To my ex pen pal - Eric Yeo

Yesterday was trying to clear up the cupboard cos it was too messy. Then there was one stack of old letters that were sent by my pen pals.

Back to those old days about 20 years back. There was a trend to keep pen pals. As the name implied, it means friends we make through writing.

Some of us will submit our photos to magazines with a brief introduction of ourselves. I did not submit my name but select a few and started writing to them.

A couple of them replied and we started corresponding. There were 3 of them we wrote to each other regularly among which 2 of them did not meet up at all except for Eric Yeo.

We wrote, we spoke on the phone but only met up after 3 years of our acquaintance. He is a nice person but had an inferior personality. He felt that he was not good looking so fearful that the friendship would be lost once we meet up.

But that thought was uncalled for. During that time, our intention was just to make more friends and nothing beyond that. After diminishing that thought, he felt relieved. We continue our friendship and we introduced to each other more friends.

We started our corresponding in 1987 and stopped writing about a few years later. That was due to our working hours were long and busy. Each time we, I and his friends, suggested to meet up, it would always those few words: No lah, very tired. I want to sleep.

So throughout our acquaintance for 11 years, our outings were limited. During 1998 Sep, I completely lost this friendship. He abandoned us and leave for another world. He passed away in his sleep at the age of barely 33. It was really a shock when my friend told me about it.

Well, it had been 10 years since he left us. Last night, when I was reading the letters, I am so upset.

Now, I intend to look for the othe 2 pen pals through Violet's radio programme. Not sure if these guys still remember me but I will try my best.