120mins of laughter
I had the best 2 hours ever with my dearest track coach on wednesday.I lost contact with him after he got a stroke 2 years ago and after he shifted to another hospital,I couldn't locate him and well,I got his number and went to visit him.
He's staying with his younger sister and I was really nervous to meet the man I simply adore and treated him like my dad when I was training with him during my secondary school days.I went in to the living room and greeted his sister and was told to wait as he was changing into his shorts.I was standing up,quite lost at what to say or do after not seeing him for so long.I was told he couldn't remember much things because of the multiple brain surgery he had in the past 2 years and that he has short term memory now.I was afraid he couldn't recognise me.
I waited for awhile and sat dow and there was coach clad in a white singlet and a stripe boxers.He called out my name 'DEBBIE' like he used to and smiled,he had put on some weight but was still healthy looking.We chatted and talked about past memories during his coaching days.He talked about how happy he was not being stucked at home feeling miserable about himself,not having self-pity.He just wanted to be happy and I assure you he looked so much better when I first saw him in the hospital 2years back.We had a great time talking about on my hurdling session,how he coached the primary school students and how he loved seeing his students grow and excel.
When asked about how he felt,he said there's no point being upset and when he goes to the therapy session,all he wants to do is to make himself happy.For someone who's half-paralysed and thoughts that are so positive and encouraging,it makes me want to do more in life.These are the people on field or in the classroom that fuels my aspiration to be an educator even more.I was impacted about how passion he was about running,how much he cared not just about our performances on track but also in our studies and family.He could sense whether we had problems and he doesn't just coach,he was like an mentor to me.His love for his students is massive,once it hits,it spreads big time.I'm sure he's impacted so many other runners in his many years of coaching and he is truly a remarkable person that I deeply respect.
He's still the same person,the strong-willed coach I know when I was 13 years old,the same person who treated me like his daughter,the same person who saw me fell and picked me up,the same person who loved chicken briyani and beer.He is still able to do his deafening whistle,I mean not just a whistle but a really deafening one,he did it in the living room while I was sitting just beside him and I swear to you,I had a ringing sound in my ear.hahaha,I dont know,I was extremely happy meeting him.Although I'll be away for 3 years,I never want to ever lose contact with him ever again.
I admired his determination to keep going and despite he's physically challenged,he still does his daily routine and tries to do what a normal person does.He said when I'm back and teaching in a secondary school,he wants to come and coach in that school too!I know he's not going to read my blog but I felt overwhelmed after meeting him that I had to blog about it.
And I'm flying to Melbourne tonight!
Bye SG!
(P/S:Blogger,please fix your icon problems soon)