Humiliated in public

I was holding an exhibition at Suntec City. I did not have enough staff to help with the setting up and manning of the stand. I brought Jaymes who was 6 to help out. P, who was the father of two students whom I was giving tuition at that time, offered his help and his staff. His driver helped to deliver my products to the exhibition hall.

I came to know P when I was working in an MNC. He was a client of my boss. He owns several factories located in China, Malaysia and Indonesia. I left the MNC and later got married, he came to know that I was giving tuition. He asked me to tutor his two younger children.

When he knew that I was also doing some import and export business, he offered me much advice. He was like a big brother to me. I was doing lots of work but not making much money. P used to laugh at me, saying I'm selling peanuts and earning peanuts. He did offer business leads but I didn't want to owe him too many favours. My Dad used to say to me, if I receive the favour of someone, one day I would have to pay back. And he could be asking more than what he did for you.

Now during this exhibition, P came to visit and helped out in whatever way he could. On the last day, while we were chatting with a staff at the stand, his wife came looking for me.

Before I could say a word, I felt a stinging slap and I almost went deaf. Before she could deliver another blow, my staff and P grabbed her. She kept calling me a vixen. Vaguely I could see people coming to gather around our stand. P pulled his wife away.

I was reeling from that hard slap. When I regained my senses, all I could think of was Jaymes. I wasn't conscious when he had wrapped his arms around my unsteady legs sobbing. My staff came to see if I was alright. The left side of my face was stinging hot and I could sense that it was red and swollen.

I carried Jaymes and went to the rest area to hide from the prying eyes. Jaymes asked me why did the aunty slapped me. I told him she had mistaken me for somebody. He caressed my swollen cheek and asked if it hurt. I held back my tears forcefully and said no. But my heart was bleeding. I hugged him tightly to my chest. I just sat in the lounge and hugged him for a long time, patting him gently on his shoulder at the same time. He soon fell asleep while I let my tears flow. I suddenly felt so tired and drained......

P did some explaining to his wife. He also got my ex-boss and his staff to vouch for us. We were not having an affair, there was no way I could have an affair because my hours of waking was fully occupied.

P and his wife asked my family out for dinner one night and she apologised. (After that meal, she and I became very good friends and used to go for lunches and shopping together. Until P screwed up again.)

That night when I went home and as I lay in bed, I felt weary ......... While the snores of my two guys filled the room, tears was stealthily making its way down my cheeks. I wished I could close my eyes and never wake up again...............

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ok... last of my life stories. I am moving on....