Here's My Number, Call Me Maybe

Posted by May January 09, 2019

Here's My Number, Call Me Maybe

Tuesday. Yesterday. The fifth day of Primary One and Ewan reminded me in the morning that he will call me at recess from the pay phone. Just to chit chat through ten cent worth of call time. I went to check his time table and put a mental note to watch the phone over that period.

Regrettably, I forgot to put my phone out of the permanent silent mode it's been on since he was born. To avoid waking up a very-hard-to-put-to-sleep baby, I had since had my mobile phone on silent without vibration. I can respond to messages pretty efficiently but I always have tonnes of missed calls.

I missed his call on his first call home! And he tried contacting me FIVE times!

When I finally picked up my phone to check, I was flabbergasted! I actually forgot that he was going to call me. What a mom! I was cursing myself out loud for missing his very first call home from school which I told him I was looking forward to receiving.

My first thoughts were, "Did he cry when he couldn't find me?"

My second thoughts were, "Oh dear. Will he stop calling me because he's disappointed?"

Ewan spent ten minutes trying to reach me. Instead of going to play after his meal, he tried calling me on the pay phone to general office phone [I could tell from the caller ID] until recess was over.

I returned those missed call and the lady over the phone said the children have all went back to class.

Awwww...

I had to tell someone about this and I called Meyer immediately. He said, "Aiyo mommy. He sure cry one lor."

It was only 10am and he finishes school at 1pm. That three hours went by so slowly for me and all I wanted to do at that moment was to hug him with an apology.

At dismissal, we waved real big at each other and his first words were complaints.

Ewan: Mommy! I called you so many times and I even went to the general office to call you but you didn’t pick up the phone

Mom: So sorry so so sorry Ewan. I should have turned the ringer on but I didn’t. Did you cry?

Ewan: Yes I cried when I couldn’t speak to you. My teacher helped me too and we called so many times.

Mom: Why didn’t you call daddy when you couldn’t reach me?

Ewan: Because he is working ma! I didn’t buy a drink today so I have money to call you you know?

Mom: Oh dear. So sorry will you forgive me? I feel so bad!

Ewan: It’s ok. You said we learn from our mistakes right? You learn from your mistake and turn your phone ringer on tomorrow. No matter what!

His father asked him if he just sobbed when he couldn't reach me or if he bawled. Our emotional son said he bawled and his teacher was with him the whole while. Aiyo heart pain.

I hope he doesn't get embarrassed when he reads this because this is the sweetest thing a boy could ever do for his mom - eating into his recess hour to call home for a quick chat. The kind of virtue his friends should never laugh at but praise. One that he should be proud of and not be ashamed of.

This morning before school, his father reminded me to turn up the volume of my phone. Ewan reminded me that he will call me at recess, "Mommy! I will call you at recess today okay? You have to pick up and I will call you before I eat my meal. Hmmm but my teacher said I should call only after I'm done eating. So okay. I'll call you after I eat."

I stood vigil by my phone this morning and picked it up on the first ring!

"MOMMY!"

He exclaimed so sweetly I could melt.

We had a beautiful conversation which got cut off after three minutes though.

He said, "I ate Sushi today! Not Fishball Noodles and I have a lot of money left because it's only One Twenty Dollars! I'm going to Popular to buy a toy okay?" -CUT-

Argh! Bookshop woes!