National Library Board

On Tuesday evening, as i was rushing to a class, I absent mindedly left my pencil case in level 4 of National Library. When I found out about it late at night, the library is already close so I cannot go back to find it. Thus, i endured the heart-pain of losing my pencil case for that night, and vowed to find it back the next day.

---

On the next day, as I had work to do, i could not go back to the library to find my pencil case. I did the next best rational action -- that is, to call up national library board. The website listed the number of jurong east regional library, so i dialled that number on my phone.

"ring ring..."
"Welcome to the National Library Board. For...... press 1..."

What??? The number was listed under Jurong East regional library and they directed me to a Computer system? Ok never mind I thought. Maybe, got chance ah, Jurong East library very big, got a computerised system for itself. So after pressing through a few buttons, I was directed to this customer service person.

" Morning, National Library Board. May I help you?"
"Erm, Uh, is this Jurong East regional library?"
"No, this is the centralised national library board system..."

Alright, so i learned my lesson. Cheh, so jurong east not very big. The website just misguided me, that's all. What I buay song ah, is that the person seemed very pissed off, as if I'm some idiot for still bearing hope that the line leads to jurong east regional library directly. Or maybe she said she from NLB liao just i stupid never pay attention. Or maybe ah, maybe only, she was actally damn polite, just that i was in a bad mood so i misinterpreted her as being rude and condescending.

Whatever is the case, I continued to describe to her the story of me losing my pencil case. When she heard that the thing I lost was just a pencil case ah, she give an exclamation, as if I kicking up a big fuss for losing a pencil case. Hello, my pencil case got sentimental value leh. On top of being older than her 9 yr old son (if someone wants to marry her in te first place), the pencil case accompanied me through my tests and exams, the O levels, all the NUS exams. Wah I even remember where i bought each of the stationery, ok? Please Don't judge the worth of my items based on your own yardstick, ya?

Ok, so the story continues, and she seem uninterested for the rest of the speech. At the end, she said she will convey the information to her colleague at jurong east, who will get back to me. i was thinking, can't you just redirect my line or at least give me jurong east library's number meh? Thinking again, i thought, maybe this is their system, their policy, so bobian. Ok, so i mustered a thank you (She must have been really patient to bear with a retard like me) and went back to wait for a painful one hour plus.

You may be thinking, wah why this guy so drama one ah? Lose one pencil case, kbkb. Well as i explained, firstly, just because a person may think of a pencil case as being insignificant doesnt mean it isnt important to another person; secondly, i was wondering if the lady really did pass my message, or if i have appeared too retarded and ridiculous for her to ignore me.

After a while though, i received the call from jurong east library, the ultimate death sentence, or so, i thought.

"Sorry, We didnt find your pencil case."

Wah i hear liao really damn sad. I thought, they so long then call back, must be activate search party go find my pencil case. Like that cannot find I also must ren ming liao. Ya, the feeling is just like got one doctor tried his best to save the patient, but cannot. The typical scene seen in dramas.

Guess what? My father went in the afternoon to find it, and there it was, with the cleaner on level 4. I was like... flabbergasted. You mean you take so long to call me back, saying that there is no pencil case, where it is all along with the cleaner on level 4? I bet you must have kept your lazy ass glued to the seat and never even gone to level 4 to find my stuff, despite me brandishing so much information about where i lost my pencil case, and a vivid description of how my beloved pencil case looks like?

Ok, i rest my case. At least i have my pencil case back. And that's all that matters.