rain...

So im waiting at the bus stop at Newton MRT, and it's been a long day. And it got even longer when i realized that i just missed my bus and have to wait 20min for the next one, which in Singaporean terms, usually means about 1-2 hours of waiting.

But this time was a little different.

A girl walks up right next to me to check the timing of her bus. And for a moment i don't recognize her. The hair is a longer, almost shoulder-length. The clothing is a little different frm wat i remember. The eyes are a little dimmer. But the person is unmistakably someone i know... or don't... or someone i know, only halfway...

"P-Purple fairy??"

She throws me the most incredulous look. "What did you just say?"

"Purple fairy. You're the purple fairy, right?"

I was referring to a play a long long time ago that i was invited to, by someone else, while back in CJC. The play was held at the Alliance Francois (or someting like that), a small but lavish performing arts centre. She was part of a gimmick - part of it was for her to dress as the Purple Fairy (a character in the play) and wander around the crowd before the play started and ask "Have you found it? Have you seen it?"

It meant nothing, except that when the play was all over and everyone had gone home, I was left alone at a bus stop, only to notice a seemingly dejected and wistful-looking purple fairy, sitting at the other end of the bus stop all alone.

And in the lamest of pickup lines, I walk up to her and ask, almost amusedly, "So, you found it yet?" I never asked for her name, who she was, or which class she was in, we just talked. Chatted about nothing and everything - lame stuff and more, until her bus came and she "flew" off (fucking bus was going that fast).

And this time, here we were, at Newton MRT, just a stone's throw from the very place where we first met.

Ironic. Very ironic.

Suddenly, her eyes light up, "Oh my gaaaaaawwwwd... you were at *that* play! That was so long ago!"

Yeah, i was the guy at the bus stop remember?

"Oh really," she said, glancing sideways, "Can't really remember that part."

Didnt matter. Actors in a play dont have to remember their lines, they feel it. They become what they are and the lines flow. They sense the moment and speak as the ambience wills them.

And we talked. About where she was working now. About where I had been to study. What i had studied. What she had studied. And how all of what we learned never applied. How she didnt really act after that anymore. And about how life in general tended to suck.

I remember half way thru, I asked, Hey, so still got your fairy wings?

She laughed, almost hysterically, but never answered me.

And in flash, 20min was over. And this time it was my turn. Bus 124 turned the corner and i just got up, not even bothering to say goodbye. Neither did she.

And as I began to walk towards the stopping bus, I remembered another thing.

I turn around, and call out to her over the roar of the nearly disintegrating bus engine.

Hey! So... have you found it yet?!

She smiles and starts to laugh. I almost begin to think that she wouldnt answer, just like last time.

And i begin to turn away.

But just as i reach for the bus, i hear a call from behind me.

"Yes!"

And for a moment, i can see her with those fairy wings again.

Song of the day is "Romeo and Juliet" by The Killers...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me, babe, how about it?"...

Juliet says, "Hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing
"Hey, la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here, singing up people like that
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?"...

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet, that you exploded in my heart
And I forget, I forget.. the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
Both dirty, both mean, yes and the dream was just the same
And I dream your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me, as if I was just another one of your deals?..

Well, you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say, "Oh, Romeo, yeah, you know
I used to have a scene with him"...

Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry
I said, "I love you like the stars above, I love you 'till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?..

I can't do the talk, like the talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song, like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything, but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you...

And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat, and the bad company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a Rhyme
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you any time...

Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry
I said, "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you 'till I die"
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?..

A lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Find a convenient streetlight, and steps out of the shade
He says something like, "You and me, babe -how about it?"..