Two strangers

Earlier tonight, I got home pretty late. Tired, ate and watched Doctor House interviewing another doctor and commenting about her shoes... in another words, minding my own business and trying to relax... unexpectingly there's a knock on my front door. I opened the door and found two strangers standing there. The old man was frail looking accompanied by young chap with an Astros cap on.

They introduced themselves as Mr. Law and son. They came from Bau, Sarawak, the little town where I spent most of my childhood. I immediately, invited them in without knowing what to expect, but I was excited because, it was very rare to find another soul from that part of the world.

We talk about a lot of things, from the weather, to humidity (you will understand if you live here in Houston) to jobs and especially about our little town. But something was missing that I could not put my fingers on. After finished the fresh squeezed orange juice, the old man suddenly got serious but sadly said, "Do you have my wife's certificate?"

Let me tell you, that sentence brought out the coldest sweat in my body. I immediately understood, even thought I would never have otherwise. I got up and got my wife to help me find an envelope that was sitting there under the phone for two months. We could not find it this time.

I had to tell the guys that I would find it within two days and would give them a call as I did. They left quietly with soft handshakes and words of thanks. After they left, my wife and I spent the next hour, flipping through all the boxes and files trying to find the yellow envelope. With determination, my wife finally found it. The envelope was still sealed in it's original mailed form. I have not open it or knew about it's content... well, now I do.

The envelope was sent to me about two months ago, from my aunt in Bau, Sarawak. She did not say anything about the content, but asked me to send it to an address in Houston. I did just that, but it was returned to me marked "Return to Sender". I filed it and it went away from my memory until tonight. You see, my aunt is a life insurance salelady...
I hopped into my little two seater and drove out an hour to Richmond to deliver the envelope, right that instant. Mr. Law receivered it with a little tear and a lot of thankfulness.

As I drove home, I had so much in my little mind... you see, after writing about death and funeral for the last few days, tonight, I actually had to deliver a death certificate to a stranger and his family. It was quite overwhelming.

I have seen so many deaths... 13 of my best friends from high school, only 7 of them are still alive. They all died violently. I was not a very good boy when I was in my teen. I did not know better then...

I love photography, so in a small church where I served now, I was also the "designated" funeral photographer. I recorded and bridged the livings and the deads into hardcopies,... into reality. I never keep any copy of those photos I took. A few year back, when one of my buddy who was still in college died, I was his photographer as well. I photographed him when he was playing basketball with us wearing his favourite Superman logoed blue t-shirt, and I photographed him, as his was holding his neatly folded Superman logoed blue t-shirt with his eyes closed, while his parents and sister kissed him.

I miss you, buddy.


I also remember that, death, is not really death, unless you have a certificate. A piece of paper brought us into this world and it will take another piece of paper to let you go..