A frightening experience that happened to me as a schoolgirl left such an impact on me that even now, as a retiree, I cannot forget it. — Photo: Freepik
A frightening experience that happened to me as a schoolgirl left such an impact on me that even now, as a retiree, I cannot forget it.
During my secondary school years, there was an occasion when students from various schools were trained to sing a patriotic song for a stadium event. The town’s main roads were decorated with coloured lights, and a procession of decorative floats was part of the celebration.
Our neighbours planned to go to town to see the beautiful sights and invited my mother and me to join them.
My mother happily accepted, but I had to decline as I needed to be at school early to prepare for the stadium performance.
However, I assured them that once the singing was done, I would join them to watch the parade.
On the event day, I left home in my school uniform and participated in the activities.
After everything was completed, we were given a light snack before being sent back to school. I was excited to meet my mother and friends, and enjoy the rest of the day.
I took a bus to the area where our friends intended to park their car and started searching for it. However, there were so many vehicles that even after a long search, I saw no sign of their car.
By then, a huge crowd had gathered along the roadside, making it impossible to find anyone. It was also getting late, and the parade was about to begin.
Finally, I gave up looking for them and decided to enjoy the colourful procession. The floats were spectacular, each one seemingly better than the last.
When the final float passed, it was quite late, so I walked to the nearest bus stop to return home.
By then, a large crowd had gathered at the bus stop. After a long wait, a bus arrived, but instead of stopping, it drove off.
It was already packed with passengers, with some even standing on the steps. The next bus came, but it too was too full to stop.
The same thing happened a third time, and I realised that I could not rely on catching a bus from this spot.
Some people had begun looking for taxis, but that was not an option for me. My only choice was to cross the road and take a bus to the terminal, hoping to board a bus before it became overcrowded.
At the terminal, the crowd was just as massive, and the bus I needed had not yet arrived. I also worried that if it got too late, the buses might stop running, leaving me stranded. Most of the people there were with their families, but I was alone.
Then, suddenly, my bus arrived, and everyone rushed towards it. Desperately, I joined them, and thankfully, I managed to get a seat, allowing me to rest my aching feet. I dared not close my eyes, fearing I would miss my stop.
It was so dark outside, and the thought of walking alone at midnight was terrifying.
As I tried to make out the surroundings in the darkness, I suddenly saw a familiar sight – a Chinese school near my house. Immediately, I pressed the bell and quickly got off the bus.
Now, I had to cross the road and walk quite a distance along a lane lined with houses. My heart pounded as I hurried along the dimly lit path.
Then, I reached a short alley, and from there, I could finally see my house.
The lights were on, and my mother was anxiously looking out of the window. The moment she saw me, she rushed to open the door. The relief on her face was wonderful to see.
She could tell how exhausted I was and offered to get me some food, but I refused.
Then she said all explanations could wait until morning – it was best for me to take a bath and go to bed.
I took her advice, and the sheer relief of knowing I was home safely allowed me to sleep soundly that night.
