Guildhouse Reading

I gave a reading tonight at the Guildhouse. I was so nervous and shy about my work that I didn't inform any of my friends here about it. Peiming knew and remembered, and she called me this morning to ask where it was. I refused to tell her because I didn't want her to attend. I thought the crowd would be small and didn't want her to be subjected to listening to some 14 pages of my dribble.

But I was waiting for the reading to begin (I was reading with two others, a poet and a fiction writer), and felt an onslaught of nerves, and regretted telling Peiming not to come. I felt terribly alone and wanted to go home. Then, somewhere in my peripheral vision, I saw a petite girl with dark hair pass through the doorway and then disappear behind a wall. Was that Lim Jia? She was followed by a fellow with big hair. If that was Jake, his hair had grown considerably. It was Jake, and Peiming and Noella followed after. I was so pleased and shocked at once. I confronted them, "Oh my goodness, what the hell are you doing here?!" Jake unfolded a poster with a horrific picture of me. Someone had posted a flyer advertising our reading in the music school. I couldn't believe it. But I really was moved by their effort to come hear me read, against my wishes!

I chose to read non-fiction, an essay I wrote last year about getting married or planning a wedding at the height of SARS. If Lin Kiat were there, he'd have been mighty embarrassed, since the essay is about him too. But it turned out well. People laughed (and that's always a good thing) and often (that's even better!). And the last paragraphs were moving, people told me, not cheesy as I'd feared (when you're talking about weddings and husbands, the cheese factor can run dangerously high).

Now that the reading's over, I can rest my throat which has been sore and let my nose run free. Halfway through reading, I had to blow my nose, and people shrieked with laughter, given the topic I was reading. I couldn't help it. I had to blow my nose! Guess I should've worn a mask too, for added effect.

*Note - have finished my 20-page sample for a play. 25 more pages to go. And a pile of grading, and 3 critiques and then 4 textbooks to edit...